Explore · Algarve

The Algarve without a car

Buses, trains and the tourist pass: how we tell our own guests to get around from Lagos.

Aerial view of a small beach town on the south coast of Portugal
Golden cliffs and coves along the Algarve coast

No car? No problem. Lagos sits at the end of the Algarve railway and on the regional bus network, so most of the coast is a bus or train ride away.

Quick facts

  • Since 19 July 2026, electric trains run straight between Lagos and Vila Real de Santo António, with no change in Faro.
  • The Vamus Algarve bus network has run since December 2021 and includes the Aerobus from Faro airport to Lagos.
  • A Vamus tourist pass gives unlimited rides on Vamus buses for three or seven days, counted from the first time you use it.
  • Local town buses, including Lagos’s A Onda, are not part of the Vamus pass.

The bus pass: Vamus Algarve Tourist Pass

Vamus Algarve Tourist Pass

At a glance

  • 3 days or 7 days, unlimited rides, counted from the first time you use it
  • Price: €35 (3 days) and €45 to €46 (7 days) in our sources; check today’s price
  • Covers: all Vamus Algarve buses, including the Aerobus from Faro airport to Lagos
  • Not covered: trains, Rede Expressos coaches, Lagos A Onda town buses
  • Where to buy: Algarve tourist information offices; Lonely Planet says it is also sold online. Bus tickets: Vamus ticket office at Lagos bus station
  • Timetables: vamusalgarve.pt
Vamus Algarve Tourist Pass card: 3 days €35, 7 days €45, valid on Vamus, Vizur and Aerobus

The pass with its launch prices. Image: Vamus Algarve, as published by Portugal Resident

Vamus Algarve is the regional bus network that links the towns along the coast. Check routes on the Vamus timetables and prices on tickets and fares. Its tourist pass is the “card” people talk about: unlimited journeys on all Vamus lines for three or seven days, with no limit on how many trips you take. It also covers the Aerobus, which runs from Faro airport to Faro, Albufeira, Lagoa, Portimão and Lagos.

When the pass launched in 2022 it cost €35 for three days and €45 for seven, and Lonely Planet listed €35 and €46 in 2025. Check the current price before you buy. You can buy it at the region’s tourist information offices, as Portugal Resident reported at its launch, and Lonely Planet says it is also sold online. For ordinary bus tickets, Lagos has a Vamus ticket office at the bus station on Largo do Rossio de São João Batista (opening hours). We have not confirmed that it sells the tourist pass, so ask there.

What it does not cover: the long-distance Rede Expressos coaches, trains, and the local town buses in places like Lagos, Portimão and Faro. If you are only taking one or two buses, single tickets may work out cheaper; Lonely Planet says the Vamus app’s pre-paid fares can be up to 40% cheaper than paying on board.

The train: Lagos to the Spanish border

A regional train at the platform of Lagos railway station, Portugal

Lagos railway station in 2017, before the line went electric. Photo: Nithin bolar k / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Lagos is the western end of the Algarve line, which runs all the way east to Vila Real de Santo António on the Spanish border. Since 19 July 2026 the line is electric, the new trains carry around 40% more passengers, and direct trains mean no more changing in Faro. CP added about 18% more regional trains and two daily InterRegional trains with fewer stops.

Buy your ticket before you board when the station ticket office is open, or you risk a fine. You can also buy in the CP app or online on cp.pt up to 60 days ahead, where you will also find the Algarve line timetable. One tip from Lonely Planet: some stations, including Albufeira and Loulé, are a long walk from the town centre, so check the map before you choose the train over the bus.

Getting around Lagos

Rock arches and turquoise water at Ponta da Piedade, Lagos

Ponta da Piedade, Lagos. Photo: Reiseuhu / Unsplash

On foot

Old Town Lagos is best explored walking, and so are many beaches: from our Old Town apartment, Batata beach is a five-minute walk.

A Onda town buses

Lagos runs its own urban buses, A Onda (A Onda timetables). Tickets go on a reloadable contactless card rather than paper, and there are tourist tickets for several days.

The river ferry

In season, small ferries cross the river from town to Meia Praia, the long sandy beach on the other side.

Taxis and ride apps

After dark, a taxi, Bolt or Uber is often the only option, especially inland or on the west coast, where it is worth booking ahead.

Good to know

  • Buses to small villages can be rare, sometimes only two a day on weekdays, and timetables shrink in winter and during school holidays.
  • Plan day trips around the last bus or train back, not the first one out.
  • Prices and timetables change. Always check the operator before you set off.

Sources

Plan the rest of your days

Algarve Guide
Lagos