REDE EXPRESSOS AND OTHER LONG DISTANCE BUSES (COACHES) IN PORTUGAL

INFORMATION CORRECT AS OF 31st March
The national long distance bus (coach) operator Rede Expressos is currently providing only about half the 'normal' service
THE 'NORMAL' TIMETABLES BELOW ARE  INCORRECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
Short notice changes are likely. Check official website carefully - click the logo below to go there.
Tickets are currently on sale only SEVEN DAYS in advance.

This page has been created with information taken from printed timetables, the official website and checked locally whenever possible.

Please read! This page summarises some of the long-distance services operated by the Rede Expressos consortium (and some other companies) from Lisbon and Porto to and from some of the more requested tourist destinations in Portugal, in particular the Algarve. I have some of the current timetable leaflets for Rede-Expressos routes to and from Lisbon, so if there is a place you are looking for that is not included below, please email me with your query. Please however read the whole page and check the websites first, as I do have a real life.The basic point to point times can be checked by selecting origin and destination then OK BUT THEN NOT selecting a particular date. The days and dates of running are shown in only in Portuguese, so ensure you properly understand this information. The expressions in Portuguese for days of the week are quite unlike anywhere else!

2ª = Monday, 3ª = Tuesday, 4ª = Wednesday 5ª = Thursday and 6ª = Friday while Sábado and Domingo you will recognise. Até means 'until' while Entre means 'between' and A partir de means ' from the date...'.

You must always re-check times for the EXACT date you wish to travel when tickets are available, a maximum 30 days in advance. I have done my best below to indicate the approximate level of service. In the absence of a general timetable, it is far too time consuming to check every date for every destination!

REDE EXPRESSOS

REDE-EXPRESSOS PORTUGAL NETWORK MAP

This can be viewed here and will open a new window or tab. These are the routes and places that were served when the network was complete. Many small towns may have only one or two journeys a day, a few not even daily service. CHECK THE TIMETABLES!!

BUYING TICKETS

Seat reservations are required for all Rede Expressos services. You can normally reserve on-line up to 30 days ahead of travel at the website, by telephone or at the bus terminals or ticket agents. Rede-Expressos tickets can be purchased at the website using credit cards or PayPal. There is only a limited refund available for tickets purchased on line, but this is never given after the booked journey has departed. Check the terms and conditions here.

When in the payment process, you will see a section labelled INVOICE DATA. If you are not a Portuguese tax payer IGNORE THIS COMPLETELY!! Please take a look at a screen capture here. If you are a Portuguese tax payer, you will know what this means.

The Rede-Expressos ticketing systems allow you to book a through ticket from just about anywhere to anywhere else. Any change of vehicle required (always in Lisbon if that's on your route) is clearly indicated. Don't forget that Lisbon is 'LISBOA' in Portuguese. However sometimes you will need two separate tickets.

Your ticket will show VIATURA (route or vehicle number) which is on the front of the vehicle and also shown on departure screens at larger bus stations. If in doubt, ask. On some routes you will also be assigned a seat number (lugar) which is also shown on your ticket. However on many services you sit where you like.

Many ticket offices and agents in small towns keep limited hours, especially at weekends and on holidays. Many calls are just a bus stop. If you turn up, with no ticket, at the last moment and the next bus is full, you will be sold a ticket for the first bus on which there is a seat, which might be tomorrow! If you are making a long journey and do not have a ticket, be sure to arrive at least 30 minutes before your departure time or buy a ticket on line. Tickets purchased via the website can be either self print or sent to a suitable mobile device.

A list of Rede-Expressos ticket offices and sales agents can be found on their website, click Postos de Venda or Points of Sale on their home page and then choose the place you need from the list. Rede - Expressos call centre number is 707 22 33 44 available 0800 - 2100 daily.

WIFI is available on all vehicles normally used in service. There will however be many remote areas where there is poor or non-existent connection. At busy times, extra vehicles 'borrowed' and pressed into service may not have wifi

PRICES

As a VERY rough indication of the cost, an hour's ride with Rede Expressos will cost you €7.00, but the longer the journey, the cheaper it gets. Rede-Expressos is a group of several operators, so your vehicle may have a different company name on it.

A return (round-trip) ticket is a little cheaper than two one-way tickets. However you can only buy a return ticket if your trip is with 30 days of booking, both ways.

Children under 4 years who do not occupy a seat travel free. Children aged 4 to 13 years travel half price. Once they are 14, they pay full fare, unless holding a student or youth discount card.

