General Information about buses in the Algarve

The information has been obtained from printed timetables and other local sources(like taking the bus)and is given in good faith.
Bus operations in the Algarve are possibly quite different from what you may be used to back home!

Click here for a list of all the timetables on the site; please first read the various notes on this page.
An alphabetical list of all the places included in the timetables is here.
A diagram showing the train and bus routes in the Algarve is here

Operators, route/line numbers

ALGARVE REGIONAL BUSES ARE OPERATED BY VAMUS

Different types of service - Algarve regional and local buses

There are different types or operations of bus on rural and interurban services. In the major towns and cities, the local city or urban mini-buses may operate along the same roads and use the same stops as VAMUS buses, but fares are different and tickets are not generally inter-available.

AEROBUS - (Route 56) in summer (May to end October), Seven buses each way daily  Faro - Faro Airport - Albufeira Bus Station - Lagoa Bus Station - Portimão Rua Abidcada Bus Station - Lagos Bus station. It stops only at these places. Fares are higher than on other buses. In winter only two journeys each day.

TRANSRÁPIDO (VAMUS route 57)  (picture below) runs as an express service the length of the coast between Faro and Lagos. It stops only at the places shown in the timetable plus the Algarve Shopping mall near Guia and Portimão Hospital. Download and print the latest timetable.

TOILETS - or lack of! Transrápido buses do NOT have toilets on board and neither is there sufficient time at any stop to use one. So if you are travelling the whole way, make sure you go before getting on! WARNING - toilets at some bus stations are no longer free to use. At Faro and Albufeira there is a €1 charge.

This may be more of an issue at Armação de Pera and Guia where there is no bus terminal building and therefore no toilets nearby!

DELAYS - Transrápido buses are frequently delayed by traffic. Anticipate delays on all the Transrápido buses and also on the buses between Albufeira and Lagos, even at weekends! Running times  have been extended by around 15 minutes in an attempt to create more realistic timetables. Even that may not work in the height of summer.

ALBUFEIRA - LAGOS (Linha Littoral) (VAMUS route 51) runs as a limited-stop service between Lagos and Albufeira. If two buses arrive at the same time to the same destination, you may need to ask the driver which one he or she is!

 Between Faro and Albufeira some buses on weekdays (ie Mondays to Fridays) are labelled ‘DIRECTA’ and miss out some stops, notably in the outskirts of Vilamoura and the outskirts of Faro. The differences in stopping places between the NORMAL and DIRECTA routes are detailed here.  NB - there few bus services at the airport except for a local bus into Faro city centre, three buses each weekday to Loulé and Aerobus 56 to Albufeira, Lagoa, Portimão and Lagos. Route 55 runs in the summer between the airport, Almancil, Quarteira and Vilamoura. Details of bus 55 here.

LOCAL BUSES AND MINIBUSES IN THE MAIN TOWNS

Several towns have local city (Urbanas) mini-buses operated or sponsored by the city or town council. I have included details for Faro,  Albufeira , Lagos and Portimão in these pages and links on the alphabetical index page to the local council website for the timetables for the Loulé and Quarteira services. I have included brief details of the operations in Olhão and Tavira in the relevant pages. There is also a local bus running between the airport and Faro city centre - details here.

Express buses (coaches) to and from Lisbon etc operated by Rede Expressos and FLIXBUS

All towns and many villages have their express buses (coaches) to and from Lisbon and further afield. Larger places eg Faro, Albufeira have 12 to 15 departures a day. Smaller places might have only two or three.

I have listed some timetables for Rede-Expressos here but check their website for changes also service at other locations. The website is available in English.

These long-distance services are operated REDE EXPRESSOS but you will sometimes see 'borrowed' vehicles in other companies colours. You should reserve a seat in advance for all long-distance buses, especially at weekends and around holidays. Tickets can be bought from the various offices and agents around the Algarve. There is a list of ticket offices and agents, with opening hours, on their website here.

