The Navegante occasional card is designed for occasional journeys in the Lisbon region. Load it at a Metro machine or ticket office, tap the validator and keep the same card ready for the next ride.
The little card with a long life
Choose a ticket or choose zapping
The same card can hold a Carris/Metro ticket, selected 24-hour products or pay-as-you-go zapping credit. The right load depends on whether the day is one simple trip, repeated urban rides or a combination with ferry or suburban rail.
One card does not carry a group
The occasional card is personal during travel and cannot validate multiple people at the same time, even when it contains enough credit. Give each traveller a separate card and tap each one individually.
Zapping crosses operators, but rules change
Zapping is accepted by participating operators including Carris, Metro, Transtejo, CP and others. Changing operator can change the fare and validity rules, so treat zapping as stored travel money rather than one universal timed ticket.
The receipt belongs with the card
Keep the purchase or loading receipt. If an undamaged card has credit but cannot be read, Metro staff can use the receipt when checking the load and arranging a replacement or transfer.
A bank card is another Metro option
Lisbon Metro also accepts eligible contactless bank cards for occasional single journeys. That direct tap is convenient, but it is a different product from a Navegante card loaded with zapping or a multi-operator day ticket.