Please use this only as a guide to typical times and frequencies, as schedules do change,

This info was accurate at 28 May 2006

You can try www.algarvebus.info which is a site written by a British guy in Portugal.

Other websites tend to be in Portuguese – if you can read Spanish, you can probably read Portuguese.
Some key words:

Origem = FROM            Destino = TO    Partida = DEPARTS      Chegada = ARRIVES
Horarios = timetable  ida = outbound    volta = return

Train info is available from Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses at www.cp.pt

Bus info from www.rede-expressos.pt or www.eva-bus.com

Taxis are beige coloured

BUSES

In general, bus services in the Algarve start around 7am on weekdays and finish by 8.30pm, which means that, in most places, last buses are on their way around 7.30 at the latest. On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays there are a lot fewer buses than on weekdays. However most larger places are served by bus at least three or four times on a Sunday or holiday. There are often long gaps in service on Saturday afternoons and on Sundays. Buses do not usually run at regular intervals ie at so many minutes past each hour. Buses heading inland – ie away from the main coastal tourist areas – are few and far between. You are strongly advised to double-check the times of last buses back if you are off hiking in the hills.

Buses between airport and Faro bus station and train station

Fare is €1.40 (March 2006) – pay the driver.

From town to the airport:

The bus 16 (plus a few bus 14) run from the Bus Station to the Airport

Journey time is 18 minutes. Buses leave from the stop outside the bus station on the other side of the road. This is Bus 14 or 16 towards PRAIA de Faro.

Departures weekdays at : 0710, 0800, 0830, 0905, 0930, 1010, 1115, 1210, 1250, 1330, 1410, 1505, 1635, 1710, 1745, 1830, 1930 and 2040

Departures Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays at : 0800, 0830, 0905, 1010, 1115, 1250, 1330, 1410, 1635, 1710, 1830 and 1930. Note the big gap in the afternoon service.

If you are unlucky with the bus times, there is a taxi rank at the Bus Station.

Buses also stop outside the Railway Station about 1 minute after leaving the bus station. The stop at the station is across the square to the right as you exit the station.

From the airport to town

This is Bus 14 towards Atalaia or Bus 16 towards Avenida or Jardim. The bus stop is right outside the Airport Terminal Building, just to the left of Arrivals.

Departures Weekdays at 0709, 0722, 0742, 0832, 0907, 0937, 1007, 1047, 1207, 1247, 1337, 1432, 1507, 1612, 1712, 1747, 1857, 2007 and 2117

Departures Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays at 0709, 0722,  0832, 0907, 0937, 1047, 1207, 1337, 1432, 1507, 1712, 1747, 1857, 1922 and 2007. Beware the two hour gap in service during the afternoon.

Again, if you are unlucky with the bus times there is a taxi rank to the right when you are outside the terminal.

Buses stop near the railway station about 1 minute before the time at the Bus Station. Ask the driver to tell you when you reach that stop as it is not all that obvious; the first time you might see a train you are in fact some distance from the station entrance.

Local buses around Cabanas:

Cabanas’ bus service is still developing and the following represents the winter timetable, which is in force for all but June to September:

Buses leave Tavira bus station arriving 7 minutes later in Conceicao ( con-say-sow) and 5 minutes after than on the waterfront at Cabanas

3 minutes later they turn and make the return trip

This is the Monday to Friday schedule ex Tavira 0745, 0815, 0830, 0940, 1055, 1230, 1415, 1635, 1738, 1825

On a Saturday, there are just 3 buses 0830, 1055 and 1320 from Tavira so the alsat one back there is at 1335

You can get a bus between Faro and Vila Real de San Antonio, which stops at Conceicao, but you are likely to find the train quicker

# Bus Terminal is adjacent to the ferry across the river to Ayamonte (Spain)

Buses further afield

If you are going any distance, you are likely to have to change at Tavira

Eg there are 9 buses a day to Lisbon (Lisboa) from Tavira taking 4 hrs 15, at 15 euros each way

They leave at 0515, 0730, 1000, 1135, 1530, 1620, 1800, 1850, 2300 ( overnight, arrives 0530)

Buses also run across the border, so if you wanted to go to Seville, or flew in there. There are two a day – this is the timetable to Tavira :

Departs Seville ( in Portuguese Sevilha) – 0730 arr 0925 or 1630 arr 1825

And Tavira to Seville 0905 to 1300 and 1620 to 2015. Cost is 11 euros each way

Remember Spain is one hour ahead of Portugal so journey time is actually just under 3 hours ( about double what it is to drive)

You must buy a ticket in advance

REDE tend to be longer distance buses

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TRAINS

Remember the local train station is called CONCEICAO (con – say – sow)

North of the station is the village of Conceicao, South of it is Cabanas

Trains cost about the same as buses and are generally faster

Over 65s get 50% off tickets with production of passport

Trains between Faro and the Eastern Algarve – only main stations shown

The station at Vila Real de San Antonio ( VRSA) is about 10 minutes walk to the ferry across to Ayamonte in Spain. You cannot take a train straight through to Spain – lines do not cross the border

You would be better to go by bus (or even better to drive as it is only 90 minutes on one straight motorway all the way through to Seville)

It is just a 5 to 8 minute journey into Tavira and the trains are about once an hour

Tavira to Conceicao – departures – 0810, 0940, 1101 (M-F), 1241, 1436, 1659, 1749(M-F), 1820, 1922, 2006 ( not Sun or hols), 2128, 2349

The trains arrive in Conceicao around 7 minutes later, and then continue to Cacela (takes 7 minutes) and end at Vila Real de San Antonio ( VRSA) ( around 20 minutes from Conceicao)

And from Conceicao to Tavira 0730, 0758, 0929, 1202, 1301, 1557, 1646, 1811, 1951

Most trains go straight through to Faro, taking 45-55 minutes.

If you wanted to go out in Tavira, you need to be on the 1951 and can stay just under 4 hours, or take a cab back.

So the full timetable is:

Eastbound

Westbound

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