Lisbon to Lagos Travel Guide
One of the first places that we visited when we first explored the Algarve region in Portugal was the gorgeous city of Lagos. Situated in the western Algarve, this seaside haven is an absolutely perfect introduction to the region and has crept its way into our hearts. We like to visit as often as we can!
Lagos with its historic and quaint town centre, amazing beaches and coastlines (and plenty of them) and enough entertainment and nightlife to keep you busy during your stay, definitely has it all. Unlike some of the other Algarve destinations that have been overrun by tourists and sadly lost the Portuguese character, Lagos has somehow still managed to retain its charm and authenticity.
Given that the distance from Lisbon to Lagos is approximately 300 kms (about 2h30 – 3h00 driving time), travel from Lisbon to Lagos is fairly easy. You can choose to either travel by rail, bus or car itself.
So, if you’re wondering exactly how to get there, then this post is for you!
Below I’m going to outline in detail all the different ways in which you can travel from Lisbon to Lagos, Portugal and vice versa.
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Best way to get from Lisbon to Lagos:
To be honest, whenever we’ve travelled to Lagos, we’ve always rented a car and driven ourselves. Given its locality, you can easily explore not only the city itself but also the surrounding region.
With the stunning and uncrowded Costa Vicentina and Alentejo coast to the west, and the rest of the Algarve to the east, you may in fact prefer this option. It will simply give you much more freedom to explore as you please, without the restrictions of having to rely on public transport.
Either way, if you are planning a shorter stay or want a hassle-free holiday, chilling on the beach without the need to really travel anywhere, then travelling by bus or train to Lagos may in fact be the better bet.
When deciding on whether to travel by train or bus, its good to note that there isn’t really much differentiation between the Lisbon Lagos train versus the Lisbon Lagos bus route.
Below we will provide a breakdown of each service to enable you to decide which option will work best for you.
Lisbon to Lagos bus:
Getting from Lisbon to Lagos by bus is fairly straightforward. Bus services in Portugal are of a good standard and not expensive at all. Most buses we’ve travelled on have always been very clean and comfortable and some offer free Wi-Fi on-board.
The bus service between Lisbon and Lagos is operated by the company called Rede-Expressos and takes anywhere between 3h25mins and 5h10mins depending on the various routes taken. Keep this in mind when booking, as you probably wouldn’t want to end up on the bus for 5 hours!
Note: If you’ve already done some research, you may be mistaken for thinking that there are three different operators on this Lisbon Lagos bus route (Rede-Expressos, Mundial Turismo and RENEX). These are in fact all part of the overall Rede-Expressos group. As such you can consult the Rede-Expressos website where they will list all of these services.
Lisbon Bus Terminals
Most services depart from Lisbon’s Sete Rios station and has fairly frequent departures (almost every hour). The closest metro station is the Jardim Zoológico on the blue metro line. From here it is a short walk across the street (300m) to the Sete Rios Bus Terminal (Terminal Rodoviário Sete Rios, 1500, Rua Professor Lima Basto 133, Lisboa).
The RENEX services also offer a number of departures from Lisbon’s Oriente station, which is on the red metro line towards the airport. The Oriente metro, bus and train terminals are all connected and should be well signposted.
When returning from Lagos to Lisbon, the bus will depart from the Lagos terminal known as the “Terminal Rodoviário de Lagos”, (Address – Largo do Rossio de São João Batista 2, Lagos). The bus station is situated not too far out from the historic centre.
Costing & How To Book:
A one-way ticket price for the bus to Lagos is around 19€ / 20€ per person and you may want to book these in advance on the website. I would highly recommend you doing so, especially during the peak summer season. In the past, we’ve caught coaches from Sete Rios and the queues at the ticket lines were insane. Thus, avoid having to wait in line and rather pre-book and be assured of your spot on the bus.
Lisbon to Lagos by train:
As I mentioned already, there really isn’t much different between the rail and coach services connecting Lisbon and Lagos, apart from a slight variation in costing and duration. But there really isn’t much in it. The train services depart from Lisbon’s Oriente station (on the red metro line) and is operated on two different services. One being the Alfa Pendular and the other the Intercidades service. The standard of these trains are also pretty good and the main difference between them is simply the price and journey time.
Important note: Both of these services will require you to change onto a Regional train in the town of Tunes. Please be aware of this change of train / connection required. The quickest service is on the Alfa Pendular & Regional option. This journey takes approximately 3h45mins and cost around 23,45€ for standard class and 30,25€ on 1st class. The Intercidades & Regional route takes slightly longer at between 4h00mins and 4h35mins journey time. Tickets on this option will cost between 22,45€ for standard class and 28,05€ for 1st class tickets.
Top Tip: Make sure to book your Lisbon to Lagos train tickets in advance on the CP website (Comboios de Portugal which is the national rail services, through whom you can book your tickets). Booking in advance will give you access to discounted promo fares. But note you can usually only book rail tickets around 2 – 3 months in advance. So, be sure consult the site for more information.
If you are travelling in a group of 5 or more, then you may also be entitled to group discounts. For more info, go read my post on top money savings tips whilst travelling in Portugal. There I outline exactly how you can save on travel costs, including rail travel.
Travelling to Lagos by car:
If like us, you prefer a bit more freedom and would rather travel by car, then a car hire option would most definitely be your best bet. The journey from Lisbon should take around 2h44mins and cover approximately 300kms.
You can take the A2 highway which connects onto the A22, when you reach closer to the Algarve, and then eventually leads into Lagos. The roads on the highway are of a very good standard and there are numerous service stations along this route.
Note: Most of Portugal’s highways are tolled and the A2 and A22 between Lisbon and Lagos will be tolled too. If you are interested in estimating these toll fees, then visit the following Portugal Tolls Calculator (it is available in English).
Top Tip: When renting a car in Portugal, the car hire company should also give you the option of signing up to the electronic toll tag service. This will allow you to travel straight through without having to pay individually each time. The tolls will automatically deduct from your credit card registered with the car hire company. Ask them to explain the cost and the service to you and decide if this will be worth your while.
Lagos Tours & Activities:
Whilst visiting Lagos, you may want to consider booking some of these awesome tours & activities to fill up your itinerary. These are some popular options:
Where to stay in Lagos:
Wondering where to stay in Lagos, here are a few suggestions. Click on each option to view rates on Booking.com
Affordable Hotel Options:
Carvi Beach Hotel – View Rates
Aqualuz Lagos – View Rates
Mid-range Hotel Options:
Lagos Avenida Hotel – View Rates
Vila Galé Lagos – View Rates
Luxury Hotel Options:
Casa Mãe – View Rates
Iberostar Selection Lagos – View Rates
Conclusion:
Lagos is a stunning town and if you have the time to visit, then please do, you will not be disappointed. Travel to and from Lisbon to Lagos also needn’t be any hassle. With all the various options listed above, I’m sure you’ll find it easy to navigate and get to this Algarve seaside jewel!
I would love to hear from you. Have you visited Lagos? How did you get there? Do you have any tips or suggestions that I may have missed out on?
Feel free to share your comments and thoughts!
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