Rede - Expressos stops in larger towns will be the main bus station, but elsewhere it may be just an ordinary bus stop by the side of the road. The Rede Expressos website does have a system of maps showing stop locations and local ticket sales offices and agents. Beware that in Lisbon two different bus stations are used. Some journeys to or from the Algarve use both, but most use one or the other. These are ORIENTE which is out in the north-eastern suburbs near the airport and SETE RIOS which is to the north-west of the city centre.

Both of these are several km from the city centre, but have metro (underground railway) stations adjacent for the final part of your journey. Lisbon Aerobus service no longer operates.

Ticket offices in Algarve bus stations etc are NOT open 24 hours. If your bus / coach leaves late at night or during the early hours of the morning, you will need to buy a ticket in advance or from the Rede Expressos website. You can get times and buy tickets at  www.rede-expressos.pt. You cannot buy tickets from the driver for long distance trips. These services do not carry local passengers in the Algarve, except on the route out of Lagos towards Aljezur etc where no other services exist.

It will cost about €22 to get to Lisbon from anywhere in the Algarve. A round-trip (return) fare is slightly less than the cost of two singles. The journey is around 3 hourss from Albufeira and obviously more the further afield you are.

FLIXBUS to Lisbon and elsewhere?

Flixbus is a low cost operator running daily services between Lisbon and some of the larger Algarve towns. Internet booking via their app or website www.flixbus.com - they may not use the usual bus stations. In Albufeira their calling point is the 'small' bus station in Avenida da Liberdade in the old town. In Lisbon they use Lisbon Oriente bus terminal, which is 9km (6 miles) from the city centre but much closer to the airport. Their stop in Faro is behind the main bus station - CHECK THE DETAILS ON THEIR WEBSITE OR APP!

Bus Stops and Bus Stations / Terminals

Stopping places are clearly indicated with signs of various types. PARAGEM is the Portuguese word for bus-stop; helpfully many signs also display ‘Bus Stop’ in English. In rural areas, the bus stop sign may be only on one side of the road. The bus will stop on the opposite side if you are waiting. All bus stops are REQUEST stops. If you are waiting at a stop, give the bus driver a clear signal as the bus approaches. If you are on the bus and wish to get off, ring the bell in good time before your stop. In some towns stops used by local buses have their own design. The number below the stop name is the number of the stop on their travel planner. You can therefore find that stop using their website or 'app' and see if there is a bus coming your way. The map looks impressive at first sight, but remember that many routes only run two or three times a day with many having little or no service at weekends.  CLICK THE MAP TO SEE IT FULL (ENORMOUS) SIZE.  External link which will open in a new window.

Most of the larger towns have a bus station or terminal, ranging from the large busy bus stations in Faro, Lagoa and Albufeira, down to simple waiting shelters, for example in Silves. These are usually at the edge of town, as the roads in the town centres are either too narrow or too busy to accommodate buses.

The bus terminal in Albufeira is about a mile/1.6km from the old town centre and major hotel areas.  If arriving from the west, north or on Transrápido from Faro, you will need another bus, a taxi or maybe 15 minutes walk to reach the old town centre and beaches. Local buses from the east (eg Faro, Quarteira, Vilamoura, Olhos D'Agua) pass through town and it’s best to get off near Albufeira Terrace Shopping (the stop is officially called Rotunda dos Rélogios - Watches roundabout in English -  before you end up in the middle of nowhere. Click here for more information about the bus terminal and ways to get into town.

The bus terminal in Faro is in the centre of town and 150 yards/metres from the railway station. The bus terminal in Tavira is three minutes walk from the town centre.

The bus terminal in Loulé is about four minutes walk from the main shopping area, indoor market and town centre. Most buses also make a stop in the town centre near the indoor market. The stop at Silves has no office, there is an enquiry office/agency nearby at the municipal market building. Portimão has an outdoor bus station for local and regional services - click here for more information. A separate bus station in Portimão is used by long distance and international bus / coach  services. This is about 1.5km or nearly a mile from the city centre. Information here .At Lagos, the bus terminal is a few minutes walk from the historic town centre and about five minutes walk from the railway station and marina, which are on the other side of the river.

