Faro Airport is the gateway to the Algarve region in Portugal, a popular holiday destination for sun-starved visitors from Northern Europe and the UK. The airport is small, but sees more than a million passengers a year, and flights to Faro Airport arrive in droves during the peak summer season.
The terminal is undergoing renovations to keep up with numbers, but the current expansion is only due to be completed in 2013. If you're going on holiday, be prepared for long queues at the check-in area and at the security desks, which are often swamped at peak times.
Faro itself, only 2.6km (1.6 miles) from the airport, dates back to the 8th century and is blessed with gorgeous, hot summers. Take a stroll through the city streets and enjoy the beautiful buildings, statues and monuments.
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Not applicable as there is only one terminal.
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Train: There's no train station at the airport, but the CP Railway Station in the city centre is just a short taxi trip away. The train itself goes all along the coast, but is often unreliable.
Taxi: There's no train station at the airport, but the CP Railway Station is a short taxi trip away. Taxis leave from just outside the arrivals section. There is a bus from the airport to the central bus station in Faro.
Bus: There is a bus from the airport to the central bus station in Faro. It leaves sporadically from 5am till 11pm at night in summer.
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There are three parking lots at Faro Airport. Short-term parking lot P1, which can hold just under 300 cars, charges €0.80 for half an hour. It's just outside the departures area. P3, outside arrivals, is €1.30 per hour. P2, the long-term parking lot, costs just over €50 for a week, which is the minimum length of time you can park there.
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Money and communications: Banks, ATMs and currency exchange facilities are in the main building.
Luggage: There are lost items desks in the arrivals area and in the main building, but no left luggage facility at the moment due to the renovations. There is a porter service however – it'll cost you €7-12, depending on the time of day. Baggage wrapping is available in the check-in area.
Conference and business: There is a conference room that hosts up to 65 people with TV, fax, Internet and video conferencing facilities. Contact the airport to make a booking.
Other facilities: There's a post office in the main building, on your right as you leave the baggage claim area.
Wi-Fi: There is Wi-Fi access throughout the airport, although it's only free for local flight and airport information. You'll have to go through one of the several Wi-Fi providers, such as Vodafone, to access the Internet properly. Simply log in to an existing account or set one up online.
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