Train between Evora and Merida

There is no train service between Evora in Portugal and Merida in Spain.

However, there is a bus service operated by www.alsa.es that serves this route.

Current Timetable as follows. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Albufeira - Winter

Like any resort of the Mediterranean type, most businesses in the Algarve operate reduced services in Winter.

Have a look at this link:

http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/index.php?destination=albufeira

You will see that in December, average temperatures range between 9ºC and 16ºC. Weather can be clear but parky. The Algarve coast faces the Atlantic not the Med and so is open to Atlantic vagaries.

Flying into Lisbon will require a taxi to Gare Oriente train/coach station (ten minutes ride) and then either a train to Albufeira Station (actually 8kms from Albufeira) or a Renex Coach to Albufeira center.
You should allow at least five hours for this transit.

For links for timetables Have a look at the section entitled "Algarve & Portugal - Travel Transport Links" in right hand panel of my blog at

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/

(Note winter timetables for trains and buses are not out till the end of September.)

As regards flights into Faro being expensive, it is likely that all flights to most European destinations will see price increases this winter as we see both Ryanair and Air Berlin announcing they are parking up planes over the season. Expect similar announcements shortly from Easyjet and others following the recent oil prices rises.

Lisbon - Madeira - Easyjet

According to this article in Portguese, we now have confirmation of Easyjet's new twice daily Lisbon - Funchal return service.

http://www.lowcostportugal.net/aeroportos/lisboa-funchal-em-easyjetcom/2008/07/

Apparently, tickets are not yet on sale.

Caldas da Rainha to Faro by Train

Portuguese Railways has a good site in english complete with timetables here:

http://www.cp.pt/cp/displayPage.do?vgnextoid=87cbd5abe2a74010VgnVCM1000007b01a8c0RCRD&lang=en

If you go my blog here

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/caldas-da-rainha-to-faro-by-train.html

I have posted below a selection of four through routes from Caldas to Faro. (Click on image to enlarge)




Kindly note that there are no through services from Caldas da Rainha to Faro and it may require at least 1 and possibly two changes en route.

The timetables I have posted do not refer to the high-speed Alfa-Pendular trains that run from Lisbon Entrecampos to Faro. This is because they are not shown as relevant on the Portuguese Railway timetable. I suspect through booking from Caldas via Cacem and Entrecampos is not available.

Peniche/Lourinha to Povoa da Varzim

There is no easy combination by train/bus between the above centres.

If you go to my blog at:

I have posted extracts from the timetable of rede-expressos, a national bus company..

This company offers a through booking service from both Lourinha and Peniche to Povoa da Varzim, daily except Sundays and Public Holidays, although you will have to route via Lisbon and Porto.

Click on the Image to enlarge:



It appears reasonably cheap and at least you don't have to worry about changing between rail and bus stations.

Bus Company site:

http://www.rede-expressos.pt/0010.asp

Portuguese Railways English Website

If you go to the www.cp.pt website you will find in the top right hand corner a small icon made from the UK flag.

Click on it and it will take you to the English language site.

If this does not work you will have to go to Albufeira Station, which is at Ferreiras, 8km from Albufeira and book the day before.

To get from Entrecampos to the Hotel, you can either take the Metro in the direction of Odivelas (Linha Amarela) and descend at Campo Grande and walk to the SAS Radisson (3 minutes) or (probably better) grab a cab if you don't have to many bags. Cabs are not that expensive in Lisbon.

Lisbon to Viana do Alentejo via Evora

There are two means by which you can get from Lisbon to Evora:

1) Train (as already mentioned)

Departs: Lisbon Gare Oriente: 08:10
Departs: Lisbon Entrecampos: 08:21
Arr: Evora 10:07

Departs: Lisbon Gare Oriente: 14:10
Departs: Lisbon Entrecampos: 14:21
Arr: Evora 16:05

Departs: Lisbon Gare Oriente: 18:10
Departs: Lisbon Entrecampos: 18:21
Arr: Evora 20:14

These refer to the summer 2008 timetables.

Tickets can be booked online (sometimes) at www.cp.pt.

The only problem with the train is that you will then have to find your way from Evora Station to Evora Bus Station which is a bit of a hoof.

2) Bus

Rede Expressos - http://www.rede-expressos.pt/0010.asp - operate regularly between Lisbon Sete Rios Bus Station and Evora.

There are departures regularly throughout the day every 60 to 90 minutes between 07:00 and 22:00. Transit time is about 105 minutes.

You cannot book these online.

Evora to Viana de Alentejo

According to the local Council, buses only run on this route Mondays to Fridays.

See:
http://www.cm-vianadoalentejo.pt/pt/conteudos/informacoes+uteis/transportes/

Operated by Rodoviária do Alentejo - Line 8146

Departures from Évora: 07h15 - 17h30 - 19h15
Departures from Viana: 06h49 - 08h10 - 19h55

Services depart from Evora Bus Station

Marvão to Caceres

Since the rerouting of the Lusitania comboio Hotel Lisbon to Madrid service, there have been questions about how to get from Marvão in the Alentejo to Caceres in Spain.

I have made contact with the tourist posts in each centre and can confirm as follows:

1) There is currently no bus/train link between Marvão and Spain.

2) From Marvão one can get a taxi to Valencia de Alcántara, 24km away in Spain.

2) From Valencia de Alcántara there are buses to Caceres as follows:

Monday to Friday - Dept: 7:30H, 10:00h and 15:30

Sat. 7:30H

Sun. 17:15h

Details correct at time of writing.

Obidos to Nazare - public transport

Public transport between Obidos and Nazare is difficult particularly on weekends when there are no buses between Obidos and Caldas da Rainha.

Trains are a difficult option as Obidos/Nazare stations are not well located close the centres.

On weekdays there is a Rodatejo bus service between Obidos and Caldas da Rainha as follows:

Obidos Caldas da Rainha
08:02 08:12 Weekdays Only
11:20 11:30 Weekdays Only
12:42 12:58 Weekdays Only
16:45 17:01 School Term Only

There are then frequent buses between Caldas and Nazare.

I have published a copy of this reply and the timetable on my blog here.

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/obidos-to-nazare-public-transport.html

Lisbon - Tavira

You can hire a car at Lisbon Airport and drop off in Tavira.

Suggest you look at Auto Jardim - see

http://www.carhireyes.com/autojardim/

If you are from across the Pond, I suggest that you specify if you require automatic shift as most cars in Europe are manual shift.

There is public transport available from Lisbon to Tavira.

You would have to take a taxi from the Airport to Gare Oriente Rail/Bus Station from where you could get bus or train.

For timetables, go to my blog at

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/

Scroll down on the right hand side panel till you come to:

»» Algarve & Portugal - Travel Transport Links

»» Continue scrolling down in this section till you come

Portuguese Railways - 2008 - Lisbon - Algarve Faro/Lagos Timetable

or

RENEX Bus Service - Lisbon to Algarve timetable

An alternative bus service also exists from Lisbon Sete Rios Bus Station operated by Rede-Expressos.

There is a link on my blog as well but be warned the site is only on Portuguese.