All drivers originally from the UK.
Click picture to visit the website
Pricematch Guaranteed, book your
return transfer and get a free gift!
Click the logo to visit
yellowfishtransfers.com
Airport, golf and local transfers
Bring your team to
the Algarve!! Click to visit our website
Alternatives to satellite dishes also supplied and
installed
BESPOKE GOLF HOLIDAYS -
CLICK AD TO VISIT THEIR SITE
Family friendly holidays and baby equipment to hire
click the logo to visit their site
Useful website for visitor information on safety and
security.
Click logo to visit
Bike rentals, tours, sales and service. Click to see their
site.
Located on the N125 near Algarve Shopping, Guia.
VISITING ALBUFEIRA?
WANT TO PLAY LAWN BOWLS?
THE BALAIA BOWLS
CLUB NEAR ALBUFEIRA WELCOMES YOU
We are open but with some minor restrictions.
Visitors of all abilities are welcome
BUT YOU SHOULD BOOK IN ADVANCE.
Please visit this page for the details
Roll-ups Tuesday and Friday mornings, meet at 0945 for
1000 start. (This may be changed, so please check.) Visitors pay €10
per person for about two hours play. We can provide woods, but not shoes at this time.
We are also happy to welcome touring sides and can provide
our own team as your competition. Four rinks on natural
grass. Bar adjacent!
There are also lawn bowls clubs based in Alvor, Cabanas, Almancil and Parque Floresta near Lagos HOLIDAY OR LONG TERM RENTAL
MODERN TWO BEDROOM
APARTMENT FOR HOLIDAY RENT LONG OR SHORT STAYS IN THE
VERY CENTRE OF ALBUFEIRA OLD TOWN
No pool, no parking, but 2 minutes walk from the beach
area, 1 minute walk from the old town's main square.
The apartment is NOT suitable for those who cannot manage
46 stairs up from the street! No lift / elevator.
Long lets available in winter. Price around €250 a week,
negotiable, minimum 'long' let is three weeks. Unlimited
wifi, fully equipped kitchen. Large balcony. I know
the owner and can put you in touch with him direct!
Bookable for holidays at Booking.com - click here.
The same owner has a 1 bedroom apartment, fully modernised last year, in
a quiet about 5 minutes walk from the old town but close to all amenities. Details here. SHAMELESS BOOK PLUG!
available as a paperback and Kindle at Amazon.
Paul Marsh has lived in the Algarve for fifty years.
This is the first part of Paul's story – how he threw away the opportunity of
a privileged education and a glittering career in accountancy and opted
instead to bum his way around Europe for a few years until finally
settling in the Algarve, where he had a stroke of good fortune, became
emotionally attached to a local street dog – that’s him in the title of
this book – and fell in love with the country and its people.
The Algarve region of Portugal - information on bus
and train services
This is an unofficial website compiled by a
resident of the Algarve. It has come about as a result
of many enquiries in various forums. No responsibility
can be accepted for any problems caused by errors or
omissions. This site is not connected with, nor endorsed
by, any official operator or organisation. I welcome any
feedback, comments and
suggestions. In all cases I strongly recommend that you
check times locally at the bus terminal etc as timetable
changes are usually made without prior warning!
Timetables are NOT posted at most bus stops. They still
wonder why few people use the buses here.
Contents - summary
YOU ARE STRONGLY
ADVISED TO READ THE GUIDANCE NOTES first as,
at first sight, the operations here can seem a bit
complicated.
For example, most buses in the Algarve do not have
route / line numbers as they do in many countries.
News and updates - latest
- Wednesday 28th July 2021
IMPORTANT
- WEARING A MASK IS COMPULSORY BY LAW ON ALL
FORMS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT WITH BIG FINES IF YOU
DO NOT. THIS INCLUDES TAXIS AND FERRIES.
