€2-ish local bus 705 is the geeky way out of LIS
Carris Bus 705 runs from T1 at Humberto Delgado Airport towards Oriente and Roma‑Areeiro, but it’s built for locals, not tourists. It uses the standard Lisbon city fare, so you pay the usual Carris price on a Viva Viagem card or a higher one-off cash ticket with the driver. If you already understand the metro/bus zoning and ticket types, it can undercut most airport‑branded options.
The line number on the front will say 705 Oriente or its opposite direction, and stops sit outside T1, near other city buses like 744 and 783. Expect a local pattern with many stops, not an express. Headways change by time of day, with tighter gaps in weekday peaks and noticeably thinner service late at night or early Sunday mornings, so check the exact timetable before relying on it for a 06:00 departure.
Route‑wise, 705 links the airport to hubs like Oriente station (long‑distance trains, red‑line metro) and the Roma‑Areeiro area (commuter rail, green‑line access), but it does so in a slightly indirect way. That’s why Reddit locals say they “sometimes” use it for their own neighborhoods but rarely point tourists to it. If your hotel sits between Oriente and Areeiro, this can drop you within a block or two without a transfer.
Fares match regular Carris rules: tap a Viva Viagem/zapping balance for the standard city rate, or pay the on‑board cash fare that runs higher per ride. There is no airport surcharge like some cities tack on, but you need the card set up before you board at the Carris/metro machines in T1. Without a card, boarding takes longer while the driver sells individual tickets one by one.
Watch out for limited English on stop poles and in‑bus announcements; comments on r/Lisbon call 705 “roundabout” and “hard to follow” compared with the simple red‑line metro from Aeroporto station. If you miss Roma‑Areeiro or Oriente, the next stop might pitch you into a residential block with no clear landmarks. Build 20–30 extra minutes into your plan if you’re new to Lisbon buses.
Basic step‑by‑step from arrivals at T1: 1) Buy or top up a Viva Viagem at the metro/Carris machines in the arrivals hall. 2) Exit to the bus area and find the pole marked “705” towards Oriente. 3) When the bus arrives, board at the front and tap in with Viva Viagem or buy a single ticket from the driver. 4) Use an offline map to track stops like “Roma‑Areeiro” or “Estação Oriente”. 5) Tap out if your card product requires it, then walk to metro, train, or your hotel.
One practical tip: if you can’t already sketch the 705 route on a map, just take the red‑line metro from Aeroporto to Oriente or Alameda and save this bus for a future trip when you know Lisbon’s bus grid better.