VAMUS regional bus system

Fares and Tickets

IMPORTANT! When boarding at a BUS STATION/BUS TERMINAL you must usually buy your tickets at the ticket office window or VAMUS ticket machine before getting on the bus.

BUS TICKET MACHINES INSTALLED AT BUS STATIONS

MOST BUS COMPANIES DO NOT ACCEPT CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS ON BOARD THE BUS. THE ONLY EXCEPTION IS THE PROXIMO BUSES OF THE FARO CITY NETWORK. AT TICKET OFFICES, THEY TAKE DEBIT CARDS OR EQUIVALENT ONLY.

VAMUS, the regional bus company, has installed ticket machines at bus stations, also at Faro airport. These make it easier to purchase tickets and recharge pre paid passes.They have instructions in English and Portuguese, but will not sell tickets and passes for the urban networks such as Proximo in Faro, Vai e Vem in Portimão and Giro in Albufeira. You can pay with cash or card.

Allow a few minutes for buying tickets at the ticket office, especially at Faro!

There is a list of ticket offices and agents at https://vamusalgarve.pt/#/pt/vamus%20algarve/point-of-sales

If boarding elsewhere or when the ticket office is closed, have small change ready and pay the driver as usual. For our North American readers drivers will make change, but they will not thank you if you hand over a €50 note! Even the longest journey here on an ordinary bus will cost only about €8.

Sample adult bus fares for VAMUS inter-urban routes

Fares for some single journeys are not published on the official website. Those below may be incorrect, but are my best guess from information available.

Fares on AEROBUS route 56 are higher than on other buses - click or tap here for details. Aerobus 56 runs between Faro and Lagos, stopping only at the airport, Albufeira, Lagoa and Portimão.

Any contributions gratefully received! Email webmaster(at)algarvebus.info [replace (at) with @] and thank you!

On board full price bus fares according to official website.  I have added some train fares for the purposes of comparison. Children aged between 4 and 12 travel half price. There is no senior discount on VAMUS.

Faro to Lagos (Bus 57) - €7,05 by train €8.10; Albufeira to Portimão - €5,95; Albufeira to Armação de Pêra €5,40, Albufeira to Praia da Rocha - €6,00; Albufeira to Alvor - €6,70; Albufeira to Lagos - €6,70; Albufeira - Faro €6,00**; Albufeira to Vilamoura €5,40; Portimão - Silves, €5,40; Portimão - Lagos €5,60 by train only €2,20!; Albufeira to Silves €5,60; Albufeira to Quarteira also to Fonte Santa for the market €5,60; Monte Gordo to Tavira €5,40 - €2,75 by train; Monte Gordo to Vila Real de Santo António €2.85; Monte Gordo to Faro €7,05; Tavira to Faro €5,60, by train €3,50; Albufeira to Loulé, €5,60; Albufeira to Mar Shopping €5,95. ** Albufeira - Faro using the pre paid card or app account (see below) the fare is reduced to €3,96. Similar reductions apply to other fares when using pre paid card or app account. The pre-paid card costs €3 and can be purchased at any bus station ticket office then loaded and re-loaded with cash as required.

Trains are often cheaper than buses where they offer service between the same towns, except when using the pre-paid bus pass.

VAMUS Apps for Android and Mac

These can be downloaded from Google Play and https://apps.apple.com and offer all ticket discounts etc and paperless travel for the VAMUS regional buses.

Pre-paid rechargeable ticket cards - VAMUS buses - save money on fares

If you are staying a while and intend to use Vamus buses more than a couple of times and don't want to use an app, it will be worth investing in a pre-paid ticket card. This rechargeable card stores cash for amounts of €5 or more. It saves money compared to on board tickets (average 33%) and queuing time, but you do have to pay a €3.00 fee for the card. You can buy the cards using the VAMUS website, download the app or buy from any bus station or ticket agent.  Also on sale at some tourist information offices.

