Getting Around, Faro Travel, Transport and Car Rental

(Faro, Algarve, Portugal)

The harbour in Faro offers a limited choice of ferry transport, with ferries providing an easy way to travel the Ilha da Barreta beaches and other parts of the Algarve, departing from the Porta Nova pier. For journeys both in and around Faro, public transport comes in the form of buses and is the cheapest way to travel to most destinations.

Those wishing to travel between Faro and Lisbon should consider using the railway, with high-speed trains providing a pleasant and scenic transport option. Many tourists favour car hire in Faro, due to the freedom that it provides, suiting those wishing to familiarise themselves with other parts of Portugal and the Algarve. Visitors looking for public transportation should head to the Avenida da Republica, where both the bus terminal and train station await.

Faro Airport (FAO) / Arriving by Air

Address: 8001-701 Faro, Portugal, PT
Tel: +351 0289 800 800
Known in Portugal as the Aeroporto Internacional de Faro, the city's Faro Airport is to be found just over 7 km / 4 miles to the west and is always heavily used by holiday makers flying into the Algarve. Almost six million passengers are now using this airport each year, with around 50 different airlines currently operating here, connecting much of Europe, including Amsterdam, Bristol, Dublin, Edinburgh, London, Manchester, Paris, Oslo, Stockholm and Zurich, amongst other destinations. Local buses (numbers 14 and 16) are on hand to transport arriving passengers into Faro, as well as a fleet of awaiting taxis.

Faro Airport (FAO) Guide

Car Rental

A selection of car hire outlets have offices within the Faro Airport complex and these include some familiar international brands, as well as local companies, such as FaroCar. The roads around the city are often rather busy, although if you are intending to use your wheels to travel around the surrounding Algarve, then car rental makes a lot of sense. Many of the outlying roads do not require a toll, unlike other areas of Portugal.

Book your Faro Car Rental here.

Buses and Coaches

The bus terminal in the city is located along the Avenida da Republica and stands just a short stroll back from the harbourfront, with further buses departing close by, at the Jardim Manual Bivar. Inside is a useful transport office, where you can discuss your travel requirements with English-speaking staff. Daily buses travel from Faro to both Lisbon and Porto, as well as a number of Spanish cities across the border, such as Madrid and Seville.

Trains

The city's railway station stands on the northern side of the Avenida da Republica and across from the Largo Estacao. Regular high-speed rail transport connects Lisbon, with this particular train being known as the 'Alpha Pendular' and featuring a total journey time of around two and a half hours. InterCity trains also travel between Faro and Lisbon, although they are a little slower, taking up to four hours and stopping at various further destinations along the way. Regional trains are available should you wish to travel along the Algarve coastline towards Lagos.