bus to albufeira

Travelling from Lisbon to Albufeira you want to get of at the Albufeira Bus Station. (NOT Vale Paraiso if travelling with RENEX)

There are not always taxis available but my colleague in Albufeira,(Cubsur)(www.algarvebus.info), says

"In fact often as not there are none waiting at all. If there isn't one, call 289 583 230 and they will send one. I am not sure about 4am for example as I have never had reason to call a cab at 4am."

Travel to Boom Festival

There is no train from Madrid to Castelo Branco.

There is a train from Madrid to Badajoz but you would have difficulty getting from Badajoz to Idanha-a-novo.

The festival organisers do offer buses from Madrid and Lisbon Airports.

See: http://bit.ly/cHU6d7

Also see my recent comments here: http://bit.ly/ayPd2E

Getting to Castelo Branco from Faro would not be impossible.

You would need to get a bus or cab into Faro Bus Station. Then a Rede Expressos bus, some of which would require a bus change at the Sete Rios Bus Station in Lisbon. Transit time would be between 7 and 8 hours.

I have published and extract from the relevant timetable here:

http://scr.bi/9KUDnL

Algarve to Barcelona

I would also suggest looking into:

Bus/Air:

Bus to Seville Estacion das Armas, C4 local bus to Prado Bus Station, Bus to Seville Airport and then Vueling.com to Barcelona.

I routed some people this way earlier this year during the ash crisis.
Bus/Air

Renex bus to Lisbon Gare Oriente, Bus or Taxi 5/10 minutes to Lisbon Airport, Vueling.com to Barcelona.

Renex timetable in pdf format: http://bit.ly/bfjtbB

Porto to Vidago

Vidago is approximately 140km from Porto. There is no direct bus service from Porto Airport to Vidago that I am aware off.

I have made a quick simulation using the Portuguese national taxi assoication simulator. A base price for a direct taxi trip would be about +-€ 160.00. This may increase depending on time of week number of bags. Most taxis carry 4 pax and a limited number of bags. If you have a lot you may need a bigger vehicle.

You can see this here: http://scr.bi/9eM3Br

A local airport transfer service quotes in the region of € 174.00.

See http://www.low-cost-transfers.com/porto-airport/.

National long distance bus company Rede-Expressos operates two services a day from Porto Central to Vidalgo with a change at Vila Real. You would need to get a taxi from the airport to the Rede-Expressos Porto Depot.

See this document I have posted for timetable and prices.: http://scr.bi/9jXZhg

Prices are € 11.00 per adult. Bear in mind there are only two buses per day and they are each of +3hrs duration with change of bus in Vila Real..

The Rede Expresso depot in Porto is:

ROD. BEIRA LITORAL-GARAGEM ATLANTICO
RUA ALEXANDRE HERCULANO Nº366
4000 PORTO
Tel.: 222006954

See this article on my blog for map to bus station.

http://bit.ly/aJawrR

If the bus trip is not to your liking it might be as well to consider car hire. The north of Portugal is lovely - I've just been up there. You do need a car to explore.

Companies like http://www.autocarhire.net are offering 5 door economy cars for +-€ 260.00 per week at present from their Porto Base.

travel - Faro - Marbella

There is no direct bus between Faro and Marbella.

You can get a DAMAS/EVA bus from Faro Bus Station at 08:20 arriving Seville Plaza das Armas at 13:00hrs.


Get the C4 bus from Estacion Plaza das Armas to El Prado Bus Station which runs from just after 6 in the morning till 23:30.

There is a bus leaving Seville Prado Bus Station at 16:30 for Marbella.

See Page 5 on the following timetable:

http://bit.ly/advMn3

Seville to Lagos

The only recommendation I can make for travelling from Seville to Lagos by DAMAS/EVA bus or hire car.

There is one hire car firm in Spain that does reasonable pick-up in Spain and drop-off at Faro Airport, in the Algarve. However, in mid-July it is unlikely that they will have any vehicle available for this service.

See: http://www.iberiacarhire.com/

The current timetable for the Seville/Lagos Damas/Eva Bus can be found here:

http://bit.ly/9ITrFs

Note that it is possible timetables may change and frequencies increase on 1st July 2010. You should check back nearer the time of travel.

