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Car Driving in Lisbon, and in Portugal for that matter, is a hair-raising experience. With incessant honking, constant rear-ending, a toxic riot of fumes, and unbridled road rage, it’s certainly not for the faint hearted. If you are taking your own vehicle into Portugal, contact the very helpful Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP), Portugal’s national motoring association, Rua Rosa Araujo 24, T 21 318 0100 (emergency breakdown T 21 942 9103), http://www.acp.pt, who will provide advice to motorists if you are a member of a European organization with a reciprocal agreement. Speed limits are 120 kph (74 mph) on motorways, 90 kph (56 mph) outside built-up areas and 50 kph (30 mph) in towns. Motorways, indicated by the prefix "A"; (auto-estradas) have been greatly improved although on most routes tolls apply (portagens). International Driving Permits and national driving licences, a Green Card, third-party insurance and a warning triangle are compulsory. Driving times to Lisbon From Porto – 3¼ hours; Faro and the Algarve – four hours 20 minutes (longer on summer weekends); and Madrid – eight hours 55 minutes. Bus/coach Eurolines UK Ltd, T 08705-143219, http://www.eurolines.co.uk runs daily services at 2100 from London Victoria, with a change in Paris (arriving 0645, leaving 1230) and arriving Lisbon at 1230, the following day; a total journey time of 42 hours. Prices for a single journey, £94/peak £98, return £145/peak £151. Peak season is July 4-September 7, and December 17- January 4. There are no financial benefits and with a mere reclining seat to ease the discomfort, the novelty factor is unlikely to get you beyond the Channel Tunnel. Eurolines also connects with Spanish cities including, Madrid, Barcelona and Seville. International and regional buses arrive at the Arco do Cego bus station, on Avenida João Cristóstomo, north of Marquês de Pombal, in Saldanha. Within Portugal, Rede Expressos, http://www.rede-expressos.pt is the principal bus operator, running regional and international services to Faro, Évora, Porto and Seville. There are 10 services daily from Faro to Lisbon, the 1300 (arrives 1700) and 1630 (arrives 1945), E15, providing a good connection with Monarch scheduled flights from Manchester, that leave 0730 (arrives 1040).
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