Tram 28 Photoshoot Lisbon: The Photo Without the Queue
How a session beside the yellow tram really works, what Carris says about the route and fares, and what a session with a local photographer includes.
For a tram 28 photoshoot Lisbon visitors get the best result beside the yellow tram on an Alfama street, not inside a packed carriage. We choose the street and the minute.
Tram 28 is a public Carris service, so a tram 28 photoshoot Lisbon style has limits: we cannot book it, stop it or take over a carriage, and we will never promise you a private ride. What we can do is put you in front of it, on its route, in good light, with a photographer who has scouted the corner. Below you will find what is realistic, what Carris publishes about the route and fares (checked in October 2026), how crowded it gets, and what a session includes.
Shoot beside the tram, not on it. Packages are 30 minutes (up to 25 edited photos), one hour (up to 40) or 90 minutes (60+), for up to two people. We pick a spot on the 28E route in the old town, you skip the queue at Martim Moniz, and your private gallery arrives within 7 days. Sessions run daily 09:00-20:00, and bad weather means a free reschedule.
Can you really do a photoshoot with Tram 28 in Lisbon?
Yes, with one honest caveat: the tram is a working vehicle on a timetable, not a prop. The picture most people have in mind is the yellow tram squeezing past a stone wall with you in the foreground. That photo is taken from the pavement or the cobbles beside the track, and the tram arrives when it arrives.
Carris lists the 28E route as Martim Moniz to Campo Ourique (Prazeres), and its stop list includes Largo das Portas do Sol, Miradouro de Santa Luzia, Sé, Graça, Chiado and Estrela (Carris, October 2026). Several of those are streets we already work in on our Lisbon photographer sessions, so we can start from whichever one is closest to your hotel.
- Portraits with the tram in the frame. We find a spot on the route and shoot when the tram comes through, which can mean a few passes.
- Portraits without it. Tiled walls, stairs and viewpoints on the same route, so the session never depends on one tram showing up on cue.
- Not inside the tram. The carriage belongs to the public and is usually full of other passengers, so we do not plan the session there.
- One street, not a full day. A short session suits this photo well, because the tram is the point and the rest is a bonus.
Tell us your dates and whether you prefer morning or late afternoon, and we will confirm availability and a spot on the route.
Check availability
What should I know before riding Tram 28 yourself?
If you also want to ride it, these are the numbers Carris publishes. The timetable shown on its 28E page is the winter weekday one. Weekend and summer times are not shown there, so look at the page on the day.
The on-board ticket is valid only on the tram or bus where you buy it, so a prepaid ticket or the 24-hour ticket makes more sense if you plan to hop on and off. Fares are on the Carris tickets page, and the single and 24-hour prices match the 2026 fare sheet.
Routes also change. From 13 April 2026 Carris ran buses instead of trams between Praça Luís de Camões and Campo Ourique because of a road closure, with full service due back on 11 May 2026 (Carris notice). The 28E page showed no notices when we looked in October 2026, but check it before you build a morning around the tram.
How crowded is Tram 28, and is pickpocketing a real risk?
Carris does not publish queue figures. An independent guide, Free Tours by Foot (updated February 2025), reports lines of an hour or more at Praça Martim Moniz in the busy cruise-ship season, and says early mornings, roughly 6 to 8 am, are quieter.
On safety, the UK government’s Portugal travel advice tells visitors to take care on public transport and at crowded bus and tram stops, and notes that thieves use distraction techniques and often work in teams. That is general advice for Portugal, not a Tram 28 statistic, but a full tram where everyone is looking out of the window fits the description.
Why we shoot beside the tram. On the pavement you keep your bag in front of you and nobody is pressed against you. If you do ride later, keep zips closed and valuables in a front pocket or an inside pocket.
What is the best time for a Tram 28 photo?
The tram runs from early morning to late evening, but our sessions run daily between 09:00 and 20:00, so the real choice is which slot in that window. In Lisbon the sun rises at about 07:50 at the winter solstice and about 06:10 at midsummer (sunrise-sunset.org calculation), so a 09:00 start is well into daylight all year.
A 09:00 start is also later than the quiet hours guides suggest for riding, so we do not count on empty streets. We count on scouting: a corner where the tram comes through a narrow gap with a plain wall behind you, and a second spot nearby for when it is busy.
