The bus station in Tavira is on Rua dos Pelames, just a 5-minute walk from the main square (Praça da República). It’s where you’ll arrive if you’re taking the bus from Lisbon or from other towns in Algarve. It’s also where you catch the bus to the neighboring villages which have connections to the beaches on the islands. Surprisingly, most of these buses don’t operate on weekends or are reduced to just a couple of departures. Tickets to the local buses are bought from the driver. Try to pay with coins or small bills, as the driver often doesn’t have change for €50 or even €20 bills. The station does have a ticket office, plus a small waiting area, a café and a bathroom.
Buses from Tavira to the Beaches
For Cabanas de Tavira there’s Vamus bus number 41 (which takes just 15 minutes), while for the beaches of Terra Estreita and Barril there’s number 105 (for Terra Estreita, the stop is the fishing village of Santa Luzia, which it reaches in just 10 minutes, and for Barril it’s Pedras d’el Rei, reached in 15 minutes).
Bus from Tavira to Faro and other Towns in Algarve
Vamus bus 67 goes to major towns like Faro and Vila Real de Santo António, and also stops within walking distance of the beautiful beach of Cacelha Velha. The journey from or to Faro takes one hour, while to or from Vila Real de Santo António it’s 40 minutes.
To know how to go from Faro to Tavira, look here: Faro to Tavira Transportation
Bus to Tavira from Lisbon
Although there are no direct trains from Lisbon to Tavira, there are buses departing from the capital to Algarve which stop in Tavira. The journey can take over 4 hours, due to the several stops along the way. For complete details see the Lisbon to Tavira transportation guide.