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The information has been obtained from printed timetables and other local sources (like taking the bus) and is given in good faith.
Most GIRO bus winter service ends at around 2000hrs / 8pm every day.
From 1st July to 17th September, GIRO buses on some routes will run until 1030pm / 2230hrs.

BUS TIMES APPLY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE BUT MAY CHANGE WITH ALMOST NO WARNING
BUS FARES FOR THE VAMUS ROUTES ARE MY BEST GUESS. SINGLE FARES ARE NO LONGER POSTED ON THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE. ANY INFORMATION GRATEFULLY RECEIVED. I HAVE A PRE PAID PASS WHICH OFFERS DISCOUNTED FARES.

Local buses between Albufeira and other towns and villages - summary

ALBUFEIRA BUS TERMINAL

Albufeira Bus Terminal is on the outskirts of town about 1.6km / 1 mile from the old town.

Allow yourself enough time to get to there! There is more information here. Maps for Albufeira including location of the bus station / terminal, are here. Large map of old town showing different bus stops and other transport information here.

When boarding at the Bus Terminal, you must buy your ticket from the ticket office, except when boarding the local GIRO buses.
Allow a few minutes for this. If boarding elsewhere, pay the driver as usual. Change is given, but try to have small change or at most a €10 note!
Timetables for VAMUS buses are posted on a noticeboard in the middle of the waiting room. On one side is a small TV screen listing the next few buses.

Timetables for local Giro buses were posted at the bus stops outside but all have now been torn down.There is therefore NO INFORMATION TO BE SEEN AT ALL about local buses for those arriving from elsewhere. No mobile phone?
Sorry, you are deemed unworthy of knowing. Picture below is the Bus Station interior click or tap to see larger size

bus
          station interior

LINKS TO TIMETABLE PAGES FOR PLACES OUTSIDE ALBUFEIRA
  Click or tap for more detail about these routes and links to timetables. All routes go to and from the main bus station.
Places served by the Albufeira town Giro buses are in bold type. VAMUS regional buses in plain type.
Vamus buses except those on fast routes 51, 56 and 57 stop at other places in town.

Ferreiras and Railway Station

Algoz and Silves

Messines via Paderne

Loulé / Mar Shopping / IKEA

Páteo

Algarve Shopping Mall and Albufeira Retail Park

Vilamoura, Quarteira and Faro

Lagoa, Portimão and Lagos

Guia

Messines via Guia and Algoz

São Rafael and Galé

Açoteais, Falésia and Rocha Baixinha

Albufeira Local Buses - Giro Network

Vale Navio, Quinta da Balaia, Branqueira, Patã de Baixo

Camping Albufeira
and Clube Albufeira

Vale de Parra
Balaia and Olhos D'Agua
Albufeira Marina
Carvoeiro
Armação de Pêra

For the bus times between Albufeira and the other main coastal resorts, click here.
Coaches (Long distance buses) To Lisbon and beyond
International services to Huelva and Seville, Spain

All buses towards and from Ferreiras and beyond also stop at Camping Albufeira (the stops up on the main road, not the one just outside) about 5 minutes after leaving the bus station. These are Giro routes 5, 7 and 11 plus VAMUS routes 4 and 17. The entrance to the Clube Albufeira resort complex is opposite Camping Albufeira. Giro route 3 runs from the Bus Station to Camping Albufeira, thence to the old town and the marina.

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Albufeira Local Bus service – GIRO network

The Albufeira Giro town bus system has eleven routes connecting the main bus station and town centre with the immediate suburbs and many outlying areas. TIMETABLES AND MAPS FOR ALL ROUTES HERE

Infos en français, auf Deutsch, em Portugues içi, hier, aqui

Bus stops and times are shown on Google Maps. I cannot say whether the information is accurate everywhere, but it is for the stop I use most of the time.

One of the electric buses now being used. All GIRO buses normally used are now electric.electric bus

Buses have low steps also a wheelchair ramp and are accessible to disabled persons.

GIRO TICKETS AND PASSES CANNOT BE USED ON OTHER BUSES, nor can tickets from VAMUS buses be used on GIRO.

GIRO hours of service - winter first buses at around 0700, last buses between 1900 and 1930. Summer times apply from 1st July to 15th September when some routes will run until 2230hrs.  All routes run daily. Some have a reduced service at weekends.

Last buses are therefore passing through the main part of town, depending on where you are, in winter between 1915 and 1945, in summer between 2145 and 2215. For a summary of bus times in the old town area, click here. Will open in a new window. For a summary of last Giro buses from the Bus Station, click or tap here.

