Faro Airport is the closest to Lagos airport. The quickest way of getting to Lagos from another country is to fly to Faro. It’s cheaper and faster than getting to Lagos from Lisbon. Ryanair, EasyJet, Wizz Air and many other airlines offer flights to Faro. There are direct flights from many European cities e.g. London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, Geneva, etc. The airport is situated 90 km from Lagos. Depending on the chosen way of transportation it takes between 1 hour and 2h30min. to get there. In this post we give step-by-step explanations of getting from Faro to Lagos by car, bus, train, or shuttle.
If you’re thinking of spending your holiday here there are many amazing things to do in Lagos.
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Driving to Lagos from Faro airport
Driving is the easiest and the fastest way of getting to Lagos from the airport of Faro. If you’re planning to visit different beaches and towns in the Algarve renting a car is highly recommended especially if you travel with children. You can get around using public buses and trains but it takes longer, not all places are accessible by public transport, and intervals between buses and trains are quite long.
To rent a car at the airport costs from 250 Euros for a smallish car (Fiat Panda, Volkswagen Polo, Volkswagen UP) for 1 week, 35 Euro per day. For a bigger car (Opel Corse, Ford Fiesta) you’ll pay around 300 Euros for 7 days, 42 Euros a day. The longer your rental period the cheaper it gets per day. Car rental prices during the offseason (between November and March) are significantly lower. If you’re planning to visit Lagos in the peak season (July – September) it’s highly recommended to book a car in advance.
The highway from Faro to Lagos has automatic tolls. When you rent a car ask them for a tag (a small plastic thingy that’s attached to the window). Rental agencies ask you to pay in advance an estimated amount or they’ll charge you later when you bring the car back. The tolls on the highway from Faro to Lagos are 7 Euros. The drive is about 55 minutes.
We often use this road there is never a lot of traffic even during the busy summer months. To be honest the road is not great for a tall highway but it’s still quicker than driving on free roads these have speed limits and many (really many) roundabouts. On toll-free roads it takes 1h20min. to get from Faro to Lagos. One-way petrol will be about 15 Euros.
- Travel time – 55 minutes (toll highway)
- Cost – 22 euros (petrol, tolls) + car rental
Best places to stay in Lagos
- Budget | Olive Hostel Lagos | The Stumble Inn | The 17 Hostel |
- Middle price | Casa AUGUSTA | Hotel Mar Azul | Suites Inn Lagos | Canavial I & II Apartamentos |
- High-end | Costa d’Oiro Ambiance Village | Villas D. Dinis – Charming Residence (adults only) | Marina Club Lagos Resort |
Taking a private shuttle from the airport to Lagos
You can take a taxi or a private shuttle from the Faro airport to Lagos. It’s the most expensive (if you’re less than 3 people sharing the cost) and the easiest way of getting to Lagos. We have never used any shuttle service I can’t speak from my own experience. A private shuttle from the airport to your hotel in Lagos will cost you 81 Euros (for 1 to 3 people). If you’re 4 and more it’ll be a bit more expensive. The price seems to be the same regardless of the season. In the peak season (July to September) it’s better to book your shuttle a couple of weeks in advance.
- Travel time – 1 hour
- Cost – 81 Euros (per car up to 3 people)
How to get from Faro to Lagos by bus?
If you don’t want to rent a car or take a shuttle you can get to from Faro to Lagos by public transport. It takes longer but works out quite a bit cheaper especially if you’re a solo traveler.
A. Taking a direct bus from the airport to Lagos
Step 1a. Get a bus from Faro airport to Lagos bus station
Since 12 January 2022, there is a new direct bus from the airport of Faro to Lagos. We haven’t used it yet but are very excited about it because we live in Lagos. Now we don’t have to drive to the airport and park our car there we can just catch a direct bus to and back.
Bus #56 (Aerobus) departs from Faro Aeroport daily. Lagos is its final destination. It stops in other towns on the way. The route is following: Faro bus terminal – Faro Gambelas – Faro Aeroport – Albufeira (bus terminal) – Lagoa (bus terminal) – Portimão (bus terminal) – Lagos (bus terminal). The number of daily buses and departure times vary according to the season (high/low) and day of the week (weekdays, weekends). You can download a PDF file with departure times or check online.
- Travel time – 1h20min.
- Cost – 11 Euro per person.
