Lisbon Airport handles late-night and overnight flights regularly, including connections from Brazil, Africa, and North America. Here is what to expect if your plane lands after 10 PM.
The terminal after hours
The terminal stays open around the clock. Immigration and baggage claim operate 24 hours. Late-night arrivals typically clear faster than peak-hour ones. The arrivals hall has ATMs and a few 24-hour services. Seating is available if you need to wait for a driver or vehicle.
What stops running
The metro (Red Line) stops around 1 AM. After that, you cannot take the metro until approximately 6:30 AM. The Aerobus does not run overnight. Most bus lines serving the airport also stop late evening.
What keeps running
Taxis operate 24 hours at the rank outside arrivals. Night fares apply after 9 PM — typically 20% higher than daytime rates, so EUR 12-25 to the city centre. Supply is usually good until around 2 AM. Very late (3-5 AM) the queue of waiting taxis may be shorter but the wait is rarely more than 10-15 minutes.
Rideshares (Uber, Bolt, Cabify) run throughout the night. Driver availability is good compared to many European cities. Upfront pricing means you know the cost before accepting. Fares at night are similar to taxis due to the night rate. Pick-up is in the designated app zone outside the terminal.
Pre-booked transfers operate at any hour at the same fixed price. The driver tracks your flight and waits in arrivals. For very late arrivals (after 2 AM), a pre-booked driver is the most reliable option since rideshare driver supply decreases in the early hours.
Practical late-night scenarios
Landing at 11 PM: The metro is still running. You can catch it if immigration and baggage are quick. Have a taxi or Bolt as a backup plan.
Landing at 12:30 AM: Metro has stopped. Take a taxi from the official rank (EUR 12-22) or open Bolt for an upfront price. Both are straightforward.
Landing at 3 AM: Taxi or pre-booked transfer. Rideshare availability is reduced but not absent. Taxi supply is thinner but the airport never fully empties.
Landing at 5 AM: The city is starting to wake up. Taxis, rideshares, and the first metro trains at around 6:30 AM are all options. If you can wait in the terminal for an hour, the metro is a perfectly fine option at 6:30 AM.
Safety
Lisbon Airport and its surroundings are safe at night. The terminal has security presence. The taxi rank is well-lit and organised. Lisbon's city centre (Baixa, Chiado, Belém) is generally safe at night. The Cais do Sodré area can be lively late on weekends. Taxis from the official rank are reliable; do not use unofficial drivers.
The cost premium for late night
Taxis cost around 20% more after 9 PM. A EUR 14 daytime fare becomes EUR 17 at night — a minor difference in absolute terms. Pre-booked transfers do not charge a night premium, so for arrivals after 9 PM they sometimes offer equivalent or better pricing than a metered taxi, plus the certainty of a waiting driver.