Lisbon when you can't manage hills
Facts checked on October 11, 2026
For people who can walk on the flat, but not up steep streets or long flights of steps. Lisbon’s council describes the hills around its castle as barriers in themselves, and has been adding lifts and escalators to get people up them. This page lists what is running, what is closed, and where you can rest at the main sights.
Lifts and services change often, so confirm the details before your trip.
The historic funiculars are closed
The Ascensor da Glória, Ascensor da Bica, Ascensor do Lavra and Elevador de Santa Justa are out of service. Carris, which runs them, says they are “in testing and out of service”. They have been closed since the Ascensor da Glória accident on 3 September 2025, while an independent technical commission reviews reopening them. Carris runs buses instead:
- instead of the Glória: bus 51E (Glória, circling Largo do Carmo)
- instead of the Bica: bus 22B (Cais do Sodré, circling Príncipe Real)
- instead of the Lavra: bus 19B (Campo Mártires Pátria, circling São Bento)
Check the Carris page before you go, in case one has reopened.
Carris: Ascensores e Elevador em teste (in Portuguese)
Carris: news, including the 3 September 2025 accident (in Portuguese)
What gets you up the hills
The Funicular da Graça is open. It links Rua dos Lagares in Mouraria with the Miradouro Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen in Graça. It reopened on 30 April 2026 after a safety check, and since 15 May runs every day, upward from 7am to 8.45pm and downward from 7.05am to 8.50pm. It carries 14 people per trip, and holders of the navegante pass board first. Without the pass, the on-board fare is €4.30 for two trips.
Carris: Funicular da Graça (published 30 April 2026, in Portuguese)
Public lifts from the Baixa to the castle. The council lists a route from the Baixa to the Castelo de São Jorge with two public lifts: one at Rua dos Fanqueiros / Rua da Madalena, and one in the Mercado do Chão do Loureiro.
Escalators in Mouraria. From Martim Moniz, escalators on the Escadinhas da Senhora da Saúde take you up to Rua Marquês de Ponte de Lima, the first stretch of the council’s Mouraria route to the castle.
A lift in Alfama. The council lists a lift from Rua Norberto de Araújo up to the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, climbing about 15 metres.
The council’s page gives no opening hours for these, so check on the spot.
Câmara Municipal de Lisboa: Acessibilidades à Colina do Castelo (in Portuguese)
The metro: most stations have lifts. In November 2025, Metropolitano de Lisboa said 46 of its 56 stations have lifts from the street to the platforms. Check your stations before you set off.
Metropolitano de Lisboa, 6 November 2025 (in Portuguese)
Taxis: we could not find an official list of wheelchair-accessible taxis in Lisbon to point you to. Ask your hotel to book one ahead.
The sights, with less climbing
Castelo de São Jorge
- Contact the castle before you go. It runs a service for people with reduced mobility and asks you to get in touch first to find what suits you. You can arrive in your own vehicle if you email info@castelodesaojorge.pt up to one day ahead.
- A level route: from the entrance, past the turnstiles, to the eastern viewpoint over the city.
- Borrow a wheelchair. The castle has four wheelchairs and one Swiss-trac wheelchair tractor.
- The ticket office has a ramp and priority service, and the museum has a ramp and a lifting platform.
Castelo de São Jorge: Accessibility
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
- All areas, and parts of the garden, have access and equipment for visitors with limited mobility, with ramps throughout the main building.
- Stairlifts and wheelchair lifts can be used with the help of security staff.
- For concerts and events, seats for people with reduced mobility are bought in person at the ticket office.
- Disabled parking spaces are in the car park, next to the lifts.
Oceanário de Lisboa
- Ramps and lifts along the visitor route.
- An accessible route from the two nearest car parks, Parque Oceanário and Parque da Doca.
- Priority service for visitors with reduced mobility.
Oceanário de Lisboa: Plan your visit
Before you go
- Check Carris for the funiculars and the Elevador de Santa Justa: they may still be closed.
- Check that the metro stations on your route have lifts.
- Email the castle ahead if you want to drive up or need its mobility service.
- Ask your hotel to book an accessible taxi if you need one.
Check Lisbon against your own needs
This guide is general. Step-Free can check a trip against how you get around: how far you can walk, how many steps you can manage, and what must be in place.