On the Way to the Algarve
Headed for Lagos, a quick, pretty place to change modes of transportation
My first morning in Lisbon, I took the early train to Lagos.  While the hotel's breakfast was expensive (€5.50 [$8]), it was worth having just once because I wasn't going to have time to find breakfast before heading to the train station.  The breakfast included breads, custard tarts, a regional fruitcake/king cake, large croutons, eggs, cheese, meat, water (from glass bottles), milk, fruit (whole and dried), butter, jams, coffee, and cereals.

I took the bus Avenida da Liberdade to the Entrecampos train station for €1.30 [$1.90] (the on-board fare).

I took the train from the Entrecampos station instead of Oriente station because it was closer to my hotel (just a quick bus ride), and the train leaves a few minutes later from Entrecampos, giving me a little extra wiggle room in case of unexpected delay (which, it turned out, I didn't need).

I bought my ticket on the AP (Alfa Pendular--higher-speed, higher-cost) train from  Lisbon to Tunes and the local train from Tunes to Lagos for €21.40 ($31.29).

Train schedules and ticket prices are easy to obtain from the website http://www.cp.pt (in both English and Portuguese).  On December 26, for example, there were 5 trains from Lisbon to Lagos; I took the first one.


My 8:51 am train was scheduled to arrive on track 4 and came right on time.
The train was very nice.  I didn't have anyone next to me for the entire journey to Tunes.  The car had a clean bathroom.  Above the doors, there was a sign that listed the time, temperature, and train speed (over 200 km/h at one point).  Pretty nifty!


After a long (4-hour) train ride, it was a stunning surprise to arrive in Lagos and have it be so beautiful!  The bus station is across a little canal from the train station.  The water-side boulevard is lined in palm trees.  It was a picture-perfect day!  I was only in Lagos for less than an hour, so I didn't get a chance to explore.


Just like the EVA bus website said, there was a bus to Sagres at 13:35 pm for €3.05 [$4.50].  I paid at the bus station and presented my ticket to the driver.  For more information on buses in the Algarve, http://www.algarvebus.info (or http://thomasallen.home.sapo.pt/travel/) was very helpful, as it listed the times the bus would arrive at each intermediate bus stop between Lagos and Sagres, allowing me to follow along on a map.


On to the next pictures!