- Bus stop – outside the arrivals terminal
Step 2a. Get from Lagos bus terminal to your hotel
The bus terminal in Lagos is close to the Old Town, about 700 m and to Marina de Lagos, 750 m. There are a couple of hotels right next to the terminal. Check on Google maps the location of your place.
There are public buses (Onda buses, white & blue) in Lagos that you can use to get to different parts of the town. Bus #2 goes to Meia Praia, Dona Ana and Porto de Mos Beaches, some of the best beaches in Lagos. Bus # 4 goes towards Praia da Luz. Both buses go to Old Town. Check bus routes and timetables online. If you travel with little luggage and without young children buses are very convenient. They do many stops it might take a while to get to your place though. Cost – 1,2 Euro.
Uber works great in the Algarve at least in and around Lagos. When we don’t want to drive we always use it to get around the town. Depending on the location of your hotel, your luggage, and the season expect ta pay between 3 and 7 Euro for a ride.
There are taxis parked outside the bus terminal. You can use one of them it’s more expensive than Uber. A taxi ride within the town will cost you between 5 and 10 Euro.
B. Taking a bus from Faro bus terminal to Lagos
If your arrival time doesn’t coincide with departure times of direct buses to Lagos and you don’t want to wait at the airport for the next bus you can get a bus to Lagos from the Faro bus terminal.
Step 1b. Get from the airport to Faro bus station
You can get to the bus station from the airport by bus line 16 (the pink line). It’s a circular route. The bus connects the bus terminal (city center) with Faro Beach (Ilha de Faro) and stops at the airport. When taking the bus check its destination (the beach or the city). Catch the one that is going to the city otherwise you’ll have to go all the way to the beach first. The bus terminal is the final stop.
- Travel time – 15 minutes
- Cost – 2,5 Euro.
- Bus stop – outside the arrivals terminal
Step 2b. Get a bus from Faro to Lagos
From Faro bus terminal take a direct bus to Lagos. There are 7 daily buses on weekdays and only 2 on weekends and public holidays. Times and number of buses are subject to change. Check the up-to-date timetable online.
- Travel time – 2h20min.
- Cost – 11 Euro.
Step 3b. Get from Lagos bus station to your hotel
Same as Step 2a.
Hotels in Lagos near the bus terminal
The suggested hotels are located within 200 m of the bus terminal.
- Budget | DBV Guesthouse |
- High-end | Hotel Marina Rio | Lagos Avenida Hotel | Apartment Casa do Infante |
If you want to try surfing in Lagos it’s better to stay close to Meia Praia or Porto de Mos Beaches.
How to get from Faro to Lagos by train?
Step 1. Get from the airport to the train station.
To get to the train station from the airport take bus #16. The same bus that goes to the bus station. The train station is one stop before the bus station. The bus connects Faro Beach with the city center. The route is circular it stops at the airport on the way to and from the beach. The direction is indicated on the bus. To get to the train station get on a bus that goes towards the city center.
- Travel time – 13 minutes
- Cost – 2,5 Euro.
- Bus stop – outside the arrivals terminal
Step 2. Get a train from Faro to Lagos
There are 7-9 direct daily trains from Faro to Lagos. You can check the up-to-date timetable and purchase tickets online. Trains in Portugal work well though they’re not the newest and the most comfortable trains.
- Travel time – 1h35min. – 1h45min.
- Cost – 7,5 Euro
Step 3. Get from the train station to your hotel
The train station in Lagos is at the Marina de Lagos, close to Praia de Sao Roque. If you stay in the Marina you can walk to your accommodation. The historical center is about 1 km from the train station. If you travel light you can walk there, it’s a beautiful route through the harbour and along the promenade.
You can take bus #2 (blue and white ONDA buses) from the train station to the center of Lagos or to one of the beaches; Meia Praia, Dona Ana Beach, or Porto de Mos Beach. The bus stop is at the train station (on the right). The bus route is circular, buses stop at the station on the way to and from Meia Praia. Ask for the direction when getting in. Price – 1,2 Euro.
A couple of taxis are always parked outside the station you can take a taxi to your hotel. Depending on the distance it’ll cost between 5 and 9 Euro.
Using Uber to get around Lagos is cheap and easy. We always use it when we don’t want to drive. A ride with Uber from the train station to your hotel will cost you between 3 and 6 Euro depending on the distance.
Accommodation in Lagos near the train station (Marina de Lagos)
| Marina Club Lagos Resort | Meia Praia Terrasse | Moorings Apartment by Seewest |