MORE STRIKES ON THE RAILWAYS
STRIKES - THE RAILWAY HAS WARNED THAT A SERIES OF STRIKES LASTING UNTIL 15 SEPTEMBER (!!!) WILL POSSIBLY DISRUPT ALL TRAIN SERVICE ACROSS THE WHOLE COUNTRY AND POSSIBLY WITHOUT WARNING.
CHECK YOUR JOURNEY DETAILS CAREFULLY.
This may achieve what government has
been wanting for years - a complete closure of passenger rail service
leaving private non unionised bus companies to deal with travel.
NEW PASSES FOR EVA AND FROTA AZUL REGIONAL BUSES
EVA and Frota Azul are changing their pre paid passes from 1st August. If you
have used one before, it will no longer be valid for renewal and must be
changed for a new one at a bus station ticket office. It seems that
these new passes can be renewed via their websites or using an 'app' but
neither service is yet available. This applies ONLY to the buses
between various towns and villages and not to the local buses in places
like Albufeira, Faro, Portimão and Lagos.
CHANGES TO ALGARVE REGIONAL BUS SERVICE
None recently.
There are still some very long intervals between buses at weekends
on even the main routes. So far, the previous level of summertime bus
service to the beach areas does not seem to be on offer.
If
planning for a future trip please check your times closer to the actual
date. Changes are likely at any time and as you have read, are sometimes announced on the day they are due to take effect!.
Weekend bus service is still very limited in all areas. Some routes
have no service at all. Bus service in the main towns of Albufeira,
Faro, Lagos, Portimão and Tavira operates normally. Long distance
bus (coach) service between the Algarve towns and Lisbon is operating
almost all the 'normal' service. Regional rail service operates
normally.
I have removed the printable timetables from the site. There are
so many changes to timetables it has become an almost impossible task to keep
them updated. They will be re-instated as and when a reasonable level of service is restored and
there is some stability.
RESTORATION OF FULL TRAIN SERVICE ALGARVE <> LISBON
The
full daily service of five trains each way is
restored. However, capacity on each train is limited to 2/3rds of seats.
Remember, reservations are COMPULSORY on all long distance trains.
RESUMPTION OF REDE- EXPRESSOS CROSS BORDER COACH / LONG DISTANCE BUS SERVICE
The cross border coach / long distance bus service to and from
Seville has resumed, but with a limited service for the
present. There are currently four journeys each day in each direction Lagos - Seville, calling at Portimão,
Albufeira, Faro Airport, Faro and Tavira in Portugal, also in Huelva in Spain.
In addition there is an
overnight journey Lisbon to Seville and v.v. not every night which calls
at Albufeira, Faro Airport, Faro and Tavira during the night. This also stops in Huelva. Times here.
Flixbus
is operating a daytime service between
Lisbon and
Seville, which calls in Albufeira, Faro, Faro Airport and Huelva. They
currently have three journeys every day in each direction, plus an
overnight journey on some nights. CHECK THE TIMES AT THEIR WEBSITE!
Bus Station ticket office hours
Most bus station ticket offices are open but with limited hours. Some are still closed completely. There is an updated list here.
Remember that passes and tickets for local journeys cannot be purchased
at any website. If you need a ticket for a long distance journey go to
www.rede-expressos.pt
Paying for the bus - local buses in the Algarve region
Buses here do not
take contactless debit or credit cards. The crisis situation did not push
them towards it. Unless you have a pre paid pass or season ticket, for local journeys it's
cash only on board. Change is given, but bus drivers will not thank you for a
€20 note. You can pay for a pre paid pass or at a bus stations using a debit card.
Bus stops on Google Maps
EVA and Frota Azul stops in the Algarve region are now
marked on Google Maps! Major breakthrough!
Click on a bus stop symbol and you will see the times
of the buses and their destination. The route
numbers on the departure board are however fictitious.
They are not shown on the front of the bus. Some stops
do not show up on the map unless you zoom right in.
