should we drive from Lisbon?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 7:58 pm

Hi,

We are planning on coming to Portugal in July and will be flying into Lisbon and spending a few days there. Then, we will be heading down to Carvoeiro for a week, and then on to Barcelona (probably a flight from Lisbon...unless there's a better place to fly from). We aren't planning on driving for our few days in Lisbon has we know it will be really busy in a big city. Should we rent a car when we leave Lisbon to drive down or should we take bus/train and then rent a car when we get to carvoeiro for the week? What do you think would be the most economical? Thanks for the help!

Lesley Jean · Post by **Lesley Jean** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 9:21 pm

Hi, I think that if you got the train down to the Algarve it is reasonably cheap and you would get to see a great deal of the countryside on the way down. Then hire a car from YOR/Algarvedriver.com who have the best prices and will deliver a car to where you are staying.

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 9:46 pm

Theres also the bus from Lisbon down to Lagoa. Not sure what price is now, but 2 years ago it was 30euros return. Takes about 3 hours but as Lesley has pointed out with the train..you do get to see some pretty countryside and at a leisurely pace. They also show a film.
I did the return from Lagoa and really enjoyed it.

nightrider · Post by **nightrider** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 10:41 pm

Via Train:-
You need to check the times of the trains.(Not many per day).
Lisboa to Tunes
Change Tunes to Silves
Taxi from Silves to Carvoeiro.
Or bus from Silves to Lagoa (see details below)

Via Bus:-
Lisboa to Lagoa
Lagoa change to Carvoerio
Or Taxi..

Nightrider

maddi · Post by **maddi** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 11:36 pm

My personal choice (i.e this is what I do!) would be to hire the car in Lisbon and drive down especially as you are travelling back Lisbon to fly on to Barcelona. You can still hire the car using this site.

With NR's explanation of what is required to do it by train and get to CVO, if money is a consideration - and you are going to be hiring once in CVO, then the fuel to and from Lisbon would be negliable really.

However if money is not a consideration and perhaps scenery is your primary motivator then take the train and get a taxi from Silves.

Maddi

Lesley Jean · Post by **Lesley Jean** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:08 am

Don't forget the tolls if you take the motorway down to the Algarve, I am not sure how much they are now but I think they were quite a lot. Hope someone can let us know how much?

digger · Post by **digger** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:10 pm

Like Maddi, I would hire a car, much more fun! It would give you the opportunity to visit places on the way down, and once there in cvo you could do daytrips: Silves, Lagos, Sagres etc

nightrider · Post by **nightrider** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:18 pm

Digger,
Last time we drove up, we thought the tolls to be expensive, but for the love of me I cannot recall the actual costs, like Lesley's question...any idea of the actual costs

N.R.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:24 pm

If you intend to drive down,don´t take the motorway.take the IP1/IC1.You´ll get amuch better chance to see the countryside,can stop when you like,there are no tolls and it doesn´t take much longer and look for the turn-off to Monchique and drive down thro´the mountains (loverly).
It might add acouple of hours to your journey,but who cares,you will be in Portugal!

HP
(I keep forgetting to log in)

digger · Post by **digger** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:24 pm

oh I don’t know … about €20 or something. Peanuts to the foreign tourist

nightrider · Post by **nightrider** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:25 pm

hp.....Join the club.he he.

nightrider · Post by **nightrider** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:30 pm

digger wrote:oh I don’t know … about €20 or something. Peanuts to the foreign tourist

Well we must have done something wrong..because by the time we put the petrol in.... all though it's fair to say we took our guzzler vehicle...pit stops, tolls etc.... it cost a great deal more than 20€uros..

digger · Post by **digger** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:42 pm

I think you pay more at the portagems if you’ve got a tonka toy or something
… and fuel is a separate cost.

nightrider · Post by **nightrider** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:59 pm

Digger, Yes I believe that you are perfectly correct. Thanks for drawing my attention to something that I had forgotten about. I also believe that we paid more coming through the Euro Tunnel... because we were driving as you say our Tonka Toy. N.R.

maddi · Post by **maddi** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 2:16 pm

The scenic route is by far the best fun and if you are people who find joy in the experience of the journey - then the train or the scenic route will be a delight.

However if you just want to get there - the toll on the motorway was approx. 15 euro (get a ticket at the start then when you come off they know how far you have done and charge you accordingly - if you don't get one they will assume you have been on the motorway since its origin).

The journey should take you a tad over 2 hours if you drive at 80 mph which I know is just over the kmh speed limit - so really no need for a pit stop unless you are particularly fond of motorway service stations

Maddi