Faro Airport serves the whole of the Algarve and is around 7 kilometres from the centre of Faro. Very few visitors stay in Faro itself, though. Most need to get from Faro Airport to Albufeira, Vilamoura, Carvoeiro, Lagos or Tavira, and there’s no train from the airport. That leaves you choosing between a direct bus, the train from central Faro, a taxi or a car you’ve booked in advance.
The right choice depends on which town you’re staying in, how many of you there are and when you land, because the trains and long-distance coaches don’t run at night. Here are all the options with fares, journey times and stops, along with my recommendation for each of the six towns in my guide to the Algarve. For the rough conversions I’ve used about £0.85 and $1.12 per euro.
Contents
At a glance
- Aerobus (Vamus route 56): Around €11 (about £9.30/$12.50) to Albufeira and around €17 (about £14.50/$19) to Lagos, a direct bus from the airport via Albufeira, Lagoa and Portimão, around two hours to Lagos.
- FlixBus: From €4.98 (about £4.20/$5.60) to Lagos in around 1 hour and 45 minutes, three to four departures a day, and there are also coaches to Portimão and Tavira.
- Train from Faro: €3.80 (about £3.20/$4.30) to Albufeira-Ferreiras, €8.30 (about £7/$9.30) to Lagos and €3.60 (about £3.10/$4) to Tavira, but you have to get to the station in Faro first.
- Buses 14 and 16 (Próximo): Around €3 (about £2.50/$3.40), around 20 minutes to the centre of Faro, where the bus station and the railway station are.
- Taxi: €10 (about £8.50/$11) on average to Faro according to the airport, and on the meter to the rest of the coast.
- Bolt and Uber: Typically €4.80 to €6.40 (about £4.10 to £5.40, or $5.40 to $7.20) to Faro and €25.70 to €31.80 (about £22 to £27, or $29 to $35.50) to Albufeira according to Bolt’s own estimates.
- Car hire: Six companies have a desk in the terminal, and the A22 motorway along the coast is toll-free.
Finding your transport at the airport
Once you’ve collected your luggage, you’ll find the transport options right by the terminal. There’s a taxi rank at the airport, and the car hire desks are in the public area before security, with the cars parked just outside the terminal.
FlixBus long-distance coaches stop in the airport’s coach park, which the company calls either Parque 5, Autocarros / Buses or BUS Park P5. Vamus has a ticket machine, EVAKIOSK, which stands outside the terminal by the departures hall and is available around the clock. If you’re not sure where the city bus or the Aerobus stops, ask at the tourist information desk in the airport.
If you book an Uber or a Bolt, the app shows you where to meet your driver, and the airport has free Wi-Fi. If someone’s picking you up in a private car, the driver uses the Kiss & Fly zone by the departures hall or one of the airport’s car parks. You’ll find all the options on the airport’s transport page.
1. Direct bus to Albufeira, Portimão and Lagos
The easiest of the cheap options for the western part of the coast is a bus that runs straight from the airport, so you don’t have to go into Faro first. There are two companies to choose from.
The Aerobus is route 56 of Vamus Algarve, which the airport calls Aerobus Get On. It’s a dedicated airport route that links the airport directly with the biggest towns west of Faro: Albufeira, Lagoa, Portimão and Lagos. The route runs between Lagos bus station, the airport and Faro bus station, so you can also use it if you’re starting out in Faro itself.
FlixBus runs long-distance coaches from the airport to Lagos three to four times a day in around 1 hour and 45 minutes, and to Portimão at least three times a day in around 1 hour and 15 minutes. The first coach to Lagos leaves at around 08:35, and the time of the last one changes with the timetable, so check the departures in advance. FlixBus also runs twice a day to Tavira, east of Faro, and that journey takes around an hour.
The Aerobus runs several times a day in the summer season and only a few times a day in winter, and the journey to Lagos takes around two hours because the bus goes into the towns along the way. The last departure from the airport typically leaves in the early evening.
The buses run to the towns’ bus stations and not to your hotel. Check the times before you travel, so you know whether a departure fits your landing time. You’ll find the Aerobus in the Vamus timetable, and FlixBus lists its departures on its page for the airport stop. The buses are the best fit if you’re travelling alone or as a pair and you land during the day.
Fares and tickets
The Aerobus has its own fares, which depend on where you’re getting off, and the ordinary Vamus monthly passes aren’t valid on the route. Expect to pay around €11 (about £9.30/$12.50) from the airport to Albufeira and around €17 (about £14.50/$19) to Lagos, with Lagoa and Portimão in between. Check the current fare in the Vamus fare table before you travel.
