Algarve-Tourist.com
The best independent guide to the Algarve
Algarve-Tourist.com
The best independent guide to the Algarve
Faro Airport Guide
Faro airport is the main airport that serves the southern side of Portugal and the popular tourist region of the Algarve.
The airport is centrally positioned along the coastline and is close to the town of Faro, which provides all of the public transport options to the other resort towns.
Faro Airport is a seasonal airport with vast numbers passing through in the summer months while is comparatively quiet in the low season.
Inside the main terminal of Faro airport
Faro airport has a more personal and smaller feel than many of Europe's ultra-modern and massive airports but Faro has services and amenities that are able to handle the busy summer season. English is the second language of the airport and is spoken fluently by all customer service representatives.
Air Tap is the national carrier of Portugal
Few passengers have serious complaints or misgivings about Faro airport and it is a relatively easy to both fly into and out from. The main issue with the airport come from the actual airlines, especially the low cost airlines who insist on having massive queues for check-in and bag drop off.
Onward Travel From Faro Airport
Faro Airport is the main gateway to southern Portugal but it is poorly connected to the public transport network.
All visitors who are reliant on bus or train services for onward travel must travel to the town of Faro which is 4km to the east. From Faro there are train and bus services along the coastline that connect to all the major resort towns.
Mini bus services and private transfers do operate from Faro airport and provide convenience but should be pre-booked for the best price. Taxis hailed from outside the airport are expensive and are only suitable for short journeys to Faro.
The bus to the airport
For tourist who are renting a car, the main (toll A22) is close to the airport and this is the easiest method to reach all of the resort towns. Luckily, the roads around the airport are quiet with plenty of time to get to grips with the Portuguese erratic driving.
Tourist Advice for Faro Airport
Faro airport is very logically designed, at one end of the long terminal is departures while at the other end is arrivals. This means the airport is very easy to navigate and the distance from security to the departure gate is minimal.
There is a smoking area for passengers who have passed through security, it is on the first floor, above all of the shops and restaurants. There is free public WIFI (requires login) but the real annoyance is the limited number of power sockets to charge phones, computers or other electronic units.
The main complaint about the airport is the length of the queues at the check in desks, this mainly applies to the low cost airlines. For these low cost airlines always perform online check in, arrive with plenty of time and have the correct size hand luggage as they can be heedlessly fuzzy about weight or size. 
Golf equipment can be hired from Faro airport
Tourist Advice for Faro Airport
As Faro is a busy international airport, all the expected services are contained within the departure or arrival lounges.
Money (in Euros) can be withdrawn from the ATM machines or changed at the currency exchange stalls.
All of the major car hire companies are represented at the arrivals hall and there is a tourist information booth for last minute decisions.
In the public area before security there are three food vendors all selling fine but inflated priced foods and drinks. There is a wider selection once through security along with duty free shops. For those visitors travelling in Europe, supermarkets are generally cheap than the duty free stores.
Key shops are open from 5am until the last flight of the day and this includes a pharmacy.
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