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Albufeira Bus Station – Camping Albufeira - Ferreiras (12 minutes journey) – Albufeira Estação (Railway Station) (25! minutes journey) GIRO route 5 (Reverse direction is route 11)

giro_5
Buses run every 30 minutes on weekdays, every 60 minutes at weekends and holidays.Timetable here. These buses stop on the main road at Camping Albufeira and not at the bus stop immediately outside the entrance. Route 5 continues beyond the station to Vale Serves, Fontainhas, Torre Mosqueira and Brejos. Route 11 runs the same route in the opposite direction via the railway station .Going towards Albufeira route 11 also stops in the old town (Avenida da Liberdade) and at the Câmara (town hall).

Flat fare to or from Ferreiras and the station is €2,60 cash, €1,60 with pre-pay GIRO pass card. The pass card costs €3 and can be purchased at the Bus Station. You can load it with 5, 10 or 20 journeys. The pass is valid on all GIRO routes, but not those operated by VAMUS.

There are other buses between the Bus Station and Camping Albufeira - route 3 and route 7. Route 7 goes to Algarve Shopping and Guia. There is a faster bus between Albufeira Bus Station and the Railway station by route 11, every 60 minutes every day. Timetable here.

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FOR A SUMMARY OF THE LAST BUSES BACK TO ALBUFEIRA FROM THE PLACES BELOW, PLEASE CLICK HERE

FOR A SUMMARY OF THE LAST BUSES FROM ALBUFEIRA TO THE PLACES BELOW, PLEASE CLICK HERE
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VAMUS BUS FARES WARNING! SINGLE FARES BETWEEN TWO PLACES ARE NOT PUBLISHED. FARES BELOW ARE MY BEST ESTIMATE FROM THE INFORMATION THAT IS AVAILABLE. A PRE PAID PASS OR AN ACCOUNT USING THE VAMUS APP WILL REDUCE FARES BY 30 - 40% IN MOST CASES. SEASON TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR UNLIMITED TRAVEL BETWEEN ANY TWO PLACES FOR 1 CALENDAR MONTH. INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT https://vamusalgarve.pt/#/pt/vamus%20algarve/pre-purchase-fares

Albufeira Bus Station – Ferreiras – Algoz – Silves VAMUS route 17

Six buses each way on weekdays, just three at weekends and holidays. Journey times Ferreiras 8 minutes, Algoz 24, Silves 45. EVA bus

One way fare Albufeira to Silves €3,80, to Algoz €3,00. (My best guess, they are not shown on the website.) There is a much cheaper and more frequent service between Albufeira and Ferreiras on the local Giro buses. Click here for details.

For a weekday visit to Silves you can only now leave Albufeira at 0800 or 1230 with buses back at 1715 and 1830. For a weekend trip, the ONLY buses to Silves are at 0800 and 1430hrs, with the only buses back at 1345 and 1830. FULL TIMETABLE CLICK here

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Albufeira Bus Station – Ferreiras – Paderne – São Bartolomeu Messines VAMUS route 4

Service has been drastically reduced from what it was a couple of years ago. A trip to Paderne and back on Saturdays or Sundays is no longer possible.

Journey time Ferreiras 8 minutes, Paderne 21 minutes, Messines 37 to 45 minutes. One-way fare Albufeira to Messines €4.20, Albufeira to Paderne €2,80

On weekday mornings there is a bus to Paderne and Messines at 0735  then nothing until 1235. On Saturdays and Sundays the only buses are at 1235 and 1845. To get back to Albufeira it is a similar pattern, but with the last bus at weekends from Messines at the early hour of 1335!

The complete timetable is here

There are other three other daily buses (four on weekdays) between Albufeira and Messines via Guia and Algoz, click here  Last bus back from Messines at 1630 weekends, 1815 weekdays. These buses also stop along the 'main road' across Albufeira at Areais São João (the strip end) and at the 'Watches' roundabout by the supermarkets.

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Albufeira Bus Station – Loulé via Fontainhas and Boliqueime, also goes to Mar Shopping and IKEA

VAMUS route 10

Try not to confuse VAMUS route 10 with GIRO route 10, both of which use the main bus station. VAMUS route 10 buses are big diesel buses going to either Loulé or Faro via Loulé. Giro route 10 buses are little electric buses going down into the old town.

