One of the best way to travel from point A to B, in a number of European cities is on board the metro- the underground rail tunnel system designed move large number of persons quickly and efficiently. For a new visitor, the language and the procedures may be confusing, but can easily be overcome.
Please bear with me, for the details. It is given on the suggestions of a few regulars who read this blog.
First thing you should know is- where exactly you want to go. On a visit of limited days you should read from the web about the city and places and make a shortlist of the attractions you want to see. For example Google Lisbon in 3 days and see how much links are thrown before you. You could pick tit bits from each, to design your tour.
Here, let me explain how we got from the Lisbon Airport to our hotel, Holiday Inn, near Campo Pequeno metro station. Staying near a metro station is the smart way to go sightseeing.
At several points in every metro station and also inside the car, one can see the metro map. Here is the Lisbon metro line map.
Like in the US where metros - called the subways - were first introduced more than hundred years ago, with color code for each line, the European lines have also are taken a color code for each route. Now it has become an international standard.
Here the airport line is red. This line run between the airport and Sao. Sebastiao - an import area of the city. Similarly the blue, yellow and green lines serve other parts of the city.Trains on one line do not go to areas of other line, yet the system is fully interconnected by offering transfers in some stations where both line pass each other at different underground levels. The tunnels can be far deep. Passengers take escalator and steps to reach the platform for each line. Tickets are not based on distance traveled but for journey to any station in the system that any line goes. So once you enter with your ticket you have unlimited free travel, until you finally come out to the city level at your destination.
To ride again, you'll need another ticket unless you buy a one- day-unlimited pass, valid for 24 hours costing 8 euros. Each European city has its own policy but in most cities one can buy 4 day, weekly or monthly pass - progressively cheaper as far as per-ride-cost is considered.
Local residents have another fare- including an annual pass. Mostly these lines carry people from residential zone to the place of work in the city and back while offering the visitors the best way to go from one attraction to the other inside the city. In Lisbon a metro ticket can also be to board the bus and tram lines too, allowing transfer to exact locations in the city if you have the right plan.
If you notice the grey lines at the end points of the coloured lines; which are the regular over-land long distance trains that go to other part of the country or the boarding point for international trains. At the south end of the blue line is Apolonia the main rail station of Lisbon. The grey ones are electric trams that run on tracks laid upon city roads sharing the road with cars buses and other surface traffic.
Being the main railway station from here you can also get on the the trains that travel to all distant cities. But it is not part of metro network. Here the metro line and the regular line pass through the same station - metos underground and rail line over ground., providing seamless connections and convenience. As these two are different systems the tickets too are separate.
The metro trains continuously run at very short intervals to and fro on its own line, without entering any other coloured line . So If your destination is on a different colour line you have to get down a the station where both lines meet and switch to the other line. We took the red up to Saldanha, and the went further down an escalator to catch the yellow line. These transfers are so easy as it is clearly notified by excellent boards and pointers - that even if you do not know the local language, no help is required. The only thing is to know which side of the platform your train will arrive, as the line goes both ways- here the yellow line is north to south. As we are heading one station north to Campo Pecquno we should not go to the platform that goes south to Rato. This platform selection is also part of the notification and unless you are careless or stupid, it can be easily be figured out.
And you should not expect people to help you out, unless you are lucky to run into a kind heart. People do not talk to estranges as a general rule. But in passing one may feel that the Portuguese crowd are much more free and friendly than the Spanish crowd. Here again there is no general rule, as anywhere else a few people may help you, but don't bank on it. It is all a cultural thing.
-------------------------------------------
So here goes an anecdote. A couple of days before, in one park in Toledo, the ancient capital of Spain, as we were waiting in line to get on the toy train, that went around the city's castle walls, we met a charming family from Visakhapatanam and were huddled in a friendly chat- when the man complained about this aspect; how easy it is for the European visitors to find directions in our cities. "All they have to do is ask, and they are always helped. Here no one speaks to you". It is a cultural thing, I agreed with him and after a while asked him. " Sir, You are traveling with your wife and two daughters. What do you feel different here"? His wife and girls laughed out and the elder cute college student said, ”It is so comforting here, no one stares, no body even takes a look at us. These people are so cool”.
"It is a cultural thing", I replied.
"I wish our men would also be like them", she said, and it was my turn to laugh.
Go on wishing Telugu girl, may your wishes come true soon.
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In Lisbon a single ride from Airport is 1.90 euro per person. Single ride - also means unlimited travel once inside the system. That is you could make any number of line hopping as you require, but once you exit to the city level above your journey is at an end.
The ticketing machine and its card.