These can be recharged using the VAMUS ticket machines at larger bus stations or at the ticket counter. Obviously the app can be recharged on line.

Details here. On boarding, place the card on the ticket machine pad or the display on your phone as directed by the driver. Count three and your ticket is automatically printed. The ticket will show the balance on your card or app account.

I have it on good authority that these cards do not expire. Any balance remains available even after several months of not being used.

Monthly Season tickets VAMUS buses

There is 50% discount off standard fares when using monthly point to point season tickets. These are primarily aimed at commuters.. For long stayers who may be using a particular bus frequently, this may be of value. Season tickets can be obtained from any bus station ticket office or you can download the application form from https://vamusalgarve.pt/#/pt/vamus%20algarve/pre-purchase-fares and select Requisição de Títulos de Transporte (passes mensais). The form does not require a photo, but does ask for some kind of ID number e.g. citizen card or passport number.

DISCOUNTS FOR THE YOUNG AND OLD

CHILDREN - those aged between 4 and 12 pay half fare on VAMUS buses, but those aged 13 or over have to pay full fare unless they have a 'school pass', so in effect that's for residents only. Children aged under 4 years travel free. There are NO child discounts on the city and town local bus systems except for residents.

SENIORS - discounts are often available only to residents.  Buses are not free here for seniors as in many European countries. You need to be 65 or over to get senior discount. You will need to ask at a local bus station or ticket agent what senior discounts are available, fill in a form, provide proof of age and sometimes a passport size photo. For the buses between towns and villages operated by VAMUS, season tickets are for travel only between two specific places. Pre paid accounts cna be used for any journey. Tourist passes are valid across wthe hole network.

Tickets and passes are not interchangeable between different operator's buses. All the urban buses require a different ticket or pass.

Fares on urban local networks in Faro, Albufeira, Lagos, Portimão etc

The local bus systems in and around Albufeira, Faro, Lagos, Loulé, Quarteira, Tavira and Vilamoura have different fares and do not accept VAMUS tickets, nor vice-versa. All offer pre paid multi journey passes and monthly season tickets. Albufeira's monthly passes can be download and used on your phone. Local mini-buses in Loulé, Quarteira and Vilamoura are currently free of charge.

You can get your money back for the pass card if you hand it in at a bus office before leaving. You can of course keep it for next year.

Non-residents using local buses around the main towns normally pay full fare. Senior discounts may available only to residents. You will have to ask. Children at school here travel free.

TOURIST PASSES FOR VAMUS BUSES

Timetables

Timetables are displayed at most bus stops and are in Portuguese and English. It can be confusing at stops served by more than one bus route, so study carefully. If you see 'Business Days' that means weekdays, Mondays to Fridays except holidays. 'Non Business Days' means Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. English is spoken at most locations but it is polite to ask first! The  VAMUS bus company website and app do have a timetable search facility with timetables that can be downloaded, saved and printed.

Click here for a list of all the timetables on the site; please first read the various notes on this page.
An alphabetical list of all the places included in the timetables is here.

Bus Service Start and Finish Times

Portugal uses the 24 hour clock - all timetables are in the 24hr clock format. 1300hrs = 1pm, 1400hrs = 2pm etc.

Many bus routes are very irregular and infrequent, especially at weekends and on public holidays when many routes have no service at all.

In general, bus services linking the various towns and villages in the Algarve start around 0700hrs on weekdays and finish by 2030hrs, which means that, in most places, last buses are on their way around 1930hrs. On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays first buses are generally fairly early, but there are many fewer buses than on weekdays. Last buses are often much earlier than on weekdays. Many villages out in the countryside have no buses at all at weekends or on public holidays, but the main inter-urban routes do have weekend and holiday service, albeit at reduced levels.

Buses do not usually run at regular intervals i.e. at so many minutes past each hour. Buses away from the main coastal tourist areas are mostly few and far between, as they cater for local needs of schools and shopping. You are strongly advised to double-check the times of last buses back if you are off hiking in the hills.

