sportpix

I'm wondering whether to try and save a little time getting to the airport from Lagos on Friday by getting off the train at the penultimate train station, Parque Des Cidades, and then getting an uber the final 11k of the journey. I've only done the Lagos-Faro journey once before, and having to more or less go past the airport to arrive at Faro train station and then get a taxi or an uber back again seems like wasting time. The difference in price/fare between PDC and the airport or Faro by uber or taxi to the airport can't be all that much.
Does anyone else do this?

GrahamF

Cheapest option would be train to Faro then Praia de Faro bus from just around the corner which stops at the airport.

sportpix

Thanks but I’m trying to save time rather than money.

macliam

In that case, why not get a taxi the whole way? I'm sure they'll quote you for a trip to the airport.....

sportpix

A taxi is 100 euros while the train is 3.5 euro…

Artfuldodger128

Assuming train fare from Lagos to PDC and Faro are similar, what you will save is the time for the train to go from PDC to Faro, offset by the perceived longer waiting time at PDC for the Uber car as I am guessing less availability of cars at PDC than at Faro.

Journey times and costs from both points to FAO are very similar, so your weakest link is the availablity of Uber cars at PDC, which you can check via the app just shortly your train arrives at PDC. If short wait, then jump off. If longer wait then stay on the train.

sportpix

Thank you for your sensible reply. I was thinking along the same lines and when the train got to PDC I saw the ikea sign over the road and knew the station was not too far away. As such I stayed on the train and then dialed an Uber who was one minute away for a cost of 6.5 euro. Last time I did the train station to airport route it was by taxi and cost almost 20 euro. I’m now much the wiser the next time I do it. Currently transitting in Frankfurt and enjoying some very good German white wine 😀

flatlndr

Using Google Maps and cp.pt, I get the following:

Parque Das Cidades to Faro Station = 7 minutes
Faro Station to Faro Airport - 10 minutes

Parque Das Cidades to Faro Airport = 13 minutes

Time savings (assuming taxi access is equal) is (7+10) - 13 = 4 minutes.

I expect taxis will be easier to access at Faro station, so that's where I'd go.

flatlndr

Having said that, I just went into Uber and tried the two trips, and a taxi is available from PDG in 3 mins, versus 6 mins from Faro. Go figure. Not what I would have expected!

sportpix

There were two taxis waiting when I got to Faro station but instead I opted for ab Uber which was one minute away and cost me 6.5 euro. Taxi from a previous trip was closer to 20 euro and the driver was a maniac as I think he didn't want the short trip. I asked the Uber driver about Uber pick ups at the airport and he said it works on some sort of queue system. Not sure exactly how.

J00ls

I'm curious to to know the answer to that as well - is there somewhere that the Ubers stop or is it just the 15 minute drop off zone? The only queue system I observed was the normal taxi rank.

Artfuldodger128

Straight from the Uber website re: FAO.

"Where is the Uber Faro Airport pickup location?Uber pickup locations at airports are subject to change, so to find your Uber Faro Airport pickup location, check the Uber app after you request a trip."

J00ls

Thank you!

flatlndr

Is it possible he meant the regular taxis work on a queue system? I just flew back from FAO yesterday, and there is a taxi queue area there.

offthepiste

We no longer use taxi drivers and always go uber. I have travelled widely and had two trips with Lisbon taxis a couple of days apart and really thought we were going to die... old white rude & angry drunk taxi drivers.. extraordinary.

I think uber in Lisbon area .. my only experience .. is that the drivers are from quite wide ranging background from house wive/husbands through to university professors. and are polite and safe drivers with spotless cars.

Beats London based uber which I find really bad.. its the dumping ground for the worst minicab drivers... though not as bad as Lisbon taxi drivers.