Seniors - those 65 years or older have a small discount on the normal fare. Photo ID must be carried on the journey as proof.

LUGGAGE ON BOARD

TRAVEL ON FRIDAYS, SUNDAYS AND AROUND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

These are very busy times on all the long distance routes. You are strongly advised to buy tickets in advance wherever possible! On many routes there are extra journeys on Fridays and Sundays during the University and College term time, which is from the second Monday in September until the 30th June. I cannot show all these in the time tables below, but they will be available on the official websites. All long distance routes are subject to alteration around major holidays eg Christmas, New Year and Easter. It is impossible for me to include all these variations here. Intending travellers should especially be aware that :

• on December 24th and December 31st many late evening and overnight services do not run;
• on December 25th and January 1st some early morning services will not run;
  
• December 26th is not a holiday in Portugal. There may be some changes to timetables however;
  
• other holiday dates can be found here. If a holiday falls on a Friday or Monday, there will be changes to timetables from Thursday to Tuesday. Do check carefully.

LISBON BUS TERMINALS AND COMPANIES

Most of the REDE EXPRESSOS services on this page run from and to the LISBON SETE RIOS bus terminal. This is 3 miles / 5 km from the city centre, but is well served by city buses (http://carris.pt/ for details), the Metro (Jardim Zoológico station; http://metrolisboa.pt/ for details) and by suburban trains to Sete Rios station (www.cp.pt Urbanos Lisboa). In all cases allow at least 20 minutes to make your connection, as it is a bit of a maze around there. If you are arriving at Sete Rios and need a taxi, there is a taxi rank to the left of the exit. Sete Rios is about 5.7miles / 9.2 km from the airport - see below for travel options.

They also use the LISBON GARE ORIENTE terminal, which is next to the railway and metro stations of the same name. This is about 5.75 miles / 9.0 km from the city centre but only 2.9km /1.8 miles the airport, with a direct metro connection.  I have marked where known which journeys use Oriente rather than Sete Rios. A few trips to and from the Algarve towns call at both. Some cities and towns in the north of the country also have service to and from both Sete Rios and Oriente, so check times to and from both.

Some routes use both Sete Rios and Oriente. It is always worth checking times at both, especially if you are travelling from or to Lisbon Airport. CITIEXPRESS services to the north-east use both Sete Rios and Oriente. Tickets for Citiexpress are sold through the Rede-Expressos website.

RODOVÍARIO DO TEJO is a regional operator (website www.rodotejo.pt) whose 'rápidas' buses to the popular tourist destination of Óbidos use LISBON CAMPO GRANDE bus station, which is next to the Metro station of the same name and about 4.5 miles / 7.3 km from the city centre. Their stops are outside the main area of the bus terminal - they are next to a 16-storey apartment block. There is allegedly a ticket office by the Metro station entrance, which I have never noticed. You can buy your tickets on the bus. The MAFRENSE bus company, for buses to Ericeira, also use Campo Grande.

A few other companies are mentioned in the timetables below as required. For a longer list of regional bus operators in Portugal, click here.

ARRIVING AT LISBON AIRPORT - GETTING TO A BUS TERMINAL

NONE of the national long distance companies have departures from Lisbon Airport. You will need to make your way to the appropriate bus terminal. Approximate distances from the airport to the bus terminals - Campo Grande 2.1 miles/3.3km , Oriente 1.8 miles/2.9km; Sete Rios 5.7miles/9.2km. Taxis are readily available at the airport should you not wish to use metro (underground / subway) train or bus.

Metro / subway / underground

You can take a bus or the Metro (subway) from the airport across town to Oriente or Sete Rios. The Metro runs every few minutes from 6am to 1am daily and will take you to Oriente in about 7 minutes and Jardim Zoológico (for the Sete Rios terminal) in about 25 minutes. Tickets are €2,00 for any journey, which includes 50 cents for the rechargeable ticket card.

City bus to Oriente

Carris city bus 744 will take you to Gare Oriente. Cash fare on this bus is €2,00. The bus will be going to MOSCAVIDE. First bus 0645hrs weekdays and Saturdays, 0745hrs Sundays and Holidays Last bus 2200hrs weekdays, 2145hrs Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays. Buses run about every 12 - 20 minutes on weekdays, every 30 minutes at weekends. This bus DOES NOT operate at all on weekends and holidays during AUGUST.