Warning - although there have been few recent changes to regional bus
times, they are made with as little as 24hrs notice. I recommend you
check bus times at the official websites if your journey is important. The
information on Google is not necessarily going to be correct.
Also shown on Google Maps are the Albufeira local GIRO system bus stops, routes and times - but a warning!
Many of the times shown on Google are WRONG
by up to 10 minutes. Also, last buses are up to 30 MINUTES EARLIER than
Google states. There is NO officially published timetable. The times here and on linked pages are correct and based on almost daily use of the system.
TRAINS - TICKETS AND RESERVATIONS
Ticket sales on Alfa Pendular (AP) and Intercidades
(IC) long distance trains are limited to two-thirds of
the normal
capacity. Remember that reservation is COMPULSORY on
these trains. Tickets are sold up to 60 days in
advance. Timetable changes may be made at short notice. You should check
times FOR THE EXACT DATE OF TRAVEL at the official website www.cp.pt
GOOD NEWS - tickets for REGIONAL trains can now be
bought from the CP website or using their 'app'. You
must either print your ticket or keep it on your
mobile device. There is no 'collection' option, if
only because most stations have no ticket office and
there are no ticket machines. Payment on board the train is cash only.
TAXIS INCLUDING UBER ETC
Taxis, Uber, BOLT etc are
available almost everywhere. Most municipal taxis do NOT accept card
payments. All taxi companies have English speaking staff. In most areas,
they operate as co-operatives with a central contact point by phone or
app. A simple internet search 'taxi + (name of town)' will find this
information. Permitted capacity remains slightly limited.
Passengers are not permitted to sit next to the driver. Therefore a
'normal' size vehicle can carry a maximum of three passengers
FURTHER DISCOUNTS TO 'SEASON TICKETS' ON
REGIONAL BUSES
A promotional drive has further reduced the cost of
monthly passes to 50% of the base fare and with a
maximum price per month of €40 ie equivalent to €2
each working day. Might be useful to long term
visitors staying outside towns or in places not served
by the purely urban networks. Details at http://eva-bus.com/pdf/tarifas_inter_2020.pdf
NEW WEBSITE FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT IN THE ALGARVE
- USEFUL MAP OF BUS ROUTES AND STOPS
A new website has been created with the aim of
promoting sustainable transport in the Algarve. Among
the features is a map, overlaid onto Google
Maps, which shows every inter-urban bus route and all
stopping places. A commendable start but at first
glance you may think it's a comprehensive network, but
remember that many routes run only once or twice a
day. The site offers no timetable information that I
can find. The map will be a useful cross reference to
other information. It can be found at https://algarve.city-platform.com/app/?a=carreiras
- link will open in a new window. The main website
itself is www.vamus.pt and is available in
Portuguese and English.
TOURIST PASSES FOR ALGARVE BUSES
These are available as three day versions at €30,50
and seven days for €38,20. Days must be consecutive.
They can be bought at any bus station ticket office and the EVA
ticket office in Largo do Dique, Portimão. They are
valid on ALL buses operated by EVA or Frota Azul
listed in timetables on this site. They are NOT
VALID on EVA Mundial Turismo (MT), Rede-Expressos or
other long distance services, international
services, the so called 'airport shuttle' between
the airport, Albufeira, Portimão and Lagos, nor on
the local urban buses in Lagos, Portimão, Albufeira,
Loulé, Vilamoura, Quarteira, Faro and Tavira. The
local buses in those towns have their own day
passes, multi-ride tickets and season tickets for
frequent or regular users.
TOURIST PASS FOR ALGARVE
LINE REGIONAL TRAINS
Available from STAFFED stations only. (Lagos,
Portimao, Tunes, Albufeira, Loulé, Faro, Olhao, Tavira
and Vila Real de Santo António) and are NOT VALID ON
ALFA PENDULAR OR INTERCITY TRAINS. Do the maths first.
A return (round-trip) ticket from Faro to Lagos is
only €14,80.
