Tavira is a charming fishing town situated on the picturesque eastern Algarve. Southern Portugal's main international airport is located at Faro, 35km to the west of Tavira.

Once visitors have decided Tavira is the town for them, the question I'm asked most is “How do I travel from Faro Airport to Tavira?”

Like all holiday destinations, there are several options, and the right one depends on your budget and style of holiday. Your choice will differ if you're travelling with family, after a relaxing break, or on a last-minute getaway trying to do everything on the cheap.

When I travel from Faro airport to Tavira, I choose Uber or Bolt outside of the peak season (mid-July to mid-September). During the hectic peak months, I plan ahead and book an airport transfer. For the shoulder and lower months, Uber provides the best balance of convenience and cost. But in peak season, demand is so high that I've been left waiting for ages, watching the app fail to connect me to a driver, before finally paying an inflated fare.

If you're looking to save money, there is public transport, but it's a slow and convoluted process. You must first head into the city of Faro, where you can catch the infrequent (hourly) train to Tavira. Once on board, the train is slow, taking 35 to 42 minutes for the 30-kilometre journey. When you factor in the bus from the airport to Faro, and the wait for the train, the whole transfer can take over two and a half hours. I've done this journey twice and wouldn't recommend it, especially after a long flight.

I’m Philip and for over 25 years I've been exploring the Algarve, where my Portuguese wife and I lived for several years and still return to regularly from our current home in Lisbon. I've made the journey from the airport countless times, along with my older parents and my brother's young family. This guide shares everything I've learnt first-hand, along with the latest advice for 2026.

 

 

If you're reading this guide before your holiday to Tavira, I strongly recommend that you book a private transfer. It's the hassle-free way to start your holiday, and the option I chose when I travelled from the airport with my brother and his young family. A private transfer to Tavira can cost as little as €52 (2026 prices), if booked far enough in advance. I've listed my favourite transfer companies later in this article.

If you're reading this guide just after landing at Faro Airport, your best options are an Uber (or Bolt), or taking the train from Faro train station.
Uber and Bolt fares start from €30 for Basic and €47 for XL (for groups larger than 4), but demand is high in peak season and at peak times (4pm-7pm). I've seen fares double at the busiest times, and that's before the hassle of actually getting a driver to accept. This is why I book a transfer in peak season.

The train from Faro (the city, not the airport) runs hourly, with infrequent afternoon departures meaning there can be a lot of waiting around. The last train departs at 10:16pm and full details and timetable links are later in this guide.

If you've just landed and it's night-time, then your options are limited and much more expensive. There is no public transport after the last train from Faro, and ride-hailing apps (Uber/Bolt) are always in high demand at these times as people go for evening meals or nights out. Taxis at night (9pm-6am) cost 20% more than daytime rates, which is an expensive option to start with. If you've just landed after 9pm, I would go with Uber.

The flight path into Faro Airport flies over the city of Faro

Faro Airport is modern, but will be busy during the peak season

Uber and Bolt are an inexpensive way to travel around the Algarve. Their fares vary depending on demand, but a transfer from the airport to Tavira will be around €30 (base), €37 (comfort), €47 (XL, 5-6 passengers). These are the lowest prices, and they will rise at peak times. Even so, they stay significantly cheaper than a taxi.

The main advantages of the ride-hailing apps are the ability to know the fare before booking a transfer, and the low price if you can get the base fare.

The main issue is at peak times, when multiple flights arrive mid-morning or late afternoon and many visitors are trying to hail rides. I’ve been caught at these times, with the app searching for 10 minutes and still unable to find a driver. Unlike Lisbon or Porto airports, the Uber drivers of the Algarve are spread over a large region, and there will only be a few near Faro airport. During these peak times, the apps may endlessly search for available cars, and you may have to be patient to connect with a willing driver.

A tip I learnt for these peak times is to choose the more expensive "comfort" class. Drivers are more likely to accept these higher-paying fares, so it is a good way to secure a ride faster. Also, if you choose a base fare, the app may offer a priority fee, which pushes the cost up to the comfort level anyway. So you might as well choose comfort to get a better car.

If you plan to use Uber or Bolt, it is advisable to have the app downloaded on your phone before arriving in Portugal and be familiar with how to use it. There is nothing worse than trying to connect a bank card or download the app over a patchy internet connection. Faro Airport offers free Wi-Fi throughout the terminal, allowing you to book your Uber or Bolt upon arrival if you don't have mobile data roaming.

Uber and Bolt are very similar; ask any Portuguese citizen, and you will find opinion is equally split on which they prefer. I prefer Uber; my wife always chooses Bolt. Generally, Bolt is cheaper, but the standard of their cars (and drivers) can be lower. An Uber car has to be at least a Peugeot 308, whereas Bolt has no such requirement. Also, many drivers work for both companies, choosing the highest-paying fare.

Insight: Although it's not standard practice to tip Uber or Bolt drivers in Portugal, a €1 or €2 coin is always appreciated.

A private transfer is the best and most convenient method of transfer. A driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall, the car will be close by, and you will breeze through all the confusion of the ride-hailing apps.

