Aeroshuttle Lisbon Airport Campo Grande

I have just checked the Carris (Lisbon Bus Company) website:

The Aeroshuttle a/k/a Route No. 96 does not serve Campo Grande according to the route map. From memory when I used it last November it did not route via Campo Grande. The Aerobus a/k/a Route No. 91 also does not stop at Campo Grande.

However, the route map does not show it stopping at the Sete Rios Bus Station which it does because I was there a few weeks ago and saw with my own eyes the new stop that has been put there.

I have checked the Carris Site and there appears to be no other service leaving from the Airport forecourt that serves Campo Grande.

Google StreetView now active for Lisbon and Porto

The availability of Google Streetview in Lisbon and Porto as from today was announced in the following article: (in Portuguese)

http://economico.sapo.pt/noticias/ruas-de-lisboa-e-porto-vistas-ao-pormenor-no-google-maps_67728.html

I have run a test on Google Maps with simple queries such as "Rossio" and "Marques de Pombal" it appears to be working.

Faro to Lagos

It also depends where you are going to stay in Lagos.

Although we have a much improved local bus service, it does not operate at night after 31st August.

If you stay anywhere outside say a 1 km radius from the city centre, you may find doing shopping and going to restaurants at night a bit of a pain, especially as Lagos is quite hilly.

In October, car hire prices are likely to be down, and the price of hiring a small Group A car for your stay and petrol may offset the cost of a private transfer each way from Faro Airport and give you extra flexibility to do things such as visit the West Coast.

Porto Airport to Porto Campanha to Lisbon Entrecampos - Summer 2009 Timetable.

You need to get the Light Rail Metro from Porto Airport to Porto - Campanha Station via Line E.

See:

http://www.metrodoporto.pt/pagegen.asp?SYS_PAGE_ID=871913&id=154

and

http://www.metrodoporto.pt/document/827457/874411.pdf

You then have the choice of rail and two bus services to Lisbon. In my opinion rail is faster.

Rail:

You can find a link to the High Speed Porto to Lisbon rail timetable on my blog here:

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 to:

Porto - Lisbon - Porto Train Timetable

If you are travelling in high summer you should book in advance if possible but the Portuguese railway online booking system is not that great.

You can try it here at www.cp.pt.

The price at present for the service in question will be Euro 27.50 but this may go up soon.

I have also published here on my blog the current full Porto Campanha to Lisbon Entrecampos (Change at Gare Oriente:) here:

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/porto-campanha-to-lisbon-entrecampos.html

I do not recommend the bus as the bus stations are nor easily accessible with baggage and if you are in a hurry the train is best.

Porto Campanha to Lisbon Entrecampos - Summer 2009 Timetable.

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Portuguese Railways – Porto Campanha to Lisbon Entrecampos – Timetable – Summer 2009
Dept. Porto - Campanha	Arrive Lisboa - Entrecampos	Duration
1h23	6h17	4h54
5h47	8h50	3h03
6h47	9h39	2h52
6h52	10h09	3h17
7h45	11h13	3h28
8h52	12h09	3h17
9h47	12h39	2h52
10h52	14h09	3h17
11h47	14h39	2h52
12h52	16h09	3h17
13h47	16h39	2h52
14h52	18h09	3h17
15h47	18h50	3h03
16h47	19h39	2h52
16h52	20h09	3h17
17h45	21h12	3h27
18h47	21h39	2h52
19h52	23h09	3h17
20h47	23h39	2h52

Emirates - Delays Sydney/Auckland

My partner is en route from London to Auckland.

She took an Emirates flight (EK 0412) because it is supposed to be a reputable airline and because she was able to layover in Dubai for an extra £30.00 and so avoid doing the flight non-stop.

Prior to leaving Dubai, she was told that the onward flight from Sydney to Auckland, would be delayed 5 hours. When she arrived in Sydney, she was given a boarding pass for the flight, I presume a code-share. She boarded this flight, sat on board for two hours and then was told the flight hand been cancelled and had to disembark.

