Changes to Giro bus routes in Albufeira

We are now a week away from the big upheaval to local buses and there is still no information available about the new routes and times.

on the camara website about the contract signing on Nov 22 .... all details and new giro map

Maps and simple timetables are indeed available at the website. I have spent a joyful morning browsing. Some routes have a bus every 20 minutes at busy weekday times, some now have only one bus an hour all day Saturday. Branqueira has lost almost all its buses. Good news for those arriving by train is that the existing route from the station now goes into the old town around by the town hall before going to the bus station. Bad news is that it will run only once an hour at weekends and it goes on a little circuit of the west side of Ferreiras before heading into town, so takes nearly twice as long. But there will be a second quicker route between the station and the bus station running every half hour seven days a week, going the other way through Torre Mosqueira and Brejos.

Another useful new route is number 10 which runs every half hour every day on a pretty direct route between the bus station, the Cãmara, then old town at Rua Alves Correeia and the Pau da Bandeira view point. If they don't change their minds, there will be late night service in the summer.

The current appalling 'service'  through Galé, Salgados and Vale de Parra to Guia will be transformed and have a bus once every hour on weekdays, once every 2 hours at the weekend and on holidays. In theory there will be connections at Guia with the number 7 below.

Another handy new route for many will be number 7 from the bus station to Guia via Algarve Shopping. That will run once an hour every day, but for some obscure reason will not run before 1000am in summer. if they don't change their minds.

The marina area will be served by two routes, numbers 3 and 8, therefore three buses an hour for most of the day. Since hardly anyone ever gets on or off there, it will be interesting to see if this largesse brings more passengers. There have never been any GIRO timetables at the bus stops. I wonder if the council has spent some money so that people who cannot or will not access information on line will know what the times are.

There has been nothing obvious to be seen on the buses or at the bus station to alert people of these changes. I remember the previous time when old ladies were shaking their walking sticks at the drivers when the bus didn't go where they thought it would.

Many of the timetables show routes making little diversions at certain times of the day, so it no longer possible for some to be at a regular so many minutes past the hour. I have been furiously scribbling down various new journeys as there will no longer be a direct bus to take me to and from the bowls club.

I am absolutely gobsmacked that the link between Montechoro and Santa Eulalia with the escalators, etc has been broken ... one of the busiest routes on the network ... and with buses now going in the opposite direction to previously, ending and starting at Liberdade ... doubt many people will figure it worth using, since two or three in a taxi will be cheaper. Of course they can get off at Town hall and walk down !  These are the most incompetent arrangements for transport I have ever seen ... terrible for disabled or those with walking difficulties. They seem to want people to go via the bus station ... does that cost more ?