The bus terminal in Costa da Caparica, next to the town's tallest building, known as the Torre das Argolas.
To reach Costa da Caparica from Lisbon, you can either drive across 25 de Abril Bridge or take a bus. There are buses departing from terminals in Lisbon and from Cacilhas across the river:
Buses from Lisbon to Costa da Caparica
Stop of bus 3710 to Costa da Caparica, in Lisbon.
The Carris Metropolitana bus 3710 departs every 10, 15, 20, or 30 minutes, depending on the time of day and the season, from Avenida Padre Manuel da Nóbrega by Praça Francisco Sá Carneiro in the Areeiro district (take the metro to Areeiro on the green line). There’s also the more infrequent 3709 (operating only on weekdays and only about half a dozen times a day), departing from Parque Eduardo VII, by Praça Marquês de Pombal. These buses take 55 minutes to reach Costa da Caparica and end up at the same terminal, by Praça Padre Manuel Bernardes in the center of town, about a 10-minute walk from the beach.
NOTE: Soon (date to be announced) there will be another bus from Lisbon to Costa da Caparica, the 3708, departing from Cais do Sodré.
Buses from Cacilhas to Costa da Caparica and Fonte da Telha
Take the ferry to Cacilhas from Cais do Sodré station (just a 10-minute journey), and from there hop on bus 3011 which departs around every hour. It takes about 35 minutes to reach its final destination in Costa da Caparica (the terminal by Praça Padre Manuel Bernardes). Those who prefer to head straight to the beach of Fonte da Telha or the neighboring nude beach of Adiça or gay beach 19 at the southern end of Caparica, may take bus 3012 which departs every hour (every two hours in mid-morning) and terminates right by the beach.
The stops for these buses are found to the left as you exit the ferry station in Cacilhas. You may buy tickets from the driver or from the ticket office.
INSIDER'S TIP: Taking the bus from Cacilhas instead of Lisbon has the advantage of avoiding the heavy traffic across the bridge, and you get to enjoy a panoramic view of Lisbon along the way.
Costa da Caparica Bus Station
The buses stop on Costa da Caparica’s main road before terminating at the station. The first stop is by the more crowded beaches in the center, from where you can walk to the more recommended beach of São João on the northern side of town. The better beaches (Praia da Rainha, Praia do Castelo, and Praia da Cabana do Pescador) are to the south, about a 30- to 40-minute walk from the station, following the coastal road and then walking along the shore. To avoid the walk, take the tourist train (see below) or call an Uber. The trendier and more deserted beaches on the southern end of the coast (Praia da Morena, Praia da Sereia, Praia 19) are not within reasonable walking distance from the center of town.
Tourist Train to Costa da Caparica Beaches
As the buses leave you in the center of the town of Caparica, you have to either go for a long walk along the shore to the better beaches to the south, or take a tourist train (the “Transpraia”) that goes down the coast (operating in the summer only). It stops at every beach all the way to Fonte da Telha. For complete details, see the Transpraia train guide.
NOTE: This train is currently out of service.