Journey to Loulé is 45 minutes one way fare €4.40. Inbound buses stop a few minutes walk from the Saturday morning outdoor tourist market. For the indoor market go to the bus station and walk about 5 minutes. These buses run via the stop outside the Continente supermarket on the main road in Albufeira and also stop in the Montechoro area - see map.

Buses from Albufeira to Loulé for a day trip daily at 0800, 1045 and 1430. These buses continue beyond Loulé to Mar Shopping and Faro.
Buses back from Loulé on weekdays only at 1515, 1730 on schooldays and at 1825, at weekends only at 1515 and 1810.

Mar Shopping and IKEA, near Loulé - bus journey is about 1 hour. Fare €4,90

Complete timetable Albufeira <> Loulé <> Mar Shopping <> Faro here

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Albufeira Bus Station > (near) Old Town > São Rafael > Galé > Salgados > Vale De Parra > Guia > Algarve Shopping Mall > Camping Albufeira > Albufeira Bus Station Giro route 8

(on the way back to Albufeira this bus also goes to the Câmara stop before the Bus Station)

giro 8

This route runs around a large circle, once every hour on weekdays, every two hours at weekends and holidays. There are buses between Guia, Algarve Shopping and Albufeira every hour every day, including a late bus for cinema goers. Cash fare one zone €2,00, two zones €2,60 or €1,60 with the pre paid pass. Route 8 times here. Route 7 below runs in the opposite direction

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Albufeira Bus Station >  Camping Albufeira > Algarve Shopping Mall > Guia > Vala de Parra > Salgados > Galé > São Rafael > Marina > (near) Old Town > Câmara (town hall) > Bus Station

Giro route 7

giro 7

Runs the opposite way around to Route 8 above. Once every hour weekdays, every two hours at weekends and on holidays except that there is a bus every hour every day between Albufeira and Guia via Algarve Shopping. Cash fare one zone €2,00, two zones €2,60 or €1,60 with the pre paid pass.

A taxi to Algarve Shopping from Albufeira will cost €8 - €10. Uber or Bolt may be cheaper. A standard vehicle is permitted to carry only four passengers. If there are more of you, order a large vehicle or be prepared to take two or more small ones. There is a taxi rank at the mall.

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Albufeira Bus Station – Santa Eulália - Balaia - Olhos D'Água - Laranjal - Açoteias- Praia de Falésia (Alfamar resort) – Rocha Baixinha (Aquamarina and Adriana Beach Club resorts) Giro Route 6

giro_6

Daily service about once every hour between Albufeira Bus Station and Laranjal with extra buses at weekday busy times. Very irregular beyond Laranjal.

Unfortunately for some, this bus takes a very circuitous route around Albufeira and takes twice between the Bus Station and Olhos D'Água the remaining VAMUS buses. They go via Montechoro if you are staying up around there. They rejoin the VAMUS route at the Estrada da Santa Eulália stop near the old bullring and ALDI.

You cannot use Giro tickets and passes on VAMUS buses routes 9 and 66, nor vice-versa. Map of the stops used by VAMUS in Albufeira town here

One way cash fare on GIRO Albufeira to Olhos D'Água and beyond is €2,60 or €1,60 with the pre paid pass.

COMPLETE TIMETABLE CLICK here
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Albufeira Bus Station - Balaia - Olhos D'Água VAMUS routes 9 and 66

vamus_9

THESE ARE FASTER THAN THE GIRO BUSES BUT YOU CANNOT USE GIRO TICKETS ON VAMUS BUSES NOR VICE-VERSA

Try not to confuse VAMUS route 9 with GIRO route 9, which runs along some of the same roads and stops at some of the same stops. VAMUS route 9 buses will always be going to QUARTEIRA or FARO.

Buses run on weekdays at very irregular intervals on the two different routes. Weekend service is reduced to six buses each way, with gaps of up to three hours between them. Please check the timetable carefully.

Journey 12 minutes to Balaia, 15 minutes to Olhos D'Agua. Runs via Continente / Albufeira shopping, Areais São João, Santa Eulália and Balaia.


One way fare €2,55?  Times of all VAMUS buses between Albufeira and Olhos D'Agua in both directions HERE

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Albufeira Bus Station - Brejos - Quinta da Balaia - Branqueira - Vale Navio - Patã de Baixo

Giro routes 1 and 9

giro_1Giro Linha 1 runs every 30 minutes daily between the Bus Station and Quinta da Balaia, once an hour at Branqueira and Vale Navio on weekdays, once every TWO hours at weekends. Return journey runs along the main Avenida dos Descobrimentos and does not go to Brejos, instead it stops at Arcadas São João and the Rotundas.

