Bus terminal is in Calicos, northern part of Town, with mainly VAMUS services to all
destinations in Algarve, plus Lisboa, Porto, Sevilla, etc. For Olhos,
Vilamoura, Quarteira and Faro, you can also join the bus at Modelo shopping,
Strip and Santa Eulalia. Locally, Giro bus has seen huge changes with electric vehicles and eleven new routes, replacing the old five, at last taking service to areas west and east of the district. Most buses now run to the same schedule on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays ..
Fares almost double .. after 12 years .. cheapest monthly cards available to all .. senior card a big plus ..
the old 80 cent (card) fare is now 1.60 (2.00 pay driver, 2.60 if using routes outside city, 1 trip)
you can no longer change routes on the same ticket .. so best to have an unlimited monthly pass,
which can be the cheaper option even for only a week, particularly for over 65`s ..
Linha 1 - Blue (30 min) until 1930 (w) 2130 (s)
Runs from terminal, through Brejos, Montechoro, Globes rdbt,
Balaia (every 30 min), to Branqueira and Vale Navio (the hourly bus only) .. and returns via Globes rdbt, Sao Joao nth,
Worms rdbt, Watches rdbt, Camara and Calicos market.2
Linha 2 - Green (30 min) until 1930 (w) 2130 (s)
A complete shambles, unnecessarily destroying the old route and removing the link between East end and Fishermans beach old town and centro. Also, stupidly, goes opposite direction from terminal to Camara, then Inatel, Forte, Tres Palmeiras, Oura, Pedra dos Bicos, Santa Eulalia, Globes rdbt, Worms rdbt, Watches rdbt, Av.Liberdade, Dolphins rdbt, Boavista viewpoint, Old Cemetary, Rua Col.Aguas, Beato Vicente, Ludico park, Health Centre and terminal.
Linha 3 - Red (30 min) until 1930 (w) 2130 (s)
Another shambles, no longer goes to Liberdade (outward), cutting off that link to Camping and Health centre, nor to Vale Santa Maria. Terminal to Health Centre and Camping, then Ludic Park (main road) and Dolphins, up to Pateo and Cerro
D`Aguia, running along the ridge to Patroves, then Marina and back up to Dolphins, then Av.Liberdade (old town terminal) and along to Camara via Cerro Malpique (Aldi and Lidl), return to terminal via Rua Bombeiros Voluntarios.
Linha 4 - Dark Red (30 min) until 1930 (w) 2130 (s)
again not connecting to Pau da Bandeiros and Centro for east old town and square (where most want to go). This route runs mostly opposite to Linha 2 from Terminal via Health centre to Av.Liberdade (old town terminal) then along the main road to Watches, Worms and Bullring, down Santa Eulalia and along the beaches to Inatel, then Camara, then back up to terminal via Calicos Market and an idiotic diversion to Brejos school.
Linha 5 - Orange (30 min)
The old route to Ferreiras rail station and Vale Serves, plus a round-the-houses in the village and a return via Av.Liberdade (much recommended previously) and Camara Municipal, returning to terminal via Calicos Market.
Linha 6 - Purple (60 min) until 1930 xtra buses in summer.
A service taken over by giro and runs via Aldi-Lidl rdbt along the main road (not into Camara) then (unbelievably) via Belavista and Stadium, Janelas do Mar, Hospital and Montechoro, Vila Magna, Globes, Santa Eulalia, Balaia, Olhos and Laranjal to Acoteias .. less frequently to Alfamar, Falesia and Rocha Baixina. Does suit quite a few schoolkids.
Linha 7 - Grey (60 min) until 1900 late service at 2300
A new service seemingly replacing the free bus, from terminal
via Health Centre, Valparaiso, Algarve Shopping and Retail park, to Guia. where it becomes Linha 8 .. so circular ..
Linha 8 - Dark Gray (60 min) until 1930 (2 hr Sa/Su/Ho)
Another takeover of the service to the west also going to Guia,
via Aldi-Lidl roundabout to Ludico park, Rua do Tenis, Marina,
Gale, Salgados, Vale de Para, return as giro 7 ... circular ..
Linha 9 - Light Purple (60 min) until 1930
From Vale Santa Maria to Globes rdbt and return via a crazy golf route ... Jardim, Boavista, old Cemetary, Beato Vicente, Parque Ludico, Liberdade, Health centre, Terminal, Fire Station, Camara, Watches, up Belavista, past stadium, along
to Vale pedras roundabout and back past Hospital, down Correeira, inc. Janelas do Mar, Worms rdbt, then east to Sao Joao norte (strip), Bullring market, Globes (Aldi) and return.
Linha 10 - Light Green (20 min) until 1940 (w) 2240 (s)
A simple route around Malpique and old town, calling at Cerro Mar every hour (but not back ?) via Camara, Centro, Pau da Bandeira, Camara and back to terminal ... another completely unnecessary route if they had simply kept the four original routes. Utter incompetence ..
Linha 11 - Light Orange hourly 0630 - 2030 (w) 2230 (s)
From terminal, via Vale Pedras, Mosqueira and Fontainhas, to Ferreiras Rail Station.
* new colours not on buses, but on large routes map ...