Faro Airport (FAO) is the gateway to the whole Algarve, but the resorts it serves – Albufeira, Vilamoura, Portimão, Lagos – are all 25 to 70 minutes away by road. Here’s exactly what a transfer costs and how to book one before you land.
Faro Airport sits right on the coast, so almost every Algarve resort is a straight run down the A22 motorway. Vilamoura is the closest at ~25–27 km (25–30 min); Albufeira is ~40 km (35–45 min); Tavira ~35 km (25–30 min); Portimão ~70–72 km (~50 min); and Lagos, the furthest west, is ~90 km (around 70 min). Traffic on the A22 is usually light outside July–August weekend changeover days.
Transfer options at a glance
Faro Airport to Albufeira (the most-booked route) – other resorts scale roughly with distance
| Option | Price (one-way) | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official regulated taxi | €41 daytime (06:00–21:00) / €49 nights & weekends, +€3.10 tolls | 35–45 min | Landing late, no pre-booking hassle |
| Shared shuttle bus (booked online) | from €11 | up to 1 day (multi-stop) | Solo travellers on a budget |
| Private transfer (booked online) | from €40 per group | 35–45 min direct | Families, groups, exact pickup time |
| Vamus public bus (route 56) | a few euros | 1h+ with stops | No luggage, flexible schedule |
Taxi fare per Faro Airport’s official published table (en.aeroportodefaro.com/taxis); shuttle/private prices from live GetYourGuide listings, checked 2026-07-09.
These three options cover the full price range, from the cheapest shared bus to a private door-to-door car:
The cheapest way from the airport to Albufeira – a shared bus with several drop-off points around town.
Check availability →Direct-ish coach service covering the longer Lagos run, the most-booked option on this route.
Check availability →A private car waiting for your flight, direct to your hotel – no stops, no sharing.
Check availability →The shortest hop on this list at ~25–27 km, usually 25–30 minutes by road. Most travellers heading to Vilamoura marina hotels book the same Albufeira-area shuttles above, or a private transfer for a direct drop.
Portimão is ~70–72 km (~50 min); Lagos is the furthest resort town on this list at ~90 km (around 70 minutes) via the A22. For these longer runs, the private transfer option above (bookable to Lagos specifically) is usually more comfortable than a multi-stop shared bus.
Tavira, east of the airport, is ~35 km and 25–30 minutes – a similar run-time to Albufeira but in the opposite direction. A private transfer or regulated taxi are your best options; shared shuttles rarely cover this eastern route.
What will YOUR transfer cost?
Faro Airport to Albufeira — pick your group size
Totals use listed ‘from' prices per option (per person or per vehicle); items marked approx are typical market rates, not fixed fares. Final prices vary by date and operator.
Albufeira is about 40 km from Faro Airport, roughly a 35–45 minute drive down the A22 motorway depending on traffic.
Faro Airport’s own published fare table lists €41 for a daytime ride (06:00–21:00) and €49 at night or on weekends/holidays, plus around €3.10 in tolls, for up to 4 passengers.
Yes – shared shuttle buses booked in advance online start from around €11 per person, and the public Vamus bus network is cheaper still if you don’t mind a longer, multi-stop ride.
If you only need to get to your hotel and won’t be driving around the Algarve, a transfer is simpler and usually cheaper than a rental car once you add insurance, fuel and parking. If you plan to explore beyond your resort, renting from the airport often works out better value – see our car rental comparison below.
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. If you book a transfer through GetYourGuide or a car through our search partners, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only list options we'd genuinely consider booking ourselves.
Page last fact-checked 9 July 2026.