- The 09:00 slot. The quietest streets our hours allow, and a calm start before the day fills up.
- Late afternoon. Warmer light, softer shadows on the stone, and a relaxed pace after a day of sightseeing.
- Weekday or weekend. Either works. We confirm the exact spot and time on WhatsApp once you book.
Which tram should I use for the photo: 28, 12 or 15?
Lisbon has other tram lines, and Carris publishes a stop list and timetable for each. The 12E shares the old-town stretch with the 28E, and the 15E follows the river to Belém. We choose from these based on the photo you want rather than the number on the front.
Martim Moniz to Campo Ourique
The classic route through Graça, Alfama, Chiado and Estrela. The route page lists first and last winter weekday departures of 05:40 and 23:30.
Best for: the postcard photoMartim Moniz to Praça Luís de Camões
Stops include Largo das Portas do Sol, Miradouro de Santa Luzia, Sé and Chiado, over a shorter route than the 28E. Its winter weekday timetable shows 08:00 to 20:45.
Best for: the same old-town streetsPraça da Figueira to Algés
Runs along the river through Cais do Sodré and Santos to Belém, with stops at Mosteiro dos Jerónimos and Centro Cultural Belém.
Best for: a session around BelémIf Belém sounds more like you, our comparison of Belém vs Alfama for a photoshoot helps you pick. If you want ideas beyond the tram, the guides to the top photo spots in Lisbon and the most Instagrammable spots in Lisbon show what else fits in the same session.
What does a tram session with us feel like?
We meet you at the spot we agreed on WhatsApp and walk with you between corners, giving simple directions rather than stiff poses. Most of the time you are walking, talking and looking at each other while the photographer works a few steps away.
Wear comfortable shoes, because the cobbles and slopes in Alfama are no place for new heels. Solid colours stand out well against a yellow tram, and our guide on what to wear for a photoshoot in Lisbon has more ideas.
- Professional editing. Every photo in your gallery is edited, so you do not sort through raw files.
- Private online gallery within 7 days. A link only you and the people you share it with can open.
- Full resolution, no watermarks. Download the files to print or post.
- Location scouting included. We choose the street and plan the route, or you can select “Surprise me” and we decide.
- Kids and extra people welcome. A session covers two people, and more can join, up to 10 in total. The booking page has the details.
How much does a Tram 28 photoshoot in Lisbon cost?
These are the three session lengths on our booking page, each for up to two people. For the tram photo alone, 30 minutes is usually enough. One hour lets us add a viewpoint such as Santa Luzia, and 90 minutes suits families with children or anyone who wants several neighbourhoods.
The price depends on the session length and the number of people, and the current prices are on the booking page. Card payments carry a small processing fee, and we can arrange an alternative way to pay without it on WhatsApp. More on what affects the cost is in our guide to how much a Lisbon photoshoot costs.
Pick a length, a date and a time window, and we will check the street and confirm the details with you.
Book your tram sessionHow do I book a Tram 28 photoshoot, and what if it rains?
- Choose. Pick the session length, the date and the location, or select “Surprise me” so we choose it.
- Reserve. Message us to check availability, or pay by card to reserve your slot.
- Confirm. We confirm the meeting spot and time with you on WhatsApp.
- Receive. Your edited private gallery arrives within 7 days.
If the weather is clearly unfavourable, we reschedule at no extra cost, and we decide together the evening before. A rainy day also makes the cobbles slippery, so keeping a spare day in your plan is the simplest insurance.
Common questions
Can I take photos inside Tram 28?
You can take your own snaps as a passenger, but we do not plan sessions inside the carriage, because it is a public service usually full of other riders. We shoot beside the tram on its route instead.
What does a session cost?
It depends on the session length and the number of people. Each session includes professional editing, a private online gallery within 7 days, full resolution without watermarks and location scouting, and the current prices are on the booking page.
How long should a Tram 28 photoshoot be?
Thirty minutes is usually enough for one street and the tram. An hour adds a second location such as a viewpoint, and 90 minutes suits families or several neighbourhoods.
Can kids or friends join the session?
Yes. A session covers up to two people, and more can join, up to 10 in total. The booking page has the details.
What if it rains on the day?
If the weather is clearly unfavourable we reschedule at no extra cost, and we decide together the evening before.
When do I get my photos?
Your edited, private online gallery arrives within 7 days, in full resolution with no watermarks.