Faro to Albufeira: 5 EASIEST Options for 2025

It can be a bit complex to figure out how to get from Faro to Albufeira, especially if you are starting from the Faro airport.

Luckily, we checked out all the options during our trips to the Algarve.

There are multiple good public transportation options that will get you to Albufeira from Faro in under 90 minutes plus excellent private options that will cut down your travel time to 40 minutes!

We’ve mapped out all the options, timetables, costs, and logistics for getting between train/bus stations to make this journey as easy as possible. Let’s dive in!

Faro to Albufeira Distance 

Faro and Albufeira are two of our favorite towns situated in the Algarve region of southern Portugal.

The capital of the region, Faro, is located on the eastern side of the Algarve, closer to Spain. Faro is known for its fascinating Old Town and natural beauty.

On the other hand, Albufeira lies in the middle of Portugal’s southern coast. It’s renowned for its golden beaches, limestone cliffs, and fun atmosphere.

The distance between Faro and Albufeira is approximately 28 miles (48 kilometers). There are 5 main ways to travel from Faro to Albufeira:

Travel Method	Estimated Time	Estimated Cost
Bus	40-60 Minutes	10 – 15 €
Train	20-45 Minutes	15 – 30 €
Private Transfer	40 Minutes	50 €
Taxi	40 Minutes	60 €
Rental Car	40 Minutes	Varies

Next, let’s walk through how to utilize each of these options.

💡 You can click on the link to the travel method in the table to skip directly to that section.

Faro to Albufeira by Bus

Taking the bus is typically the cheapest option to travel from Faro to Albufeira.

There are several bus options and they are different depending on if you are traveling directly from Faro Airport or if you are in Faro’s Old Town.

Faro Airport to Albufeira by Bus

There is 1 direct bus option that runs from the Faro Airport and has a stop in Albufeira, Aurobus Route 56. This bus recently began in May of 2023.

The route has seasonal fluctuations in how frequently it runs. In the winter, the bus runs roughly 3 times versus the 8 it runs the rest of the year. You can check the current schedule on this website.

This bus is a bit more expensive than the other buses at around 10 € per person. You can purchase the ticket directly on the bus.

💡Note: during the peak season, summer specifically, these buses can become very crowded and you may have to wait for the next bus to make it on.

The bus ride takes 40 minutes and drops off at the Albufeira Bus Terminal.

Please take a look at the section below on how to get from the Albufeira Bus Terminal to Albufeira Old Town (it is about a mile away).

Getting from Faro Airport to Faro Bus Station

To utilize the other bus options, you must first travel from the Faro Aiport to the Faro Bus Station.

The Faro Bus Station, Terminal Rodoviário, is a 20-minute ride from the Faro Airport. You can take a taxi, Uber, or bus there.

A Taxi/Uber will cost about €5-€10 but will be the fastest option.

To take the bus, you’ll jump on the Proximo Bus Route 16 from the departures bus terminal at the Airport. You can pay for the ticket on the bus (a few euros).

The bus runs every 30 minutes – the most up-to-date schedule can be found here.

Faro Old Town to Albufeira by Bus

Buses leave Faro from the Terminal Rodoviário. From the Terminal Rodoviário, you have few options for buses.

Bus Line 57 – Transrápido

Line 57 runs 8-12 times a day and takes 60 minutes to go from Faro to Albufeira.

It is the fastest option as the bus only makes a few stops in Faro before driving directly to Albufeira.

Bus Line 10

Line 10 travels from Faro to Albufeira by passing through Loule, a beautiful city! If you’d like to stop in Loule along the way, this is a great option.

Otherwise, you may not want to make this option your plan A since the trip takes 85 minutes.

Bus Line 9

Bus Line 9 also will connect you from Faro to Albufeira but will take roughly 100 minutes.

The route does pass through the cute beach town of Quarteira.

Faro to Albufeira Bus Timetable

Before you go on your adventure, we recommend checking the bus schedule during your trip. Vamus Algarve is a good tool to plan your route.

The website defaults to Portuguese but you can change it to English by pressing the “Idioma” icon at the top of the page and selecting “Ingles”.

Once on the page, we recommend using the “how to get there” interactive tool!

Getting from Albufeira Bus Station to Albufeira Old Town

The Albufeira Bus Station is 1 mile (1.6km) from the town centre (old town).