Two days for €20,90 and three days for €31,90.
Reduced fares for children. Days must be consecutive.
The seven day pass is not being advertised, that I can
find.
Discounts for long distance train travel!
If you book more than
8 days in advance there are some really cheap fares
available on trains, eg between the Algarve stations
and Lisbon. These fares can be cheaper than coaches
(buses). These tickets might not be refunded if you do
not use them. Go to www.cp.pt
for all you need to know.
OTHER DISCOUNTS ON TRAIN TICKETS
If you are aged 25 or under, CP is offering a 25%
discount on all Alfa Pendular, Intercidades,
InterRegional and Regional train tickets. You can
use this discount in any class, any day of the week.
Just show official ID with proof of your age such as
a Citizen card, ID card, driving licence or
passport. You can buy your tickets from
long-distance ticket offices, netTICKET travel
agents. These tickets can be reissued or refunded.
Young people aged 26 or over can still enjoy the
Cartão Jovem discount for individual journeys.
In addition, a 40% or higher discount is available
to all travellers on long distance Intercity and
Alfa Pendular trains who make reservations on line
eight days or more in advance. Reservations open 60
days before travel. On some trains the number of
these discounted tickets is limited. These tickets
can be exchanged for a different train, but are not
refunded if you don't make the trip. You can buy
your print at home tickets at www.cp.pt and in English. DO
NOT buy tickets from RailEurope or any other site as
they cannot offer the discount and cannot provide
you with the mandatory seat reservations. These you
would have to obtain locally and pay an additional
fee for them. Anyone over 65 can travel half fare on
local trains so long they have ID eg passport.
STEP FREE ACCESS TO TRAINS - NOT POSSIBLE
I must emphasise that there is NO STEP FREE ACCESS at
any Algarve station to any train while it is in the
platform. All trains in use have steps up into the
carriage. Some platforms are very low, making it
difficult for some. I have added an item to the
'disabled page' with details
of the various stations.
BUS DELAYS
Traffic congestion and
unrealistic timetables mean that many buses cannot
be relied upon to run to time, especially on the
longer journeys. The 1800 bus from Lagos to
Albufeira was ALWAYS at
least 10 minutes late by the time it reached
Albufeira, a 20 minute delay in summer was not
unusual. I regularly experienced similar
delays
returning from Lagos or Portimão to Albufeira in the
late afternoon and early evening. However, I have very little recent bus travel beyond Albufeira to report
on!
On the longer routes eg Lagos - Faro and Albufeira -
Lagos, delays of 10 - 15 minutes towards the end of
the journey are commonplace, on any day of the week.
Delays are even more likely in summer.
TIMETABLES AT BUS STATIONS ETC
Timetables may not be currently posted at
bus stations and were never seen at Faro and Loulé. They are never seen at
most bus stops. Copies of the official timetables can
be downloaded from the various websites, but finding
which one(s) you need can be a problem. For example
between Albufeira and Portimão there are four
different bus routes each with its own timetable.
Copies can be obtained from bus station ticket
offices. The official timetables have information in English as to which days buses do or do not run.
DISABLED OR FIND IT HARD TO GET AROUND?
DEFICIENTE? BEHINDERTE? HANDICAPÉ?
Please click here
for some observations on this issue. You will
have problems using the buses and trains
in the Algarve. I am able-bodied by
the way!
Why the site exists
I have built this site of local bus,
train and ferry information here in the
Algarve in response to many queries raised
through various forums.
The main idea is to allow visitors and
potential visitors to plan ahead by
getting an understanding of the local
public transport operations and the places
they serve and don’t! I recommend that
wherever possible you check times locally.
Updates are made here whenever changes are
found on official websites or through personal experience!. Whenever I
go
somewhere, I check the information. Each
timetable bears the date on which I was
last able to verify it as being
correct.Schedule changes are currently
(April 2021) very
frequent and have been since the 'crisis'
began. They are often introduced with
little or no advance warning.