Buses leave from Seville Plaza das Armas Bus Station.

Porto - Portugal - Metro from Airport to Campanha

See the Porto Metro Website: http://www.metrodoporto.pt/en/.

You will need line E which runs straight from the Aeroport to Campanha.

Trains appear to run every 20 minutes around 10.00 on a Sunday.

Timetable for whole system in pdf format can be found here:

http://bit.ly/amyX7z
(You need page 25)

System Map in pdf format here:

http://bit.ly/d5Osz4

How can i get from Lagos to Malaga ???

Lagos - Malaga.
To do this trip in one day, get the EVA/DAMAS bus that leaves Lagos at 06:30 and arrives in Seville Estacion das Armas at 13:00 (Spanish Time)

Get the C4 bus from Estacion Plaza das Armas to El Prado Bus Station which runs from just after 6 in the morning till 23:30.

You will then need to get the alsa.es 15:00 departure from Prado which arrives in Malaga at 17:45.

At present. the afternoon bus does not connect with ongoing alsa buses to Malaga.

Driving from Madrid to Lagos?

Just back in Lagos from the North of Spain. Salamanca area.)
I drove Madrid to Lagos last May 2009.
There are two routes.
1) Madrid - Cordoba - Seville
2) Madrid - Merida - Seville - Lagos.
On Saturday, I ran Salamanca to Lagos on the A66 Ruta da Prata in 8 hours with stops, cruising at the speed limit. Merida to Lagos took me about 4,5 hours. The A5 from Madrid to Merida took about 4 hours last year.
There are no tolls on the Spanish side once you leave Madrid.
Route 2, although a bit longer offers much better road quality, (Motorway throughout and does not require transiting Seville which can be a pain owing too traffic.)
Do not forget to fuel up either at the Cartaya or Ayamonte Service Areas before you leave Spain as fuel is up to 20c/l cheaper in Spain that in Portugal

Stop Press: José Saramago - Portuguese Nobel Prize Winner Dead

Stop Press: José Saramago - Portuguese Nobel Prize Winner Dead

See: http://bit.ly/cEQHv0

Guimarães

I am currently in Guimarães having driven up from the Algarve via Covilha. Tomorrow heading into Galicia. Just been over to Braga and while impressive, I prefer Guimarães more as the old town area is more compact and beautifully clean.

Staying at the IBIS whici is very good value at present and in easy walking distance of town, bus staiton and a well equipped Shopping Centre.

Lagos to Tavira

Not sure what you want to know.

It's an easy 75 minute trip from Lagos to Tavira along the excellent A22 Via de Infante motorway.

Train travel

Ferragudo is 70kms from Faro... a bit far to go to get a train.

What you should do is catch the train from Portimão, a city the same size as Faro, and on the other side of the River Arade from Ferragudo.(3km)

You get a train from Portimão to Tunes Junction and connect there with the intercity alfapendular train from Faro to Porto via Lisbon.

If you go to my blog at:
http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/

Scroll down on the right hand panel until you come to the section entitled:

»» Algarve & Portugal - Travel Transport Links

You will find links to the Portuguese Railways Porto/Lisbon/Faro and Algarve Lines Train Timetables.

Given the time of year, I would recommend that you book your train tickets at Portimão Station at least 24 hours before.

Is there a direct train from Obidos to Sintra in Portugal?

There is no direct train nor bus between Obidos to Sintra

I emailed the Tourism Office in Obidos this afternoon and got this reply:
"mas não há nenhum autocarro de Óbidos com
destino a Sintra, sendo que terá sempre que passar por Lisboa"

Translation: "..but there is no bus service from Óbidos with a destination of Sintra, therefore one must always route via Lisbon"

So, incredible as it may seem, no direct public transport service between the two.

Lagos - Avenida closed for Road Works

"The Avenida" in Lagos, (i.e. Avenida dos Descobrimentos) will be closed between 14 to 28 July 2010 for works associated with the completion of the new down town car park.

See: http://bit.ly/a1FbS7

Meia Praia, Lagos, Algarve, Portugal - Bus Services

This thread is about Meia Praia, the suburb across the bay from Lagos, a town in the Western Algarve Region of Portugal.

I live in Meia Praia.

