In line with the Lisbon Metro’s ticketing system upgrade, passengers can now pay for rides using a bank card directly at the validators.
This offers an alternative to the personalised or occasional ‘Navegante’ card.
To pay, passengers simply swipe a bank card on the validator, and the fare (standard price: €1.65) is automatically deducted.
This technology not only provides a swift experience but also improves station flow by reducing the need to buy tickets at ticket offices or vending machines.
However, this new feature requires careful card use to avoid conflicts at the fare gates’ validators.
There have been cases where customers have accidentally charged their bank card rather than their Navegante card because they swiped their wallet, which contains several cards, at the validator.
This results in the trip amount being charged to a bank card, instead of validating/deducting the trip on the Navegante card.
To prevent unwanted charges, passengers are advised to take out the card they intend to use for validation to avoid “undesired” charges.
Additionally, it is important to validate the same card at the entrance and exit of the access gates to avoid any difficulties in crossing the fare gates.
This short video demonstrates the proper validation procedure for a smooth Metro journey.