Aerobus to Sete Rios

Aerobus 2 goes to the Sete Rios bus terminal. The service operates once each hour from 0800 to 1930hrs. Full details  at www.aerobus.pt There is no direct city bus between the airport and Sete Rios.

Bus to Campo Grande - there isn't one!

There is no practicable route by metro and no direct bus link between the airport and Campo Grande Norte for the bus terminal there. Bus 783 from the airport, direction Amoreiras, stops approx. 850 metres from the Campo Grande terminal. Lisbon city bus maps and times are at www.http://carris.transporteslisboa.pt/.pt

SPECIAL NOTE - RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT. THE REDE EXPRESSOS WEBSITE STATES THAT JOURNEYS 'FROM THE NORTH' SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE IN LISBON BETWEEN 2300 AND 0800 hrs WILL STOP ON REQUEST AT THE AIRPORT. YOU MUST TELL THE DRIVER WHEN BOARDING. THE WEBSITE DOES NOT DETAIL EXACTLY WHAT IS MEANT BY 'FROM THE NORTH'!

List of timetables - click to jump to the timetable you need.

• LISBON BUS TERMINALS AND COMPANIES
• ARRIVING AT LISBON AIRPORT - GETTING TO A BUS TERMINAL
• LISBON  <> ALBUFEIRA
• LISBON TO FARO
• FARO TO LISBON
• Vilamoura, Quarteira, Almancil, Loulé, Olhão, Tavira, Monte Gordo, Vila Real de Santo António
• LISBON TO THE WESTERN ALGARVE
• THE WESTERN ALGARVE TO LISBON
• ALBUFEIRA TO THE ALENTEJO COAST
• LISBON <> SAGRES DIRECT SERVICES via Aljezur or Portimão
• (FARO) <> ALBUFEIRA <> FÁTIMA DIRECT
• LISBON  > FÁTIMA
• FÁTIMA > LISBON
• PORTO < > FÁTIMA
• LISBON > TORRES VEDRAS > PRAIA AREIA BRANCA > PENICHE
• PENICHE > PRAIA AREIA BRANCA > TORRES VEDRAS > LISBON
• LISBON > CALDAS DA RAINHA > NAZARÉ > MARINHA GRANDE > LEIRIA
• LEIRIA > MARINHA GRANDE > NAZARÉ > CALDAS DA RAINHA > LISBON
• LISBON < > NAZARÉ also LISBON <> ALCOBAÇA
• LISBON <> ÓBIDOS <> CALDAS DA RAINHA by Rodoviária do Oeste 'RAPIDA VERDE'
• LISBON <> BATALHA
• LISBON <> MAFRA (for the Palace) <> ERICEIRA
• LISBON - BRAGANÇA
• BRAGANÇA - LISBON
• PORTO < > BRAGANÇA
• LISBON < > ÉVORA <> BEJA

On most Public Holidays the timetable is the same as Sundays.Especially at Easter, Christmas and New Year. In addition, many late evening and 'overnight' services do not run on December 24th and December 31st. Announcements are made about a month beforehand.

LISBON <> ÓBIDOS <> CALDAS DA RAINHA by Rodoviária do Oeste 'RAPIDA VERDE' Although the service is operated by Rodoviára do Oeste, it's possible that Rodotejo vehicles may be used.
These buses run from and to Campo Grande, about 5 miles/8km from Lisbon city centre, next to the metro station of the same name. These are NOT part of the Rede-Expressos network. One way fare from Lisbon to Óbidos is €8.00, Caldas da Rainha €8.10. The ticket office in Campo Grande, Lisbon, is allegedly next to the Metro station entrance but I never saw it. You can pay the driver.	The stop at CAMPO GRANDE is in Rua Actor António Silva. A printable timetable is here. Buses take just over an hour to reach Óbidos and ten minutes more to get to Caldas da Rainha. Some journeys start from or continue to Alcobaça or Nazaré - see the timetable for details. On weekdays, there are buses about once every two hours (but every 15 - 30  minutes at peak times). There are  currently (28th October) only six buses each way on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays at intervals of up to four hours. Weekday peak times : towards Lisbon 0530 - 0830, from Lisbon 1600 - 1930. Click here for more information that will help you find the bus stops in Lisbon and Óbidos
The same company operates local buses for the ten minute journey between Óbidos and Caldas da Rainha - for times look under 'INTERURBANAS' on http://rodoviariadooeste.pt/ but be aware that local buses are very infrequent at weekends and virtually non-existent on public holidays.

www.algarvebus.info