COMPLETE TIMETABLE HERE

Giro Linha 9 runs once each hour daily between the Old Town (Avenida da Liberdade), Câmara, Bus Station, Quinta da Balaia, Branqueira, Vale Navio and Patã de Baixo.  TIMETABLE HERE

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Albufeira (Areais São João) – Albufeira Bus Station – Páteo – Guia – Algoz – S.B Messines

VAMUS route 28

Four buses each way on weekdays, three at weekends. Starts from Areais São João (the strip) and stops at the Albufeira Shopping centre (Continente supermarket) opposite McDonald's then via Albufeira Bus Station. The nearest stop to the old town is near the 'Dolphins' roundabout at the Avenida do Ténis traffic lights.

FULL TIMETABLE click here. These buses do NOT go to Algarve Shopping, which is 1.3km from Guia village centre walking long a busy and dangerous road with no footpath. Use Giro route 7, which runs every hour every day and stops outside Algarve Shoping - see below.

Guia and Algarve Shopping are also served by Giro bus route 7 times here and the various buses towards Lagoa and Portimão – click here for times

Páteo is also served every hour daily by Giro Route 9 and a few times a day by Giro Route 3.

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TRANSRÁPIDO FAST BUS FARO <> ALBUFEIRA BUS STATION

VAMUS route 57

THERE ARE SEVEN BUSES EACH WAY ON WEEKDAYS BUT ONLY TWO BUSES EACH WAY AT WEEKENDS AND ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

transrapido busAlbufeira to Faro takes 55 minutes. In Albufeira this bus stops only in the bus station. It also stops at Guia and at Algarve Shopping. Fare from Albufeira to Faro is €5,20  (cash) on any bus, about 40% less if you have a pre paid pass or an account on the VAMUS app.

For a printable copy of the complete timetable click here.

Buses from Albufeira to Faro on weekdays at 0700, 0820, 1005, 1235, 1420,1635 and 1855. The 1005 and 1410 also run at weekends and on public holidays all year. In summer, the 1855 Albufeira to Faro will also run.

Coming back from Faro they leave on weekdays at 0800, 0930, 1230, 1445, 1600, 1735 and 1945.  At weekends and on public holidays at 1230 and 1605 all year, plus in summer, at 1945. There are other, much slower, buses between Albufeira and Faro via Vilamoura and Quarteira - see below.

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ALBUFEIRA - LAGOS FAST BUSES VIA PORTIMÃO, PRAIA DA ROCHA AND ALVOR (LINHA LITTORAL) VAMUS route 51

SIX BUSES EACH WAY ON WEEKDAYS, THREE BUSES EACH WAY AT WEEKENDS IN SUMMER, TWO BUSES EACH WAY WEEKENDS IN WINTER

In Albufeira these buses stop only in the bus station. They also stop at Guia and Algarve Shopping.  Current official timetable here.

Journey from Albufeira to Praia da Rocha is about an hour, Alvor 1 hour 12 minutes, Lagos 1hr 35 minutes.

Weekdays - direct buses from Albufeira suitable for a day out leave at 0800, 0910 and 1200. Buses come back from Lagos at 1615 and 1815, Alvor at 1638 and 1838, and in Praia da Rocha at 1654 and 1854, Portimão at 1704 and 1904 respectively.

Weekends and Holidays  - in winter the ONLY fast bus from Albufeira for a day trip to Portimão, Praia da Rocha and Lagos is the 0910. The ONLY bus back is at 1615, which stops in Alvor at 1638, Praia da Rocha at 1654 and Portimão at 1704. There is a later bus in summer from Lagos at 1815 calling at the same places.

There are other buses between Albufeira and Portimão. The last buses back from Portimão to Albufeira of any description are at 1659 DAILY then at 1745 and 1844 ON WEEKDAYS ONLY. Last bus from Lagos to Albufeira in winter is at 1615, which stops in Alvor at 1638, Praia da Rocha at 1654 and Portimão at 1659. In summer the 1815 bus from Lagos to Albufeira will run daily.

Fares (I think, no longer on the website):  Albufeira - Portimão €5,00, Albufeira - Alvor €5,20 and  Albufeira - Lagos €6,90

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ALBUFEIRA - PORTIMÃO - LAGOS  VAMUS route 57 (TRANSRÁPIDO)

These buses stop in Guia, Armação de Pêra, Lagoa, Portimão and Lagos. They do NOT go to Praia da Rocha and Alvor.. Journey times - Armação de Pêra 25 minutes, Portimão 1 hour, Lagos 1 hour 30 minutes.

