Sesimbra is a delightful coastal town situated on the southern side of the Setubal Peninsula. With its beautiful sandy beach, fantastic seafood restaurants and close proximity to the picturesque scenery of the Serra da Arriba hills, Sesimbra is a popular choice among holidaymakers.

The town, as well as the surrounding region, offers a variety of sights and attractions to discover, which also makes it an enjoyable destination for a day trip from Lisbon.

For your holiday or day trip, it is relatively easy to travel from Lisbon to Sesimbra, as they are connected by regular and direct bus services. Bus travel is the only option for public transport to the town, as it is not connected to the Portuguese rail network.

This guide will detail how to travel from Lisbon to Sesimbra by public transport, as well as advice on how to get there from Lisbon Airport.
Related articles: Lisbon guide - Sesimbra introduction

The beautiful Praia do Ouro beach inSesimbra

The only public transport option from Lisbon to Sesimbra is by bus, but there are two different routes:
• A direct bus service from Sete Rios bus station
• A ferry to Cacilhas and then a bus from Cacilhas
The direct bus service departs from the Sete Rios bus station, but to get to the bus station, you will need to first catch the metro. This additional metro ride means the direct bus service is similar in terms of travelling time and cost as the Cacilhas ferry and bus option.

Insight: All bus services in the metropolitan area of Lisbon are operated by Carris Metropolitana. This changed from Transportes Sul do Tejo (TST) buses in 2022, but TST may be still mentioned in some outdated tourist guides.
The official website for Carris Metropolitana is: www.carrismetropolitana.pt

The express bus to Lisbon waiting in Sesimbra bus station

The express bus service from Lisbon to Sesimbra is route 3721. The service is labelled as an express service (Linha Rapida), but it still takes 1 hour 10 minutes to travel the 40km between Lisbon and Sesimbra. A single bus ticket costs €4.50.

There are hourly departures between 7am and 11pm, Monday to Friday, increasing to every 20 minutes during rush hours. The number of services reduces to just nine at weekends and on public holidays. The latest timetable can be seen on the Carris Metropolitana website:
www.carrismetropolitana.pt/horarios/?linha=3721

Advice: On the above webpage, adjust the box marked “Sentido” to change the direction of travel (Lisbon-Sesimbra or Sesimbra-Lisbon)

The 3721 route departs from the Sete Rios bus station, which is served by the Jardim Zoológico metro station on the blue line. Carris Metropolitana buses do not depart from inside the bus station, but from the roads surrounding the bus station. Only intercity bus services (operated by Rede Expressos) depart from inside the terminal.

The Carris Metropolitana bus stops are along the Avenida das Forças Armadas (the road beneath the IP7 expressway). Each of the stops is clearly marked, but it is advisable to arrive a little earlier to find the exact departure location.
Below is an interactive view of the Avenida das Forças Armadas and the bus bays, as seen on Google Street view:

Insight: The bus stops along the Avenida das Forças Armadas are only a temporary measure while a new bus station is being constructed on the opposite side of the road, close to Lisbon Zoo. This new bus station may have opened at the time of your journey to Sesimbra.

Tourist advice: When riding the bus to Sesimbra, it is advisable to sit on the driver’s side, as this will provide the best views when the bus crosses the Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge.

In Sesimbra, the 3721 bus route terminates at the Terminal Rodoviário de Sesimbra, which is just to the north of the town centre (GPS: 38.445620, -9.099957). From here, it is only a 5-minute downhill walk along the Avenida da Liberdade to the beach and centre of the town.

The hike up to Sesimbra castle is challenging, but the views are worth the effort

If you are planning a day trip to Sesimbra and are based in the tourist areas of Lisbon (such as Baixa or Barrio Alto), then the ferry and bus route may be a better option for you.

The ferry from Cais do Sodré (Lisbon) to Cacilhas is an important commuter route. There are up to four departures every hour for the 10-minute crossing, which costs just €1.30. This short ferry ride is quicker than catching the metro to Sete Rios bus station, and Cacilhas bus station is much easier to navigate than the confusing bus stops along the Avenida das Forças Armadas.

The 3536 bus route connects Cacilhas to Sesimbra and takes 1 hour 15 minutes. As this is a Linha Longa (‘longer’) route, the fare is cheaper at €2.60. The latest times for the 3536 route can be seen on the Carris Metropolitana website:
www.carrismetropolitana.pt/horarios/?linha=3536

The bus terminates at Sesimbra bus station – the same location as the 3721 express bus.

Lisbon Airport is the main international airport of Portugal, and the closest airport to Sesimbra. From the airport, there are a number of different options to travel directly to Sesimbra:
• Taxi/Uber
• Pre-booked private transfer
• Public transport

A taxi hired from the arrivals lounge will be the most expensive, and due to the long distance will cost more than €90. If you do take a taxi, either agree on a price first or use the meter; taxis from the airport used to have a reputation for conning weary tourists, but this has been clamped down on and rarely happens now.

Uber will be cheaper than a taxi, but it will still be a comparatively expensive option. There are no shared transfers to Sesimbra, as there is simply no demand for it.

A pre-booked transfer will be much cheaper than a taxi, with the added convenience of having a driver waiting at the airport for you. A pre-booked transfer is a sensible option if you are travelling as a family or a group.

It is possible to travel from Lisbon Airport to Sesimbra using public transport, and the 3721 bus from Sete Rios continues late into the night (always check the latest timetable).

The best way to travel from Lisbon Airport to Sete Rios is by metro. The airport is on the red metro line, with Sete Rios is on the blue line, so a connection is needed at the São Sebastião metro station. The single metro ticket costs €1.65 and is charged to the reusable Navegante card (€0.50 for the initial purchase).

When on holiday in the Sesimbra region, it is recommended that you have a car. There is good public transport from Sesimbra to Lisbon, but the local bus network around Sesimbra is very limited.

Many of the sights of Sesimbra are in the surrounding region (such as the Serra da Arribida hills and the Cabo Espichel headland) and can only be visited by car.

Driving around Sesimbra is safe and hassle-free, as the roads are good and empty. Driving in Lisbon is the complete opposite, with busy roads, erratic drivers and no parking.

The driving route from Lisbon to Sesimbra by car is simple. The journey takes just 35 minutes and the route follows good roads, once outside of the busy traffic of central Lisbon.

The driving route exits Lisbon southwards via the A2 expressway and crosses the Ponte do 25 Abril suspension bridge. This is a toll bridge, however you only pay when travelling northwards and entering Lisbon. After following the A2 for 10 km, the route turns onto national highway N378, which leads directly to Sesimbra.

Our most popular guides to the Sesimbra region