Secure Your Belongings Before Boarding the Tram

Do the security work before you reach Martim Moniz, Campo de Ourique, or any busy stop. Put your passport in the hotel safe, carry one payment card, and keep only the cash you need for the day. If you still need fares, use the tram 28 tickets guide before you join the queue.

A zipped crossbody bag worn in front is better than a backpack on your back. A money belt can help, but only if you avoid opening it in public. Zip phones away while moving through the doors, when loose hands and side pockets are easiest to reach.

Carry fewer things than you think you need. The old wooden cars have tight aisles, hard turns, and limited standing space. A small bag lets one hand guard your valuables while the other holds a rail.

• Keep your wallet, phone, and passport copy in separate zipped places.
• Move backpacks to your chest before the tram arrives.
• Use small EUR notes or a validated transport card.
• Close every zipper before the doors open at the next stop.

Avoid the Martim Moniz Boarding Crush

The worst moment for theft is often not the ride itself. It is the push to board at Martim Moniz, where visitors watch the tram, check for seats, and step forward together. Pickpockets use that contact to hide a hand going into a pocket or bag.

If the queue is dense, wait for the next tram or start from Campo de Ourique. Do not force yourself into a packed doorway with a phone in your hand and a bag behind you. Use this where to board the tram guide if your priority is a calmer start.

At Martim Moniz, stand slightly away from the tightest part of the line until the tram has stopped. Keep your bag in front, hold the zipper line, and let impatient passengers go first. A seat on the next car is safer than a rushed place on a full one.

Use the Leg-Wrap Technique While Seated

The leg-wrap technique is simple and useful because stops come quickly. Once seated, keep your bag on your lap or between your feet, then loop the shoulder strap around your ankle, calf, or wrist. It should be comfortable but secure enough that nobody can lift the bag and step off.

This works well in the old tram cars, where people often stand close to seated passengers. A thief does not need to open your bag if the whole bag is easy to take. Wrapping the strap turns a quick grab into a tug you will feel immediately.

If you are standing, keep the bag in front of your ribs, not hanging at your hip. Hold the zipper side against your body and avoid turning your back toward the doors.

Ride During Off-Peak Hours to Reduce Risk

The safest Tram 28 ride is usually the less crowded one. Early morning before 09:00 and later evening after the sightseeing rush give you more space and fewer people pressing against you. Midday, school holidays, cruise-ship arrival windows, and sunny weekend afternoons create easier conditions for petty theft.

Off-peak timing also improves the experience. You are more likely to sit, look out the window, and follow the steep turns without guarding every angle at once. Check the best time to ride if you are balancing photos, crowds, and safety.

Do not treat the first tram as the only chance. If a car arrives already packed, let it go. Waiting ten minutes can be the cheapest safety upgrade of the day.

Stay Alert to Common Distraction Scams

Most Tram 28 thefts are quiet, fast, and opportunistic. One person may bump you, ask a question, block the aisle, or point toward a view while another reaches for a pocket. World Nomads notes that pickpockets in Portugal often work in teams, sometimes using young children as cover.

A less-known tactic on busy days near Alfama is the clipboard or petition approach — someone thrusts a sign or paper at you, and the act of reading or refusing it gives a second person access to your bag or pocket from behind. Decline and step away from anyone who approaches you with a clipboard or a forced offer of help.

Be extra careful near Alfama, Baixa, Graça, and the stops around major viewpoints, where visitors pull out phones and cameras. Study the tram 28 route map before riding so you are not navigating with valuables exposed. The fewer decisions you make at the doors, the fewer chances a thief has to interrupt you.

Do not accept unsolicited help with tickets, bags, or boarding unless it comes from uniformed Carris staff. On the tram, keep valuables covered and notice who is unusually close when there is room elsewhere.

• Do not keep a phone or wallet in a back pocket.
• Do not hang a camera behind your shoulder in the aisle.
• Do not place a bag on the floor unless the strap is wrapped around you.
• Do not count cash after boarding.

The Highest-Risk Stops on the Route

Not every moment on Tram 28 carries the same level of risk. The stops with the most reliable theft activity are Miradouro da Graça, Portas do Sol, and the Sé Cathedral stop on Rua Augusto Rosa. At these three points, the tram doors open, standing passengers shift position to let others off, and the view outside grabs attention. That brief shuffle is where most thefts happen.

Carris drivers are responsible for operating the vehicle, not for policing what happens on board. They will not intervene in a theft. If you call out, other passengers may respond, but there is no staff member whose job is crowd security. The responsibility is entirely yours.

Prepare before each of these stops: check that all zippers are closed, tighten the strap around your leg or wrist if seated, and move your bag from a side position to directly in front of you. The tram 28 stops guide shows the full sequence so you can anticipate the three high-risk points before you reach them.

Choose Safer Alternatives When the Tram Is Packed

Skipping Tram 28 can be the right safety choice when the queue is long or the car is already full. Tram 12E covers a shorter central loop through old Lisbon, while 25E is useful for Estrela and Santos. They are still public transport, but often less loaded with first-time visitors.

A walking route is safest for belongings if you can handle Lisbon's hills. You move at your own pace, avoid the boarding crush, and can stop at viewpoints without worrying about the next door opening. For families, mobility needs, or luggage, read the tram 28 with kids guide first.

Tuk-tuks and private tours cost much more than a Carris fare, often tens of EUR instead of a few EUR per person, but they remove the public-transport crowd. A rideshare is not scenic, but it is practical when you are carrying valuables.

Know the Exact Steps to Report a Theft in Lisbon

If your wallet, phone, or passport is stolen, get off the tram when it is safe and use the first 30 minutes well. Freeze cards, call your card issuer, and mark your phone lost from another device. Write down the tram direction, time, stop, and what was taken while details are fresh.

Lisbon has a tourist police station at Esquadra de Turismo de Lisboa, Palácio Foz, Praça dos Restauradores, 1250-187 Lisboa. The PSP tourism line is +351 218 804 030. Nearby PSP officers or Carris staff can direct you if another station is closer.

Ask for a written police report before you leave, because insurers and embassies usually need a document number. If your passport was stolen, contact your embassy after filing the report.

• Freeze cards and mobile wallets before anything else.
• Use Find My iPhone or Find My Device, but do not chase a moving device.
• File a PSP report for insurance and passport replacement.
• Tell hotel staff if keys, room cards, or ID documents were taken.