Lisbon to Tavira by bus and train

The bus and train fares are also comparable; the cheapest adult single train fare is €23.00, while the bus is €19.00.

The journey times are also similar; the fastest bus service is 4h15min, while the fastest train is 4h02min (Note: the exact length of the train journey depends on the connection at Faro, but no service takes longer than 4h29min).

Our opinion: We prefer travelling by train between Tavira and Lisbon, and this is because the train is more spacious and relaxing. Four hours spent on a bus can feel very cramped.

The regional train between Tavira and Faro

The added advantage of booking well before the day of travel is that there can be significant discounts; last year there were discounts of up 50% for advanced train fares. Both the rail and bus tickets can be purchased online or at relevant train/bus stations.

Advice: There are many third-party booking websites, but it makes sense to book directly from the intercity bus company (Rede Expresso) or the state-run train company (Comboios de Portugal, often shortened to CP). This will avoid booking fees, and provide the most flexibility with routes, cancellations or alterations. Links to Rede Expresso and CP are provided later in this article.

The Rede Expressos bus to Tavira

The train journey from Tavira to Lisbon requires two trains and a connection in Faro. There are two very distinct sections of this journey; the slow regional train from Tavira to Faro, and the express train from Faro to Lisbon.

For the Lisbon-Faro express train, there are two types of service; the Alfa Pendular and the Intercidades (intercity). The Alfa Pendular is the more modern train and has a slightly shorter journey time, but it is marginally more expensive than the Intercidades service.

The Alfa Pendular train arriving into the Estação do Oriente

The Intercidades train waiting at Faro train station

The length of the train journeys are very similar, and the variation depends on the connection time at Faro. Train times vary from 4h02 to 4h29 for services from Tavira to Lisbon or 3h48 to 4h29 when heading from Lisbon to Tavira.

Train tickets must be purchased before travelling as each ticket is designated a seat on the express Faro-Lisbon train. Tickets can be purchased from the Comboios de Portugal website:
www.cp.pt/
Insider tip: For this long journey, why not upgrade yourself to a first-class ticket for the Faro to Lisbon section, for only €7.

Tavira train station is to the west of the town (GPS 37.12053, -7.65574) and is a very small station, with just two train lines and a ticket office. From the station it is a 1km downhill walk to the centre of Tavira, or there are taxis waiting outside of the station.

There is a second even smaller train station to the north of Tavira, called Porta Nova (GPS: 37.132914, -7.649344). It is not recommended to use this station as not all trains stop here and there is no ticket office.

Tavira train station

A few years ago, there were three different bus companies operating bus services between Lisbon and Tavira; Rede Expressos (the main intercity bus company), Eva (the Algarve bus company) and Renex (a private bus company).

Today, they are all part of the same organisation (Rede Expressos), but the buses will still have their unique livery. This combination makes planning and purchasing tickets much easier, as it can all be done from the Rede Expressos website or from a single ticket office.

Rede Expressos coaches are modern and comfortable

Warning: Take care when selecting the service from Tavira to Lisbon as the fastest routes takes 4h15min, whereas the slowest is a tedious 5h30min.

During the summer months, tickets should be purchased as soon as possible, as the popular departures (Friday and Sunday evenings) sell out quickly.

Tickets cannot be purchased from the bus driver and must be purchased from the bus station (or website) before boarding.

Sete Rios bus station is a busy transport hub

Sete Rios bus station is the main hub for Rede Expressos buses in Lisbon, and is a busy and hectic place. The metro is the most useful means of onward travel, and is connected to the blue metro line and is served by the Jardim Zoológico metro. The metro entrance is outside of the bus station and below the train station (it is well signed)

Inside the bus station are multiple ticket offices, a shop, cafes, and clean paid toilets (50c).
Sete Rios is safe, but bus stations always tend to attract undesirables; always use common sense when passing through, and keep valuables hidden away.
Related articles: Sete Rios bus station

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