Portimão - Useful Information!
Portimão Travel
- Distance from Faro: 63 km
- Travel from Faro by Train: 4,85€ (regional train)
- Travel from Faro by Bus: 5,75€.
- Travel from Faro by Taxi: 67€ for a 4 seater Mon-Fri 6am-9pm (84€ outside this time and bank holidays); 86€ or 104€ for a 6 seater depending on time.
To get to Faro train or bus station (which are close to each other just before Faro marina) either get the bus from the airport (the stop is right outside the 'arrivals' doors) and will cost you around 1.50€, or get a taxi at a cost of around 10€. To check train timetables visit the C.P website www.cp.pt. (the site is available in English) and select 'Regional and Inter Regional services' to get the timetable for Lagos/Vila Real de Santo António/Lagos.
For bus timetables visit www.eva-bus.com. Again most of it is available in English except the 'frequency' on the tables. (Days of the week: Monday is the 2nd day of the week - '2as'-and Friday is the 6th day. 'Sábado' and 'Domingo' - Saturday and Sunday; 'Feriados' is holidays; 'Diariamente' is daily,). Bus times from the 'aeroporto' to Faro are also listed .
For additional bus timetables visit www.frotazul-algarve.pt which covers a limited area of the Algarve.
**We quote Comboios de Portugal (regional) and Eva Transports pricing and prices of the standard taxi firms that work at Faro Airport. Please note that prices may vary.
Portimão Buses
Portimão has a network of local buses that make it very easy to get around very cheaply..always a benefit! The network, currently consisting of 14 routes (linhas) is called 'Vai e Vem' and the cost per journey is between 1,30€ and 1,70€ depending on the route, alternatively you can buy a daily ticket for 4,50€ or 5,00€ All the buses on the Vai e Vem network have ramps and areas for people with reduced mobility. The main routes for visitors to the area will be:
Linha 2 (Verde) - includes the Town centre, Praia do Vau, Clube Praia da Rocha and the Marina - every 20 minutes weekdays and 40 minutes at weekends.
Linha 5 (Violeta) - Town centre (Largo do Dique), railway station, Alameda, market, Town centre - every 10 minutes weekdays and 20 minutes at weekends.
Linha 6 (Rosa) - Town centre (Largo do Dique) direct to Praia da Rocha - every 15 minutes weekdays and 30 minutes at weekends.
Linha 8 (Castanha) - Portimão hospital, Portimão retail park, Penina, Montes de Alvor, Alvor campsite, Alvor town, Sports complex, Praia de Alvor - every 30 minutes weekdays and every 60 minutes at weekends.
Linha 9 (Encarnada) - Alameda, market, Vila Paraiso, Quinta das Oliveiras, Bemposta, Montes de Alvor - every 30 minutes weekdays and 60 minutes at weekends.
Linha 10 (Cinzenta) - Town centre (Largo do Dique), Trés Bicos, Bemposta, 4 Estradas, Hospital Particular, Alvor roundabout (it doesn't go around Alvor) - every 20 minutes weekdays and 30 minutes at weekends. (May to September every 20 minutes every day).
Linha 11 (Roxa) - Alameda, Continente supermarket, Aldi / Lidl supermarkets, Alto Pacheco, around Praia do Vau, Hotel Presidente, Hotel Luar, Jardins da Rocha, Miradoura, Clube Praia da Rocha, Hotel Jupiter, Hotel Oriental, Fortaleza, Marina - every 30 minutes weekdays and 60 minutes at weekends.
Linha 13 (Lima) - Largo do Dique, Retail Park, Penina Hotel, Figueira, Mexilhoeira, Vale do Ferro, Vale da Fonte, Vale de Corvos, Autodrome roundabout, Montes de Cima, Moinho da Rocha, Alcalar/Poio, Monte Ribeiro, Portimao Stadium, Largo do Dique - every 3 hours weekdays and 4 hourly on Saturdays and 6 hourly on Sundays.
Linha Luar (nightime line from 5th July to 15th September) - Alvor Sports Complex, Dunas de Alvor, Hotel D.Joao ll, Torralta, Prainha, Facho, Praia do Vau, Hotel Presidente, Tres Castelos, Hotel Luar, Jardins da Rocha, Miradoura, Belo Horizonte, Club Praia da Rocha, Marina - every 20 minutes from 20.00 to 24.00 every day.
Weekend timings start at 2pm on Saturdays and also apply to public holidays. Most services run from 7am until 8pm with the following exceptions:
Linha 10 - 07.00 to 22.00
Linha 11 - October to April 07.00 to 22.00; May to September - 07.00 to 02.00
More information about timetables and tickets is available at Frota Azul in Largo do Dique, Portimão.