She is now onboard another flight and hopefully this is going to take-off

What is going on with Emirates and the Sydney-Auckland route?

Lisbon - Obidos

Travelling from Porto to Obidos is not recommended.

By train it takes 5 hours and 4 to 5 changes or trains.

There are no direct buses that I am aware off that run direct from Porto to Obidos.

I would strongly recommend therefore that you go direct from Porto to Lisbon and then make a day/afternoon excursions from Lisbon to Obidos.

I have uploaded an extract from the current timetable here:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/18635023/Lisboa-Obidos-Bus

and return:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/18635385/Obidos-Lisboa-Bus-Timetable

Note that Diariamente means "Daily". The rest are weekend and Bus Schedules.

Buses are operated by http://www.rodotejo.pt and leave from Campo Grande Bus/Metro Station.

Porto airport to Faro Airport/Alvor

Firstly, you do realise that Porto is in the North of Portugal and by road 556 km from Faro. By car its about about 5 hours and public transport between 6 and 10 hours travel.

There are no direct bus or rail services from Porto Airport to Faro Airport. You would need to get the Metro into Porto and from Faro probably take a taxi to the airport as the bus service between Faro town and the airport is infrequent.

As you are staying in Alvor, the coach operator Renex.pt serves the town centre from Lisbon.

The itinerary would be as follows and allowing enough time for you to get the Metro into Porto Centre:

Dep: Renex Depot - Porto 11.00
Arr: Renex Depot - Gare Oriente Lisbon: 14:30
Dept: Renex Depot - Gare Oriente Lisbon: 16:00
Arr: Alvor 19:05

Cost would be Euro 26.00 per person one way, based on current prices,

The are other permutations but the would not be much faster and probably a lot more complicated.

You can find direct links many rail and bus timetables here in Portugal route on my blog:

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com

Scroll down on the right and you will find at panel entitled:

»» Algarve & Portugal - Travel Transport Links

The Renex Depot in Porto is situated at:

Campo Mártires Pátria 37,
Porto.

You would have to get a Metro from the Airport to Porto São Bento and then walk/cab the 400 or so metres to the above address.

Note should arrive at the Bus Station at least 30 minutes before departure to buy your ticket. Tickets cannot be bought online.

Ryanair - New Flight - Faro - Leeds - Bradford

Ryanair have announced the launching of services from Leeds - Bradford to Faro as from Spring 2010.

More information here:

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/news.php?yr=09&month=aug&story=rte-en-110809

Ryanair - New Porto Base - New Flight - Porto - Faro

Ryanair have just announced that they are to launch the first direct Porto to Faro route 4 days a week as from 26th October 2009.

See:

http://www.ryanair.com/site/PT/news.php?yr=09&month=aug&story=rte-pt-050809

and

http://www.lowcostportugal.net/faro/ryanair-lanca-rota-domestica-porto-faro-e-duas-internacionais/2009/08/

Flights will operate Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

At present according to the Ryanair site, flights will operate as follows:

Porto: 12;00
Faro: 13:00

Faro: 13:25
Porto: 14:30

This flight will certainly change the dynamics of travelling within Portugal as for a long time the South of the country has been remote from the North. Flights operated by the national airline TAP/Air Portugal have meant plane changes in Lisbon and 5 to 6 hour flights.

The only negative aspect of this will be pressure on the existing long distance bus operators and Portuguese Railways who currently provide low cost services on the route.

It will also mean that travellers from the Algarve maybe be able to benefit from links to certain other destinations via Porto such as Las Palmas, Madrid, (albeit with a 6 hour wait.),Paris (Beauvais - 100km from Paris),

The airline has also announced the launch of routes from Porto to Karlsruhe and Dusseldorf (Weeze).

While I am not a great fan of Ryanair, these services provided they are maintained should revolutionise travel between the North and South of Portugal.