So you are planning a trip to Portugal and would like to visit the famous Algarve region after spending some time in the amazing capital – Lisbon. You need to figure out how to get from Lisbon to Faro but don’t know where to look? Don’t worry! We’ve gathered all the information you might need on traveling from Lisbon to Faro (or Faro to Lisbon). Read on to learn all about getting from Lisbon to Algarve!
1. Lisbon to Faro by train
Time – a bit over 3 hours
Cost – Tickets start at €11
Ease – 5
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 4
Taking the train from Lisbon to Faro is an easy way to travel between these two cities. Currently, there are only five connections per day, operated by the Comboios de Portugal, CP in short – the national railway carrier.
The journey time is between 3 and 3,5 hours, depending on the connection you take. You can choose from Alfa Pendular – the high-speed Pendolino train and Intercity – the regular fast train that stops more often. Tickets start at €11 if you buy in advance but if you pay the regular price there is only €1 difference between Alfa Pendular and Intercity so it’s worth considering paying a bit extra for a quicker journey.
You can get the tickets at the official website of CP. No matter which train you chose you can be sure of some amazing views of the Portugal countryside along the way.
In Lisbon, trains depart from the Oriente station, located near the Oceanarium, on the red metro line. Be sure to be here well before your train departs – the train station’s architecture is a real masterpiece that you definitely would like to see before you leave Lisbon.
In Faro, the train station is located a short walk away from the center and all the attractions.
2. Lisbon to Faro by bus
Time – less than 4 hours
Cost – around €20
Ease – 5
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 3
You can also travel from Lisbon to Faro by bus. The connections are more frequent than by train, 18 per day, the tickets should cost around €20 one way and the journey time is between 3h 15 minutes and 4 hours.
The main company serving this route is Rede Expressos – the main operator of long-distance buses in Portugal. You can purchase the tickets on their website.
In Lisbon, buses depart from two locations: Oriente bus station (attached to the train station with the same name) and Sete Rios bus station, located next to the Jardim Zoologico metro station (on the blue metro line).
The bus station in Faro is located close to the train station, on the outskirts of the Old Town, within a walking distance to all the main sights.
3. Lisbon to Faro by plane
Time – around 4 hours, including getting to and from the airport
Cost – Tickets start at €70 one-way
Ease – 4
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 2
TAP Portugal, the national airline, offers three flights per day between Lisbon and Faro: in the late morning, early afternoon and in the evening. The flying time is only 45 minutes and tickets start at €70/one way.
This is a good option especially to those who don’t like spending too much time sitting on the train or bus. However, with getting to and from the airport and all the airport procedures the time of travel from Lisbon to Faro might not be too attractive.
The best way to get to Lisbon airport is by the metro – the airport is the last stop on the red metro line. One way ticket costs €1,40 only, the trip from the center to the airport shouldn’t take more than half an hour.
In Faro, you can reach the center by bus no 16. The ticket costs €2,35, the bus departs every 30-50 minutes and the trip to central Faro takes around 15 minutes.
4. Lisbon to Faro by car
Time – at least 3 hours
Cost – at least €70/day
Ease – 5
Fun – 4
Sightseeing – 5
The distance from Lisbon to Faro is just under 300 kilometers and you can drive it in around 3 hours. But you can also stop along the way and see some lovely places in the Alentejo region, spreading in the area between Lisbon and Faro. This is one of the most underrated areas of Portugal that offers lots of attractions: charming little towns, delicious cuisine, vast spaces, and wild beaches.
On the way don’t miss places like Evora, Sesimbra, Mosaraz or Elvas. You might need to do a small detour to some of them but it’s definitely worth the hassle. Alentejo is also known for numerous castles in the area so don’t miss some of them when you go from Lisbon to Faro. You can do the trip in just one day but you can spend more time discovering this unknown part of Portugal and enjoy the off the path experience.
The price for renting a car starts at €10/day but remember about the extra payment for returning the car in another location, and this can be as high as €110. When looking for a car consider also airports as those usually have a better selection of vehicles.
5. Lisbon to Faro by private transfer
Time – at least 3 hours
Cost – prices startat €225 for a car
Ease – 5
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 5
If you would like to travel in comfort from Lisbon to Porto but don’t want to drive yourself you should consider using the private transfer from Lisbon to Faro. The price for a car up to three people is €225 for a door to door transfer. You can add additional stops along the way, to see more of Portugal.
We recommend visiting Sesimbra – a beautiful fishing village, known for the seafood, Palmela – the charming town with award-winning wine or Evora – a town full of monuments, part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.
6. Lisbon to Faro by hitchhiking
Time – depends on your luck
Cost – free
Ease – 2
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 4
Hitchhiking from Lisbon to Faro is possible but it requires a bit or organization. The easiest place to get to for the start of your journey is Fogueteiro station, reachable by the Feragus suburban train from Lisbon (they depart from Roma-Areeiro, Entrecampos, Sete Rios and Campolide station).
The A2 motorway is next to the train station, you need to get to the ramp entering the motorway and hitchhike there. If you are lucky you can find the lift all the way to Algarve.
In Faro, you need to first get to the petrol station next to the Jumbo Shopping Mall. From there you should easily find a rind to the motorway and national road that lead to Lisbon, however, you might need to change the car along the way.
7. Lisbon to Faro by bike
Time – at least 4-5 days
Cost – free
Ease – 3
Fun – 4
Sightseeing – 5
Riding a bike from Lisbon to Faro should be a fairly easy and enjoyable experience. This part of Portugal is rather flat (the highest point you will reach is under 300 meters above the sea level) so you don’t need to be in very good shape.
The whole journey should take you at least 4-5 days but you should take it easy and enjoy the beautiful Portuguese countryside on the way.
8. Walking from Lisbon to Faro
Time – at least 10 days
Cost – free
Ease – 2
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 4
If you have a lot of time, enjoy slow travel and would like to get to know the rural life in Portugal consider walking from Lisbon to Faro. It is a long journey, around 270 kilometers, but you will be able to see some underrated places that not many tourists get to and you will peek into the everyday life of the Portuguese province. That would definitely be one of a kind experience!
Have a great trip from Lisbon to Faro!
Images used under license from Shutterstock.com
Excellent info .. Very concise
Thank you!