Changes are highlighted on websites often
only two or three days before they come into effect, but sometimes only
the day before!
I live in the Algarve and use these buses
and trains as I do not drive. Not all
routes and services are included. I have
left out those unlikely to be of use to
visitors, for example some short
schooldays only runs.
I have not included full details of some
of the local 'city' bus type operations.
They have websites to which I can
redirect. You can make enquiries at the
local bus station or tourist information
offices if required. Please note that
tickets are NOT interchangeable between
these purely urban buses and the other
buses.
As much as possible has been checked on
the ground eg by using the buses concerned
and/or obtaining the printed timetables.
Official websites
The official website of the major
local operator, EVA, can be found at www.eva-bus.com ;
the other, smaller, company Frota Azul
also has a website. They have
'search' functions enabling you to find
which buses run between two places, but do
not list buses to and from all
destinations nor all the fares. The
official timetables are available for
download and printing. As neither site has
a map of routes, it can be difficult to
discover which route serves which place.
There are often differences between the
information on the websites and the
timetables at the bus stations etc. I use
the printed information.
The urban operators around the
larger towns also have websites, with
varying degrees of information.That for
Albufeira is the worst. Some information is out of date. No official timetables are
published! Each local site is mentioned on
relevant pages, with links to them.
I would be pleased to receive any additional
information you think would be useful. If you can
scan or photo timetables, leaflets etc, please email
them to me. I can then include the
data in these pages.
CURRENT
ALBUFEIRA WEATHER
ALGARVE HOLIDAY FUN
INFORMATION, ADVICE AND DISCOUNTED
BOOKINGS FOR YOUR HOLIDAY FUN - CLICK THE LOGO TO VISIT
THE SITE
CLICK THE PICTURE FOR
TRACY BURTON'S GUIDE TO THE VIA ALGARVIANA
RECOMMENDED BARS
IN OLD TOWN ALBUFEIRA NUMBERS PERMITTED MAY BE LIMITED
THOSE THAT ARE OPEN CAN ONLY STAY OPEN UNTIL 2230
ALL NIGHTCLUBS, DISCOS AND BARS WITHOUT A FOOD OR TABLE SERVICE LICENCE
REMAIN CLOSED. YOU MAY BE ASKED TO SHOW AN EU DIGITAL HEALTH CERTIFICATE
OR TAKE A HEALTH TEST TO BE ABLE TO SIT INSIDE.
Cavern Bar
Currently closed by reason of government laws
English owned and run since 1991 Old town Albufeira, Rua
do MFA, two minutes walk from the square.
Open from 12 noon weekends for
the sports, during winter open from 6pm weekdays but not necessarily every day!
60's and 70's music plus all UK sport on TV. Free wifi for
customers
TUNES BAR
Under new ownership
Old town Albufeira near the Sol e Mar Hotel
Up the steps by the tunnel and turn right to Praça Miguel
Bombarda
Good music, UK Sports on TV. Free wifi for customers
Open 11am until late, every day
RECOMMENDED BARS IN OTHER PARTS OF TOWN
These inserts are not paid for. Just places I sometimes go
to plus ideas from regular visitors. Hours may vary
according to season.
FAT CATS DINER, RUA DUNFERMLINE
Near Paraiso, Tropical Sol, Eirasol, Forte do Vale etc Facebook page
VICTORIA BAR, RUA SAMORA BARROS
Near Albufera Jardim, Windmill Hill, Páteo Village.
THE WANDER INN, AREIAS DE SÃO JOÃO
Facebook page
In Rua Alexandre Herculano. British owned.
THE YORKSHIRE TAVERN
Facebook Page. Near the traffic
lights at the 'strip'. Closed Saturdays.
ARTE BAR, CERRO GRANDE
Now open from 11.00 daily. Under new management and completely refurbished. They have a Facebook page for the latest news.
