Getting to Faro

Faro is the main hub for transportation in southern Portugal and it provides the best bus and rail connections in the Algarve region as well as a busy airport servicing a number of international destinations.

By car

As you will see from car registrations, many visitors drive from northern Europe to the Algarve. This may be a good alternative for those planning longer stays, but because of distances and driving times, it is not recommended for those on typical, shorter holidays unless the drive is from a southern European country.

If you decide to drive from the UK, the quickest route is to take either the Plymouth-Santander or Portsmouth-Bilbao ferry to northern Spain and then drive to Portugal. Alternatively, you can drive from France to eastern Spain and then take the north-south Spanish motorway to Seville, and then drive on to Portugal.

Portugal has a reasonably well-developed network of roads around major centres, but travel outside of the main centres can take longer than expected and can be quite dangerous, as the road safety record here is not good.

By rail

It's quite easy to reach Portugal by train from the UK. From London, you can take the Eurostar to Paris, and then the high-speed TGV to Irn, at the Spanish border. From there, the service is on the famous Sud Express, which involves an overnight journey to Lisbon and features sleeping-cars and couchettes, and a full-service restaurant and bar service. The overall trip takes just over 24 hours.

There are two main rail routes into Portugal; the first is from Paris via Bordeaux, Biarritz, Irn, San Sebastian and Guarda to Lisbon; and the second is from Irn to Madrid, crossing into Portugal at Marvo-Beir and then on to Lisbon. You will need to change in Lisbon for Faro and all destinations in the Algarve.

CP, the Portuguese national rail system, operates all of Portugals trains. Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra and Faro are all serviced by high-speed trains. Faros train station is located on Largo da Estao, in the northwestern corner of the centre. The station for intercity trains (such as service to Lisbon) is Estao Barreiro, located on the south shore of the Tagus River.

By bus

You can get to Faro by coach service from most countries in Europe. The bus is a low-cost alternative to air travel, but due to the distances and time involved, this option can be quite demanding on your patience and endurance. The main bus terminal in Faro is at avenida da Repblica 106. Buses to destinations throughout the Algarve leave from this station and are operated by Eva Transportes. A regular service to Lisbon is also offered.

By air

Faro's airport is located about four miles from the city centre and is serviced by bus numbers 14 and 16, running every 15 minutes. There is also a taxi rank situated outside of the Arrivals Hall at the airport. The airport is relatively busy and manages a large number of charter flights, especially from the UK. In recent years, the numbers of visitors from other European countries and some countries outside of Europe have increased as more scheduled, low cost and charter flights have become available.

Taxis

If you require taxi service in Faro, you will need to phone ahead or go to a taxi rank. You wont be able to flag down a taxi in the street, due to local regulations. Your hotel receptionist will phone ahead for one if you prefer, or you can find taxi ranks in the centre of Faro. Overall, taxis are inexpensive and particularly good value if you have three or four passengers. The drivers are knowledgeable and can be very helpful. Often, tour firms use taxis for airport transfer if there is only a small number of passengers going to a particular resort. Taxis are black and green, late-model Mercedes saloons.