You buy your ticket from the EVAKIOSK machine by the departures hall, in the VAMUS Algarve app or at the ticket offices in the bus stations. If you’ll be using the buses a lot on your holiday, there’s a tourist pass, the Passe Turístico, which gives you unlimited travel on all Vamus routes, including the Aerobus, for three or seven days from your first journey. The price is in the Vamus fare table.
With FlixBus, the fare depends on the departure and on how early you book. Tickets cost from €4.98 (about £4.20/$5.60) to Lagos, from €3.48 (about £2.90/$3.90) to Portimão and from €2.98 (about £2.50/$3.30) to Tavira. You buy them online or in the FlixBus app and show the driver the ticket on your phone. One piece of hand luggage and one suitcase of up to 20 kilos are included in the fare.
Where to get off
Albufeira bus station: The Vamus bus station in Albufeira is in Alto dos Caliços. From here, expect to take a taxi or Albufeira’s local bus, GIRO, on to the Old Town, The Strip or Olhos de Água, so check the timetable to see which stop is closest to your hotel.
Lagoa: Lagoa is the stop for you if you’re staying in Carvoeiro, which is on the coast in the municipality of Lagoa. From Lagoa, you take a taxi for the last stretch.
Portimão bus station: The bus station is on Rua da Abicada, and this is where FlixBus stops. It’s the stop for Portimão and Praia da Rocha.
Lagos bus station: The Aerobus terminates here, and FlixBus stops right by the station building on Largo do Rossio de São João Batista. If you’re staying near Meia Praia or Porto de Mós, you can take the local bus, A Onda, or a taxi from here.
Tavira bus station: FlixBus runs to the bus station on Rua dos Pelames by the River Gilão.
Vilamoura on route 55: The Aerobus doesn’t go to Vilamoura, but Vamus has another route, number 55, between the airport and Vilamoura. Check the departure times with Vamus.
2. Buses 14 and 16 to Faro city centre and the railway station
Próximo is Faro’s city bus network, and routes 14 and 16 run between the airport and the centre of Faro. They’re the ones to use if you’re staying in Faro or if you want to continue by train. In the centre, you’re heading for the bus station on Avenida da República, which is close to the railway station.
According to the municipality of Faro, route 16 runs between the bus station, the airport and the beach, Praia de Faro. So when you board, make sure the bus is heading for Faro and not for the beach. The journey to the centre takes around 20 minutes, and the bus typically runs a couple of times an hour from early morning until around midnight. The stop is on your left as you come out of the arrivals hall. You buy your ticket from the driver, so have coins or a small note ready, and expect to pay around €3 (about £2.50/$3.40). Departure times and fares are listed by Próximo, which also shows the buses in real time.
If you don’t want to wait for the bus, Faro is so close that a taxi or a Bolt is a real alternative, especially if there are several of you.
3. Train from Faro to Albufeira, Lagos and Tavira
There’s no station at the airport, but from Faro station in the centre, the rail operator CP runs regional trains along the whole coast. The trains run directly between Lagos in the west and Vila Real de Santo António in the east, so you don’t need to change along the way. From the airport, you first take bus 14 or 16, a taxi or a Bolt for the roughly 7 kilometres to the station on Largo da Estação Ferroviária.
Heading west, there are around ten trains a day from Faro, which means one every hour and a half on average and slightly more often in the late afternoon. The first leaves at around 06:30 and the last at around 20:40. The journey takes around half an hour to Albufeira-Ferreiras, between an hour and an hour and a half to Portimão and typically around an hour and a half to Lagos.
Heading east, the trains run about once an hour from around 07:00 to around 22:10. They reach Olhão in 10 minutes, Tavira in around half an hour and Vila Real de Santo António in around an hour.
A few departures only run on weekdays or only at weekends, so check your departure in CP’s timetable for the Algarve. The train works best for Lagos, where the station is by the marina, and for Tavira. The catch is Albufeira, where the station is in Ferreiras, outside the town itself.
Fares and tickets
The regional train has fixed fares based on distance. From Faro, a single ticket costs €3.80 (about £3.20/$4.30) to Albufeira-Ferreiras, €6.80 (about £5.80/$7.60) to Portimão, €8.30 (about £7/$9.30) to Lagos, €1.60 (about £1.35/$1.80) to Olhão and €3.60 (about £3.10/$4) to Tavira. A few departures are InterRegional trains, which cost slightly more, for example €9.15 (about £7.80/$10.50) to Lagos. The fare table only has single tickets, so a return journey costs double. All the fares are in CP’s fare table.
Children up to and including the age of 3 travel free when they share a seat with an adult. Children aged 4 to 12 pay half fare and get their own seat, so they pay, for example, €1.90 (about £1.60/$2.10) to Albufeira-Ferreiras and €4.15 (about £3.50/$4.70) to Lagos. You need to be able to prove the child’s age with an official ID document both at the ticket office and on the train, and the rules are set out by CP.