Point-to-point timings, but currently not fares, for VAMUS services from the main towns can be checked and official individual timetables downloaded on their official website here.

The local city buses (GIRO) in Albufeira mostly operate until 2200hrs during the summer (1st July to 30th September) and until around 2000hrs for the rest of the year. Buses between Portimão and Alvor, also Portimão and Praia da Rocha run until about 2000hrs all year. There is a late night service between Portimão and Alvor during the summer. The Lagos area has local buses until midnight on some routes during the summer, otherwise service ends around 2000hrs. Weekend and holiday service on the urban routes in and around Lagos and Portimão is sparse, especially in winter. Check carefully. Many routes only operate on weekdays.

In other cities and towns, local buses usually operate between about 0700hrs and 1900hrs on weekdays and between 0700hrs and 1400hrs on Saturdays. They either run very limited schedules or not all on Saturday afternoons, Sundays or holidays. Details and links to timetables are included within the various sections of this website.

What days do the buses run?

Many bus journeys do not run every day. Weekend and holiday buses are very few in some areas. In the various timetable pages, there are column headings, colour highlights and notes to indicate the days a particular bus runs. In one or two timetables, there are separate sections for weekday and weekend services where the times are very different, but on most pages there is one table for the whole service in both directions.

These codes and information en Français, auf deutsch, em Portugues, на русском языке,  please click here

Daily – runs every day including holidays (NB - buses and trains DO RUN on Christmas Day, New Year's Day etc)
MFO – Mondays to Fridays (weekdays) only; does not run on Saturdays, Sundays or Holidays
SSH – runs on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays only
SHO – runs on Sundays and Holidays only
SHX – does not run on Sundays or Holidays
SAT – runs on Saturdays only except holidays
SCH – runs on SCHOOLDAYS only i.e. will not be running in July and August, nor during Christmas and Easter breaks or on Public holidays.
NSC - runs weekdays but during School Holidays only
XXX – used where bus runs only on certain days that do not fit into these headings – look for a special note.

PORTUGUESE HOLIDAYS  including school holidays 2025 -  details here.

I have tried to be consistent with these headings in all the pages. Apologies if I fail anywhere.

Operational dates on the official timetables

On the official VAMUS website timetables abbreviations are used to show the different days of the week etc that buses run. Timetables are shown with the times vertically. The downloadable timetables do show the weekday, Saturday and Sunday times in separate boxes, but confusingly for some the winter and summer timetables are put together.

At the TOP of the column you will see either A (Annual) meaning the bus runs all year round, E (Escolar - schooldays) meaning the bus runs only when schools are open. For some routes and times you will also see EA (Época Alta - High Season) meaning that the bus runs only between 1st May and 31st October or EB (Época Baixa - Low Season) meaning the bus runs only during the winter (low) season.

In the next row you will see U (Úteis - weekdays) meaning that the bus runs only on weekdays, S (Sábados - Saturdays) meaning the bus runs only on Saturdays or DF (Domingos e Feriados - Sundays and Holidays) meaning that the bus runs only on Sundays and Public Holidays. In practice, times for almost all routes with weekend and holiday buses are the same on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays, but do check just in case.

Finally, for buses that serve very rural areas and that run less than five days a week, you may see the days of the week shown as :

2 = Monday     3 = Tuesday     4= Wednesday    5= Thursday    6= Friday or some combination, for example 35 = bus runs only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Travelling at school times?

A word of 'warning' - between 0800hrs and 0900hrs also between 1630hrs and 1700hrs on schooldays, buses to/from the main towns are VERY crowded with schoolchildren and older students on their way to and from school/college. In some areas schools operate early and late 'shifts' (because of overcrowding) and you may get an extra 'rush hour' around 1300hrs, for example in Lagos.

I personally have experienced this at Loulé on the afternoon buses to Albufeira and also from Silves to Albufeira. You may have to stand for a while - no they are as unruly as in any other country!

The good news is that schools are closed during the main holiday season of July to early September, for two weeks at Easter and for two weeks over Christmas and New Year.