You can definitely walk this but if you have your luggage, you might want to take advantage of some of the other options.

First, you can Taxi or Uber. This will cost around €5-€10 depending on how far you are going.

Alternatively, you can take the local bus. The local bus system is called Giro.

Giro uses the same online map system to pick routes. Check out the website to find the route that gets you closest to your location!

If you simply want to go to the center of town, Line 10 is the most direct route.

Faro to Albufeira by Train

The fastest option to get from Faro’s Old Town to Albufeira is by train. 3 different types of trains run daily from Faro to Albufeira:

HIGH-SPEED TRAIN

• Also known as the Alfa Pendular Train
• 21 minutes in duration
• Tickets are typically 25 to 30 Euros
• Wifi available

EXPRESS TRAIN

• Also known as the Intercidades Train
• 22 minutes in duration
• Tickets are typically 20 to 25 Euros
• Wifi available

REGIONAL TRAIN

• 33 minutes in duration
• Tickets are typically 15 to 20 Euros

All 3 trains leave from Faro Central Station. This is located 4 minutes to the north of the Bus Station and a 10-minute walk from Faro Old Town.

Additionally, all 3 trains arrive at Ferreiras station.

Now, let’s discuss how to get to and from the train stations in Faro and Albufeira, as well as how to view the train schedules.

How to get from Albufeira Train Station to Albufeira Town Centre

The Ferreiras station is almost 7km from Albufeira’s Old Town.

We don’t recommend walking since it will take over an hour and the route is not the easiest. Instead, grab an Uber, Taxi, or Bus.

A taxi or Uber will cost €5-€10. The bus will be under 5 €, when we were there it was 2,40 €.

Bus 11 is the most direct route and it will take about 30 minutes to drop you in Albufeira town center. It runs most hours on the half-hour (check the latest schedule here).

Alternatively, you can take bus 5 to the bus station and then grab another bus (lines 3, 4, 9) to travel the rest of the way to town.

How to get from Faro Airport to Faro Train Station

The simplest route is to follow the above instructions to travel from the Faro Airport to the Faro Bust Station.

The train station is only a few minutes walk from the bus station (less than 5 minutes).

If you’d like to avoid the walk, the best option is to get a Taxi or Uber. The ride from the Airport to the train station will take about 20 minutes.

Faro to Albufeira Train Timetable

Rail Ninja has a really great interface for looking up train timetables. You can either purchase your train ticket ahead of time on this site or when you arrive at the train station.

There are typically 14 trains a day from Faro to Albufeira. The high-speed train runs twice, the express train 3 times, and the regional train the other 9 times.

• 7:00 High Speed
• 7:11
• 8:22 Express
• 9:02
• 10:23
• 12:25
• 14:15 Express
• 16:00 High Speed
• 16:17
• 17:41
• 18:15 Express
• 18:25
• 19:18
• 20:50

Note: Faro to Albufeira Train Timetables change – please check their website for the most up-to-date information.

Faro to Albufeira by Private Transport or Transfer

Without a doubt, the easiest way to travel from Faro to Albufeira is by private transport, especially if you are traveling from the Faro Airport. Why?

First, it is super easy to book ahead of time so you don’t have to stress the day of. Our favorite Faro to Albufeira private transfer is with Yellowfish transfers.

Second, price. For 4 people, it will cost about $53 total to go from Faro to Albufeira ($70 for 6-8 people).

Third, logistics. When you consider the price per person and not having to deal with any of the bus/train station logistics, this is a no-brainer!

PS – if you’re traveling with kids, private transfers have child seats for you!

Faro to Albufeira by Taxi 

Taking a taxi from Faro to Albufeira is also a good option if you are unable to book a transfer in advance.

There is a queue for taxis at the Faro Airport as well as taxis around the Faro Marina area.

Alternatively, Uber is available in the Faro area and is an efficient way to travel to Albufeira from Faro.

Faro to Albufeira Taxi Cost

Taxis are definitely going to be the more expensive option. Most taxis will charge you 60 to 80 euros while Uber will be closer to 50 euros.

It is always a best practice to agree on a price with a taxi before taking off. Otherwise, you may end up with a much larger charge than you expected.

