Useful Information Tips for Tourist and Visitors

Useful Info for Albufeira

Here is some useful information about how to travel to Albufeira by plane or driving around the Algarve. Prices for electronic tolls on the A22 and where to charge your electric vehicle at the local EV stations in Albufeira.

Here are some facts and advices we believe will be good to know for those who come and visit Albufeira and the Algarve region for the first time. In this tourist guide, you’ll find a collection of tips, recommendations and contacts on diverse matters such as how to move around, average costs of things, precautions to take, a helpful phone book, links to websites of interest, etc.

How to get to Albufeira

After landing in Faro Airport, you can get to Albufeira by car (taxi, transfer bus or rent-a-car), driving West by the EN 125 main road or the A22 highway ("Via do Infante" - see below) for about 35Km (22 miles), the road is well sign-posted making it quite easy to get there.

If travelling by car from another country, coming down to the Algarve from the North, by motorway (A2), main road (IP1) or train, you will enter straight into Albufeira, as it is the main access to the region. Coming from the Spanish border, you will enter the Algarve at Vila Real de Santo António on the A22 highway.

See our page about local transportation for more detailed information!

Passport & IDs

To spend their holidays in Portugal, all tourists that come from countries under the Schengen Agreement only need their Identification Card to travel.

All tourists from Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia need a passport to be able to stay in the country for no more than 3 months.

In other cases, a Visa is needed to be able to stay for any length of time in Portugal.

Each visitor to Portugal should be able to produce onward travel arrangements and proof of sufficient funds to support their holiday.

No vaccinations are required before entering the country unless coming from an area infected with yellow fever

Traffic & Driving

A2 Highway to Lisbon

For those who normally drive on the left side of the road, we advise you to take extra care when driving in Portugal, for here the driving is done on the right side.

The roads are reasonably well sign-posted and the speed limits for cars is 120 Km/h on the motorway and 90 Km/h on national roads unless indicated otherwise. Limits are 40 or 50 Km/h inside town and urban areas.

The use of a seatbelt is compulsory for all passengers.

The alcohol level in the blood should not go over 0.5 grams/litre – if the level should exceed this, it is punishable with a very severe fine, confiscation of the driving licence or even arrested.

It is advisable to take extra precaution when driving, for the traffic is very intense in the Summer Holiday season. On roundabouts, cars going around have priority (except signed otherwise) and in case the roundabout has two or more lanes you should only remain on the right side if you exit on the first or second road.

You will naturally have to carry your driver license at all time.

Electronic Tolls on the A22 («Via do Infante»)

Algarve Toll Map

Since April 2012, government has ended the free access to the A22, the main highway connecting the Algarve region (from Lagos to the Spanish border), and introduced an electronic payment method. Unlike on the A2 (highway to Lisbon), there are no manual tollbooth on the A22. Several electronic gates will detect license plates and payments can be done in different ways:

If you plan on using the A22 during your visit, it is recommended for users with a foreign license plate to purchase online or at the Portuguese/Spanish border (in Vila Real de Stº António) either a prepaid ticket or associate their license plate with a credit card, or rent an electronic device. Visit the following website for more info: portugaltolls.com

If you pass through the gates without any pre-payment card or electronic device, you can still pay the toll at the local post office (CTT) after two days with a 0.75€ surplus.

If you rent a car, the rental company should explain the best method on pick-up.

For vehicles with Portuguese plates, owners can acquire a device from «Via Verde» and be able to use every highway in the country.

Tips:

  • For the trip between Faro airport and Albufeira, exit the A22 at the Boliqueime (exit 11) and continue on the EN125. It's a shorter drive and sometimes even quicker (if you're staying on the eastern part of Albufeira), and it will only cost 0,35€, the price of gate between exits 12 and 11.
  • Coming down from Lisbon on the A2, you can continue west on the A22 and exit at Albufeira (exit 9) without any cost.

EV Charging Station

There are now a few Electric Vehicles charging stations in Albufeira.

  • On the parking in front of the Town hall
  • On the avenue Alameda da Orada at the Marina
  • On the parking of the Paraíso de Albufeira Hotel
  • At the entrance of Pine Cliffs Resort (Açoteias)
  • At Hotel Baía Grande
  • At São Rafael Atlântico (TBC)
  • A supercharger is to be installed at Vale Paraíso soon

All available information presented here has been gathered from online sources and from personal experiences. If you have any suggestions to make or find inaccurate, incomplete or outdated detail, please contact us and we’ll correct the information as needed.