When I travelled with my brother and his young family it was thankfully so easy with a transfer. I don’t want to imagine the stress it could have been with a tired 4 and 6 year old hoping for an XL Uber/Bolt. A private transfer from Faro Airport to Tavira in 2026 can cost as little as €52 if booked far enough in advance (but in peak season, expect it to cost up to €60).

The transfer company I have been using for years is Yellow Fish www.yellowfishtransfers.com.

Other highly recommended transfer companies include:
Algarserra: www.algarserra.com/
Sun Line Transfers: www.sunlinetransfers.com/

When booking transfers always book directly with a transfer company, and not some third-party website/company. Third-party sites are more expensive because they add their own margin, and they create extra problems when something goes wrong, as you have to deal with the third-party company and not the actual transfer company.

Many transfer companies price by demand. Booking two months ahead secures the lowest fare, while leaving it late almost always costs more. If the quote comes back high, compare the three companies listed above

A Yellow Fish minibus waiting at the airport drop-off point

I have taken public transport from the airport to Tavira twice in the last few years, and both times I questioned my decision. I did it to save money, as I was travelling by myself, landed early in the day and had a late check-in to my accommodation. The journey was cheap, costing only €6.45, but it took around two and a half hours, with lots of tedious waiting around as services are infrequent.

If this is your first trip to the Algarve, I honestly can't recommend the journey. Even with time to spare from an early flight, you're better off heading to Tavira by Uber or transfer and enjoying a long lunch while waiting for your accommodation.

If you do choose public transport, there are two stages to the journey from Faro Airport to Tavira.
1) From the airport to Faro city, which is by bus (or Uber/Taxi)
2) From Faro train station to Tavira, which is best by train

The following sections detail this route.

For such a major airport I find it surprising that the public transport is so poor. Half of me thinks this is almost on purpose, to force visitors to use taxis and transfers, which creates more employment in a region that relies almost entirely on tourism.

There are just two bus services from Faro Airport: an infrequent route to the larger towns to the west, and the service into Faro city.

The number 16 bus (operated by Próximo) connects the airport with central Faro, taking 20 minutes for a fare of €2.85. The main issue is the infrequent departures, every 30 to 60 minutes from around 7:30 AM until 10:30 PM, with a total of 22 departures a day. In the afternoon it's irregular, with gaps ranging from 25 to 75 minutes.

This is also the bus to Praia de Faro, the main beach of Faro, so it can be full of beach day trippers. The bus stop at the airport is to the left of the main entrance when exiting it (GPS: 37.021, -7.968 - link to Google maps).

I strongly advise you to look at train times before choosing the bus to Faro, as there is nothing more annoying than missing the irregular train because of the 16 bus. If time is short just hail an Uber or get in a taxi, but expect a taxi to charge €10-15 for the journey to the train station.

The number 16 bus heading from the airport into Faro city centre

I do enjoy train travel, and once you're on board, the Faro to Tavira service is not a bad ride. The trains are old, the result of decades of underfunding along this forgotten section of the Portuguese rail network, but the journey is quite scenic and a single fare only costs €3.60. Also, do not expect a fast service, with the journey taking around 40 minutes to travel the 30 kilometres to Tavira.

My main issue is how infrequent the trains are, and that they run at irregular times through the day. If you miss an afternoon connection, it can be a two hour wait in Faro with luggage. If you are going to take the train, please visit the Comboios de Portugal website and check the exact departure times before being caught out by the lack of services.
https://www.cp.pt/

There are 13 trains a day from Faro to Tavira, the first at 07:20 and the last at 22:16. The problem is the spacing: departures are at irregular times, and there's a near two-hour gap in the mid-afternoon (the 15:15 is followed by nothing until 17:13). A handful of services also don't run at weekends or on public holidays, so the timetable thins out further on those days.

Faro train station is located just to the north of the city centre (GPS: 37.018, -7.939).

Tavira train station (GPS: 37.120, -7.655) is to the southwestern side of the city and is a 700m walk into the historic centre. The walk is along cobbled streets and mainly downhill, which is useful when dragging suitcases.

Tavira train station

The Algarve regional train

There are buses connecting Faro to Tavira, but departures have been cut over the last few years, so it's barely an alternative to the train. There are two bus routes:

• 67 - four daily departures
• 66 - four departures Monday to Friday

So just eight departures Monday to Friday, and four at the weekends and public holidays. The journey takes one hour, and a single adult ticket costs €5.80. The bus has the same issue as the train, with large gaps in the afternoon, and the latest timetable can be seen on the Vamus website:
https://vamusalgarve.pt/

I much prefer train travel to bus for this journey, as the bus takes longer (1 hour as opposed to 40 minutes) because it also serves Olhão and Fuzeta with a long string of stops.

Faro bus station is only 200m south of Faro train station. Tickets need to be purchased from the ticket office inside the bus station, and not on board – this is a quirk of these terminal bus stations.

In Tavira, the bus stops at the bus station, and this is very close to the city centre.

The Tavira bus waiting in Tavira bus station

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