Where to buy your ticket
In Faro, you buy your ticket at the station’s ticket office, which is open every day from 06:20 to 21:10. You can also buy it in the CP app or on the CP website.
You can only buy a ticket on the train if there’s no ticket office at the station where you board. In that case, you speak to the train staff as soon as you’ve boarded and pay in cash. The stations in Lagos, Portimão, Albufeira-Ferreiras and Tavira have ticket offices, but they close for breaks during the day, and in Lagos and Tavira they have shorter opening hours at weekends. The opening hours are in CP’s list of ticket offices.
Where to get off the train
Albufeira-Ferreiras: The station is in Ferreiras and not in Albufeira itself, so you need to continue by local bus or taxi to reach the centre, the beaches and the hotels.
Lagos station: The end of the line is by Marina de Lagos, so you get off in the town itself.
Tavira station: Tavira is on the line heading east, around half an hour from Faro, and trains run here every hour.
4. Taxis, Uber and Bolt
There’s a taxi rank at the airport, and the taxis charge by the meter. The airport says the journey into Faro costs €10 (about £8.50/$11) on average. A standard taxi seats four, and if you need a larger vehicle, you can book one by phone from one of the taxi companies listed on the airport’s transport page. To the towns further away, the fare depends on the distance, so ask the driver for an estimate before you set off.
Uber and Bolt also operate from the airport. The app shows you where to meet your driver, and according to Uber, that isn’t always at the nearest exit. Bolt publishes fare estimates for the most popular trips from the airport. To Faro bus station, the estimate is €4.80 (about £4.10/$5.40) in the cheapest category and €6.40 (about £5.40/$7.20) in a standard Bolt, and the trip takes 10 minutes.
To the bus station in Quarteira, right next to Vilamoura, the estimate is €13.70 to €17.20 (about £11.50 to £14.50, or $15.50 to $19.50) for a 21-minute drive, and to Albufeira bus station it’s €25.70 to €31.80 (about £22 to £27, or $29 to $35.50) for 35 minutes. To Praia da Rocha near Portimão, it’s €48.60 to €59.60 (about £41 to £51, or $54 to $67), and to the centre of Lagos it’s €59.40 to €72.80 (about £50 to £62, or $67 to $82) for 1 hour and 14 minutes.
A large car with room for six, which Bolt calls XL, is estimated at €46.70 (about £39.50/$52) to Albufeira and €106.40 (about £90/$119) to Lagos. These are estimates and not fixed prices, and they can change with the traffic, so check the price in the app before you book. The estimates are listed by Bolt.
Private transfer
If you’re landing late, travelling with children or heading to a town with no direct bus, you can book a private transfer from Faro Airport here. The driver waits in the arrivals hall holding a sign with your name on it, and the price is agreed in advance.
If you’re heading to one of the two biggest resort towns, you can also book a private transfer to Albufeira here or book a private transfer to Lagos and Meia Praia here. Travel agencies and private tour operators also offer shuttle buses from the airport at their own prices.
5. Car hire
Six car hire companies have a desk at the airport: Avis-Budget, Europcar, Goldcar, Guerin, Hertz and Sixt. The desks are in the public area before security, and the cars are parked just outside the terminal. They open at 06:00 or 07:00 in the morning and close at 23:00 or midnight, so if you’re landing late, check your company’s opening hours on the airport’s car hire page.
The A22 motorway, the Via do Infante, runs along the whole Algarve coast past Tavira, Faro, Albufeira and Lagos, and it’s toll-free. If you’re driving on to other parts of Portugal, ask the hire company how tolls are handled there.
Onward travel to Lisbon and Seville straight from the airport
If you’re not staying in the Algarve, you can take a long-distance coach straight from the Parque 5 coach park. FlixBus runs to Lisbon around ten times a day. The fastest journey takes 2 hours and 35 minutes, tickets cost from €5.48 (about £4.60/$6.10), and the coaches run to Oriente and Sete Rios. The departures are listed by FlixBus. If you need a hotel in the capital, you can read my guide to where to stay in Lisbon.
To Seville, FlixBus runs three times a day from the airport, and tickets cost from €17.48 (about £15/$19.50). The coaches stop at the Plaza de Armas and Prado de San Sebastián bus stations and at Santa Justa railway station. Rede Expressos also runs between the airport and Seville. I’ve rounded up the best neighbourhoods in my guide to where to stay in Seville.
If you’d rather take the train to Lisbon, there are five daily Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains from Faro station. The Alfa Pendular reaches Lisboa Oriente in around 3 hours and the Intercidades in around 3 hours and 40 minutes.