There is an excellent bus service operated by the local bus company Onda:

See these articles on my blog: http://bit.ly/dpo9IJ

There is no service after 20:00hrs except in July and August.

A hire car is advisable after this time. Alternatively, take a bus in before 20:00 and then cab back.

Also see: http://www.aonda.pt/

Algarve - Nearest IKEA Stores - 2010

It is understood that an IKEA store may be built between Faro and Loulé in the next couple of year's.

In the meantime, your nearest Ikeas are:

Castilleja de la Cuesta (2 km south of Sevilla on the Huelva to Sevilla road) - Autovía Sevilla-Huelva A49 (About 1hr. 45min from Albufeira)

See: http://bit.ly/9Qc3E0

Alfragide - Lisbon

See: http://bit.ly/bN2Rd5

France to the Algarve by train

There is one scheduled daily train service that runs from Paris Montparnasse to Lisbon.

This is the Sud-Expresso.

In reality, it is two trains:

TGV - Paris to Irun
Normal Overnight Trains - Irun to Lisbon Oriente.

Timetable here: http://bit.ly/duWas1

Lisbon Oriente to the Algarve

Although the North-Bound TGV stops in Poitier and Angouelme, southbound it does not.

Therefore, by train it does mean going up to Paris and then down again.

See also this articel on my blog: http://bit.ly/bogRy6

It's a real pain. We have a friend who stays near CarHire-Plougaix and we have looked at alternative means of travelling from the Algarve to Brittany to see her. In then end, its worked out cheaper to drive even though its a round trip of over 3000kms.

BTW ryanair.com and easyjet.com have recently started operating flights from the Paris region to Faro. In winter, only ryanair.com will operate twice weekly from Paris Beauvais to Faro.

Lisbon - Toulouse - Easyjet.

Great news for those wanting to travel between Portugal and the South of France.

Easyjet are to launch a route four times a week between Lisbon and Toulouse from 10th September 2010.

Thanks to Sergio Bastos at Low Cost Portugal for the info.

See: http://bit.ly/9iPIWh

Surfing in Portugal

Lagos would be a good place to start although in summer not sure what the waves are like.

See for exmple: http://www.surf-experience.com/

Also search the web for Ericeira between Lisbon and Porto. It is also a big surf place.

Lagos from Faro - Public Transport

There is no direct public transport from Faro Airport to Lagos.

One must take a local urban bus from the Airport to Faro Bus / Train Station and then a train or bus from Faro to Lagos.

Urban Buses 14 and 16 operate from Faro Airport to the Bus / Train Station.

See: http://bit.ly/9qRhOD and http://bit.ly/cgf4Qb for timetables.

From Faro Bus Station to Lagos see:

Buses: http://bit.ly/d9nvU3

Rail: http://bit.ly/9IokYD (pdf file)

Also see: Cubsur's excellent site at:

www.algarvebus.info

Eating Out in Praia da Luz

The problem in Praia da Luz in my experience is that the restaurants there are geared, naturally, to the tourist trade and prices reflect this accordingly. In fact, there are few traditionial typical "cheap and cheerful" Portuguese restaurants in Luz.

There is at least one chinese in Praia da Luz.

If you have a car, I can suggest a couple of places in Lagos, (5km away):
Restaurante-Cafe Ate Qu´Enfim, Behind Intermarche in the Upper Town.

As you enter Lagos from Luz, go through the first roundabout, (A22 motorway access), then turn right at the next. Take the second turning on your left and after about 500m on the right you will see the restaurant.

Another great place in Lagos, especially if you have kids, is Pizzolino's.

See: http://bit.ly/ddcoJk

There is also a restaurant halfway betwen PDL and Burgau on thr right called O Malhão. I understand it is quite good but have not checked the prices recently.

See: http://bit.ly/cVvuxC

Transfers to Lagos from Faro

Taxi Cost depends on time of day/night/weekend/bags.

Estimate between € 85.00 and £ 115.00 each way.

Its often more economic to take a hire car if here for up to 2 weeks if a family of four.

Search this forum for recommendations on airport transfers.

Two companies to look at include:

Low-Cost transfers - http://bit.ly/9UdwBj

and

Algarve365.com - http://www.algarve-365.com/