We purchased 24 hour unlimited pass for each of us. It can be bought from the ticketing machines placed at several points, using credit or debit cards. You can also push in 1, 5 and 10 euro currency notes one after the other. The ticket will be printed inside the machine and dropped into the holder for you to pick up - along with the receipt. Any balance receivable will also fall into the tray. So if you run out on ticket validity just buy or top up at the platform or the gate. No body checks the tickets. But at the entrance gate, the bar will turn to let you in, only if you swipe your ticket card.
It is a good system, a boon to tourists. If you chose a hotel near a metro line you can go anywhere easily.
Please bear with me, for the details. It is given on the suggestions of a few regulars who read this blog.
First thing you should know is- where exactly you want to go. On a visit of limited days you should read from the web about the city and places and make a shortlist of the attractions you want to see. For example Google Lisbon in 3 days and see how much links are thrown before you. You could pick tit bits from each, to design your tour.
Here, let me explain how we got from the Lisbon Airport to our hotel, Holiday Inn, near Campo Pequeno metro station. Staying near a metro station is the smart way to go sightseeing.
At several points in every metro station and also inside the car, one can see the metro map. Here is the Lisbon metro line map.
Like in the US where metros - called the subways - were first introduced more than hundred years ago, with color code for each line, the European lines have also are taken a color code for each route. Now it has become an international standard.
Here the airport line is red. This line run between the airport and Sao. Sebastiao - an import area of the city. Similarly the blue, yellow and green lines serve other parts of the city.Trains on one line do not go to areas of other line, yet the system is fully interconnected by offering transfers in some stations where both line pass each other at different underground levels. The tunnels can be far deep. Passengers take escalator and steps to reach the platform for each line. Tickets are not based on distance traveled but for journey to any station in the system that any line goes. So once you enter with your ticket you have unlimited free travel, until you finally come out to the city level at your destination.
To ride again, you'll need another ticket unless you buy a one- day-unlimited pass, valid for 24 hours costing 8 euros. Each European city has its own policy but in most cities one can buy 4 day, weekly or monthly pass - progressively cheaper as far as per-ride-cost is considered.
Local residents have another fare- including an annual pass. Mostly these lines carry people from residential zone to the place of work in the city and back while offering the visitors the best way to go from one attraction to the other inside the city. In Lisbon a metro ticket can also be to board the bus and tram lines too, allowing transfer to exact locations in the city if you have the right plan.
If you notice the grey lines at the end points of the coloured lines; which are the regular over-land long distance trains that go to other part of the country or the boarding point for international trains. At the south end of the blue line is Apolonia the main rail station of Lisbon. The grey ones are electric trams that run on tracks laid upon city roads sharing the road with cars buses and other surface traffic.
Being the main railway station from here you can also get on the the trains that travel to all distant cities. But it is not part of metro network. Here the metro line and the regular line pass through the same station - metos underground and rail line over ground., providing seamless connections and convenience. As these two are different systems the tickets too are separate.
The metro trains continuously run at very short intervals to and fro on its own line, without entering any other coloured line . So If your destination is on a different colour line you have to get down a the station where both lines meet and switch to the other line. We took the red up to Saldanha, and the went further down an escalator to catch the yellow line. These transfers are so easy as it is clearly notified by excellent boards and pointers - that even if you do not know the local language, no help is required. The only thing is to know which side of the platform your train will arrive, as the line goes both ways- here the yellow line is north to south. As we are heading one station north to Campo Pecquno we should not go to the platform that goes south to Rato. This platform selection is also part of the notification and unless you are careless or stupid, it can be easily be figured out.
And you should not expect people to help you out, unless you are lucky to run into a kind heart. People do not talk to estranges as a general rule. But in passing one may feel that the Portuguese crowd are much more free and friendly than the Spanish crowd. Here again there is no general rule, as anywhere else a few people may help you, but don't bank on it. It is all a cultural thing.
-------------------------------------------
So here goes an anecdote. A couple of days before, in one park in Toledo, the ancient capital of Spain, as we were waiting in line to get on the toy train, that went around the city's castle walls, we met a charming family from Visakhapatanam and were huddled in a friendly chat- when the man complained about this aspect; how easy it is for the European visitors to find directions in our cities. "All they have to do is ask, and they are always helped. Here no one speaks to you". It is a cultural thing, I agreed with him and after a while asked him. " Sir, You are traveling with your wife and two daughters. What do you feel different here"? His wife and girls laughed out and the elder cute college student said, ”It is so comforting here, no one stares, no body even takes a look at us. These people are so cool”.
"It is a cultural thing", I replied.
"I wish our men would also be like them", she said, and it was my turn to laugh.
Go on wishing Telugu girl, may your wishes come true soon.
---------------------------------------
In Lisbon a single ride from Airport is 1.90 euro per person. Single ride - also means unlimited travel once inside the system. That is you could make any number of line hopping as you require, but once you exit to the city level above your journey is at an end.
The ticketing machine and its card.
It is a good system, a boon to tourists. If you chose a hotel near a metro line you can go anywhere easily.
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