Getting back to the airport
Plan your journey back by working backwards from your flight’s departure time. The airport gives a minimum check-in time of 90 minutes for flights within the Schengen area, 120 minutes for other European flights and 180 minutes for flights out of Europe, and your airline may require more. The times are on the airport’s check-in page.
The Aerobus and FlixBus drop you off at the airport. From Lagos, FlixBus runs three times a day in around 1 hour and 45 minutes from €3.48 (about £2.90/$3.90), and the first departure is at around 07:45. Vamus lists the morning departures of the Aerobus.
If you take the train, you need to get to Faro station and continue from there by bus 14 or 16, a taxi or a Bolt. The first train from Lagos leaves at around 06:20 and reaches Faro shortly before 08:00, and from Albufeira-Ferreiras it leaves at around 07:20. From Tavira, the first train leaves at around 06:00 and is in Faro half an hour later. That means that from the towns west of Faro, the train won’t get you to a flight that takes off before around 10:00.
For the early flights, the answer is a car you’ve booked in advance. Uber can be reserved up to 90 days ahead, and a private transfer picks you up at your hotel. If you’re staying in Faro, you’ll be at the airport in around 10 minutes by car.
If someone’s driving you in a private car, the driver can wait free of charge for up to ten minutes in the Kiss & Fly zone by the departures hall, as long as they stay in the car. If you stay longer, you have to pay for parking. The rules are on the airport’s Kiss & Fly page.
Which option should you choose?
Here’s what I’d recommend, depending on where you’re staying:
Faro: Take bus 14 or 16 to the bus station in the centre for around €3 (about £2.50/$3.40), or take a taxi, which costs €10 (about £8.50/$11) on average. If there are two or more of you, a Bolt for €4.80 to €6.40 (about £4.10 to £5.40, or $5.40 to $7.20) is my first choice.
Albufeira: The Aerobus runs direct and is the cheapest option when you’re travelling alone or as a pair. If you’re staying near The Strip or in Olhos de Água, I’d choose a Bolt or a private transfer, because then you’re driven to the door.
Vilamoura: Take a Bolt or a taxi. The trip to neighbouring Quarteira takes around 20 minutes and is estimated at €13.70 to €17.20 (about £11.50 to £14.50, or $15.50 to $19.50) by Bolt. Vamus route 55 is the alternative if there’s a departure that suits you.
Carvoeiro: There’s no bus to the door here. Take the Aerobus to Lagoa and a taxi for the last stretch, or book a private transfer. If you want to visit several of the coves along the cliffs, I’d hire a car at the airport.
Lagos: Take the Aerobus or FlixBus direct to the bus station. The train from Faro for €8.30 (about £7/$9.30) is a relaxed alternative that ends by the marina, but you have to get into Faro first.
Tavira: Take a taxi or a Bolt to Faro station and the train from there. It runs about once an hour, takes around half an hour and costs €3.60 (about £3.10/$4). FlixBus runs direct from the airport twice a day.
If you land late in the evening: The long-distance coaches don’t run late, and the last train from Faro leaves at around 20:40 for Lagos and at around 22:10 for Tavira. After that, it’s a taxi, Uber, Bolt or a transfer you’ve booked in advance.
If there are three or four of you: Work out the cost before you buy bus tickets. Four Aerobus tickets to Albufeira cost around €44 (about £37.50/$49.50), while Bolt’s estimate for a car to Albufeira bus station is €25.70 to €31.80 (about £22 to £27, or $29 to $35.50).
If you have an early flight home: Book a car the evening before, or spend your last night in Faro.
Practical tips for getting from Faro Airport to Albufeira, Lagos and the rest of the Algarve
Buy your Aerobus ticket from the machine by the departures hall. The Vamus EVAKIOSK machine is available around the clock, so you can buy your ticket as soon as you’ve landed.
Download the CP app for your train ticket. You can only buy a ticket on the train if the station has no ticket office, and the ticket offices outside Faro close for breaks during the day. With the app, you’ll have your ticket no matter when you travel.
Check which days your train runs. Some departures on the Algarve line only run on weekdays, and others only at weekends and on public holidays. It’s shown as a small note next to each departure in the timetable.
Choose your hotel with the connection in mind. If you want to manage without a car, choose a town with a direct connection to the airport. Faro is only around 7 kilometres from the airport, and you can see hotels in Faro here. The Aerobus runs direct to Albufeira, and you can see hotels in Albufeira here. Lagos has the Aerobus, FlixBus and the train, and you can see hotels in Lagos here. The train from Faro runs to Tavira about once an hour, and you can see hotels in Tavira here.
If you’re not sure which town suits you, read my guide to where to stay in the Algarve. If you’re flying into or out of the capital instead, I also have a guide to getting from Lisbon Airport to the city centre.
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