Introduction
So, how to get to your destination from Faro Airport?
Well, it’s quick and easy (on most occasions!).
But first, you need to fly into Faro.
By plane
First off, how to get to the Algarve:
You can drive, sail, or come by train, but the preferred option is by plane. We tend to use Easyjet – it’s always been a good experience – but Ryanair also offers regular flights.
Once at Faro airport, you will need to get to your destination.
If you’re on the coast, options include bus, train, taxi, private hire, and hire car – and your own car if you have one in Portugal – but if you’re not on the coast, then there is no train option.
Address: Faro Airport, 8001-701 Faro, PORTUGAL
Phone: +351 289 800 800, Email: faro.airport@ana.pt
Lost and Found Office, Phone: +351 289-800-688
By car
If you have your own car, then parking at the airport is fairly straight forward and not that expensive – certainly compared with parking in other airports throughout Europe.
There is also the option of Park and Ride.
Of course, there are a number of hire car operatives at the airport as well.
When hiring a car, it’s best to book early, especially if you want a car during high season. Car hire can get very expensive and at times, there are actually no cars available, so think ahead.
Once you have your car, simply drive out of the airport, straight on to the EN125, and follow it through to Olhao (15-20 mins), Fuseta (30 mins), Tavira (45 mins), Cabanas, Cacela and Vila Real de Santo Antonio (75 mins). It’s all very straight forward.
Most towns have ample parking, but just be aware that in high season, you may struggle to find a space.
Personally, if I’m not hiring a car (and I don’t tend to nowadays), then taxi it is, since I only go to Olhao or Fuseta.
But there are other options, especially if going further, when the cost of a taxi can be prohibitive.
By Taxi or Transfer
As an example, if you want to travel to Olhao by Taxi, it will cost you approximately €20-25 from the airport, €35 to Fuseta, and so on. Note that taxis only take cash.
You can either wait in the queue outside the arrivals terminal or pre-book and have someone waiting for you once you’ve landed.
My favourite taxi driver is Francisco Paixao (feel free to email me for details). His English is reasonable, but if I know in advance when I need picking up, I tend to email him for clarity.
Most towns have a taxi rank (although Fuseta doesn’t). In Olhao, it’s on the Avenida da Republica. In Tavira, you’ll find taxis up by the main train station, or on Rua Dr Marcelino Franco.
Calling a taxi shouldn’t be a problem either. If you don’t have a number, you can simply ask at a restaurant or a bar – although I would recommend buying something first. It doesn’t cost much to buy a bottle of beer, and restaurant and bar owners are simply trying to make a living.
Door-to-Door transfers are also available, using companies such as Yellow Fish.
The benefit of a door-to-door transfer is that you can pay in advance by credit card, but personally I prefer to give the business to local taxi drivers, whose rates are not that much different.
By Bus
As with taxis, buses only accept cash (unless paying at the bus terminal), and preferably in small denominations. A large note doesn’t go down well.
If you want to catch a bus from the airport, there is a regular service to Faro bus station – which is where you will need to go if you want to get a connecting bus service to anywhere else in the Eastern Algarve.
It’s the No 16 bus you want. Make sure that you get on the one going to Faro and not the Praia da Faro.
However, you may have to wait up to an hour for the No 16, so it’s not perfect.
(If you are catching the bus the other way, from Faro bus terminal to the airport, this is the same bus as goes to Praia da Faro – the main beach in Faro. In high season this can mean that the bus may be full and you may not be able to get on).
As an example, to catch a bus to Fuseta will possibly mean three buses!
The first option is to catch a bus to Faro, and then a bus to Fuseta.
The only issue here is that there is no bus to Fuseta from Faro. The bus you need to take goes to Alfandanga, on the EN125, leaving you with a 20 or 30-minute walk along a road with no pavements down to Fuseta – not ideal.
The other option is to get off in Olhao, and catch the Moncarapacho bus – which DOES stop in Fuseta – but that means catching three buses. Not ideal either.
So do you really want to spend your first few hours in Portugal jumping on and off buses? I don’t.
Trains do offer another option.
By Train
Trains offer another option, but you will still need to get from the airport to Faro – by either bus or Taxi – since Faro station is the nearest train station.
The taxi costs €10-12 and the bus €2.35 per person.
As with taxis and buses, trains only accept cash (unless paying at the ticket office at the station), and again, preferably in small denominations. A large note doesn’t go down well here either.
The train station is only a couple of minutes walk from the bus station in Faro, but again, you may need to wait a while for a connection, and as mentioned above, the train line only runs along the coast.
If you are heading inland, you’ll find that there is no train option.
Train times can be found here.
Personal preference
So from a personal point of view, I fly into Faro airport, having told Francisco what time I’m due to land, meet up with him and find myself in Olhao 15 minutes later. Like I said, quick and easy, if slightly more expensive.