Buses from Albufeira to Lagos on weekdays at 0900, 1030, 1330, 1545, 1700, 1835 and to Portimão at 2045 . Complete timetable here. From Lagos to Albufeira at 0645, 0830, 1100, 1235, 1500 and 1725. There is a very early journey from Portimão to Albufeira at 0600. The only buses at weekends and public holidays are the 1330 and 1700 from Albufeira plus in summer a later journey at 2045.Returning from Lagos, the 0830 and 1235 a later bus in summer at 1720.

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AEROBUS - VAMUS ROUTE 56 TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT

Timetable here. Journey times - Portimão 45 minutes, Lagos 1 hour 15 minutes, Airport 40 minutes, Faro Bus Station 55 minutes.

In summer there are seven journeys each way, every day.  These buses stop only Faro Airport and the bus station, in the other direction at Lagoa, Portimão (long distance bus station, out of town) and Lagos. In winter the service is only two buses each way.

Special (higher) fares apply on this bus, for example Albufeira to Portimão is €10.00, Albufeira to Lagos €11.00

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ALBUFEIRA TO VILAMOURA, QUARTEIRA  AND BACK

VAMUS routes 9 and 66

WEEKEND AND HOLIDAY SERVICE IS NOW VERY INFREQUENT, WITH UP TO 3 HOURS WAIT BETWEEN BUSES. CHECK TIMES CAREFULLY

Try not to confuse VAMUS route 9 with GIRO route 9, which runs along some of the same roads and stops at some of the same stops. The white VAMUS route 9 buses will always be going to QUARTEIRA or FARO. Giro route 9 will not.

Journey to Vilamoura is about 40 minutes, one way fare €3,40. Quarteira is about another 10 minutes journey, the market site at Quarteira about 15 minutes after Vilamoura. Buses run about once an hour on weekdays, much less often at weekends. In Vilamoura all buses in BOTH DIRECTIONS use the exact same stops because of the one-way traffic system. The main bus stop in Vilamoura (Praia da Marina) is near the Casino and the Dom Pedro hotels - Vilamoura map here.

Buses leave from the bus station in Albufeira, then run via Albufeira Shopping (stop is outside the Pingo Doce and Continente supermarkets)  along the main road, then stop at the 'strip', Santa Eulalia, Balaia etc. Click the map to see it larger size. They do NOT stop in the old town. The nearest stop from there is about 10 minutes uphill walk.

map

Buses from Albufeira to Vilamoura suitable for a day out (discounting those before 0800hrs!) leave on weekdays at : 0845, 1015, 1130, 1230 and 1335. At weekends and on holidays they leave only at 1015 and 1335. Coming back from Vilamoura on weekday afternoons they leave at 1422, 1517, 1632, 1747, 1902 and 2002. At weekends and on holidays the ONLY afternoon / evening buses back to Albufeira leave at 1517, 1747 and 2002.

Times in detail towards Vilamoura here and coming back here including times at the other places in Albufeira where these buses stop.

The buses to and from Faro stop at the Quarteira Wednesday outdoor market at Fonte Santa, about 15 minutes after Vilamoura. Check the timetables etc here.
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ALBUFEIRA AND CARVOEIRO

There are no direct buses. You must always change bus In LAGOA. The journey can currently only be reasonably done on weekdays, but even then sometimes with long waits. The weekend bus service is very sparse. A weekend day trip to Carvoeiro and back by bus is not possible in winter.
 Fares - I think! Albufeira - Lagoa €4,30 and Lagoa - Carvoeiro €2,55. Separate tickets needed for each bus. Details here.

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ALBUFEIRA TOURIST 'TRAINS'

There are two routes, one to the east of the town between the old town (top of the escalator) , Oura and the 'strip', with a second route over to the west of the old town, going around Cerro Grande and the Marina areas. Both routes operate at intervals of 40 - 45 minutes between journeys, from around 0900 to 2100. More information on this page.
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How to get to The Marina, Algarve Shopping Mall (near Guia) and Albufeira Retail Park

For a list of all the timetables on the site, click here
For an alphabetical list of places in the Algarve, click here
For some important general notes about buses in the Algarve, click here
Back to the main page here

www.algarvebus.info