Faro to Albufeira by Car

If you’d like the freedom to roam around the Algarve, a car can be a fantastic option! We rented a car for a portion of our Algarve exploration and had a great experience.

In general, we found the roads very easy to navigate. Our biggest piece of advice is to book accommodation that is car-friendly since the hardest part of having a car can be finding parking.

You can take a pretty direct route from Faro to Albufeira on the A22 motorway. This will take about 40 minutes making it easy to take a day trip from Albufeira.

If you have a car and some extra time, we highly recommend making a stop or two along the way! Here are some of our favorite stops:

Enjoy Faro’s Old Town

Landing at Faro’s airport? Don’t head straight to Albufeira without exploring Faro Old Town first.

First, we highly recommend taking a walking tour to learn about Faro’s interesting history.

After the walking tour, enjoy a delicious meal in Faro and maybe even a dolphin boat tour before you venture on to Albufeira.

The Faro nightlife is also worth spending one night there enjoying the activities and atmosphere!

While Albufeira is beautiful, we really think that the charm and history of Faro is unmatched in the Algarve!

Stop by the Roman Ruins of Milreu

Located just outside Faro in Estoi, the Roman Ruins of Milreu are a must-visit for history buffs and curious travelers alike.

This ancient site was once a luxurious Roman villa, complete with a farm, a temple, and bath complexes. Today, it stands as a testament to the grandeur of the Roman Empire and its influence on Portuguese culture and architecture.

Kelsea and Nicholas were particularly taken by the beautifully preserved mosaics at Milreu. The intricate designs, each telling a unique story of Roman mythology, were beautiful to see and easy to understand thanks to the helpful signs.

This is a perfect stop for 1-3 hours to get a bit of history before heading to the beaches of Albufeira.

Enjoy the Loulé Market

Loulé, about halfway between Faro and Albufeira, is a charming Portuguese town, offering a unique vibe that’s quite different from the coastal resorts.

If you are interested in Portuguese markets, Loulé has one of the very best in the Algarve. Loulé’s indoor market is housed in a historical building that’s over a century old.

This market springs to life Monday through Saturday from 7 am to 3 pm but it is especially large on Saturday mornings. The market is filled with stalls selling everything from fresh fish, meat, fruits, and vegetables, to artisanal goods.

We really enjoyed exploring Loulé. After the market, we wandered the main street popping in and out of shops. We loved the local wine shops and bought a few bottles!

Whether you’re exploring the bustling market or the charming town, Loulé promises a truly authentic Portuguese experience.

Faro to Albufeira by Ferry

While both towns are on the water, there is no ferry that runs between Faro and Albufeira.

Getting Around Faro

Faro is very walkable once you are in the town center! The streets are relatively flat and easy to navigate.

We parked our car for a few euros in a street parking space while we explored. We found the most parking to be located by the Faro marina.

If you need to travel a further distance than you’re up to walk, we recommend using Uber!

Getting Around Albufeira

Albufeira is a bit more spread out than Faro. Between the old town and the new town Albufeira, you could get quite a lot of steps if you walked everywhere!

If you stay in the Old Town, you shouldn’t need a car or extra transportation since walking in this area is very easy.

When you want to explore outside of the old town, you can either grab a taxi or ride one of the Giro or EVA buses. There are plenty of stops with the schedules posted!

FAQs for Albufeira from Faro

In Conclusion: Faro to Albufeira

Whether you’re planning a trip from Faro to Albufeira, consider your options carefully. Each mode of transportation presents its own set of advantages:

• Bus: A cost-effective option, with regular services running between the two towns.
  • Direct bus #56 is our #3 pick!

• Train: Offers comfort and scenic views, with the fastest travel time.

• Private Transfer: Ideal for those seeking convenience and a stress-free journey.
  • Our #1 Pick!

• Taxi or Uber: Provides flexibility but can be more expensive, especially during peak seasons.

• Self-drive: Gives you freedom and control over your journey, allowing for detours and stops.
  • Our #2 pick!

We found driving to be an adventure but Nicholas also appreciated the ease of a private transfer on another occasion.

So, how do you want to experience your journey from Faro to Albufeira? Whatever you choose, make sure it aligns with your travel style and budget. Safe travels!

We wish you the best travels, and don’t forget to set your “Out of Office!” 

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