Bicycle assemble area at Faro Airport.
I fly a lot with my bicycle. So I like when airports are bicycle friendly. And I thought I would just give Faro Airport in Portugal a mention here, as this is one of the better airports in this world for cyclists.
I like cycling all around the world. So I often put my bike on a plane and fly off to a foreign land.
Last month I flew to Faro Airport in Portugal. It was not my first time here with my bike. But the airport has improved significantly in recent years, from a biking perspective.
Faro Airport.
Really nice bicycle assembly area.
First of all there is a really nice bicycle assembly area in Faro Airport. It’s so nice to be welcomed in this way. I have landed in so many airports around the world, where I had to find a quiet corner, just to be tolerated there, while I took my bicycle out of the carry bag and assembled it.
At Faro Airport, you can hang your bike, as you are assembling it. You can even do little repairs there if that is needed. And there is a fantastic bicycle pump that actually works. I say that it actually works, because Copenhagen Airport, where I mostly fly out from, also has a bicycle pump at the arrival hall. But it never works. So a big thank you to Faro Airport for having a bicycle pump that actually works.
Ready to go cycling around Algarve.
Cycling to and from Faro Airport.
Faro Airport has cycling trails all around it. If you are arriving and cycling into Faro City, then you should cycle down past the rental car agencies, as you exit the airport. Then you will see a building with a “Firefly” sign a little down the road. Take the small road behind the Firefly office and you can then cycle into Faro City center in a few minutes. You will be going past the village called Montenegro. And this is much preferable to cycling on the busy road that almost all the cars are using. That road is a longer ride to the city too, by the way. I noticed a lot of parked bikes at the airport. And they clearly belonged to people working at the airport. Great to see that bicycle commuting is getting popular in this part of the world too. Because this is what will give even better bicycle facilities in the long run. I know that being a native Dane, where roughly one third of the population uses a bicycle to commute.
Find the building with the Firefly sign.
If you are cycling west from the airport, then you should still go down by the Firefly office. But just before the office, you should take a right turn and take a dirt track that takes you along the airport runway. Taking this track, you will almost circumnavigate the entire runway at the airport. I thought this was really cool, as I like watching planes taking off and landing. And once you are on the other side of the runway, you have small roads leading down towards the small coastal towns of the Algarve.
Bicycle path next to the runway at Faro Airport.
There is a bicycle path as you exit the airport.
Bicycle parking shows that a place is civilised.
This was a little advise for those of you who fly with your bicycle to Faro Airport.
Hope you find it useful.
Very good & precise information,so helpful~many thanks,Paul
Hi. Just curious if there are any suitable storage facilities for a bike bag/case at the airport? It’s great the idea of cycling out of the airport but if you can’t store your case somewhere it is a bit impractical.
Hi’ Matt. I do not know of a storing space at the airport, as I have a foldable soft bag for my bicycle that I can carry on top of my luggage rack. But if you are talking about a cardboard box, then Faro has plenty of bicycle shops, where you should be able to get one the day before you fly home.
Hello Claus,
Thank you for the great information about FAO. I am part of a U.S. group biking in the Algarve in late September of this year. I am working out flights and hope to ask you about bike-friendly airlines you may have encountered in your travels. We have soft cases (backpacks) which measure 170 cm, not the 162 cm most airlines list as their top measurement for normal checked baggage. Do you have any airlines you’ve had good (bicycle) experiences with that you can recommend? I won’t hold you to anything if we book with one of them and are not able to duplicate your luck! Thank you for any advice you can offer. Eve
Hi’ Evelien Woolard. Very nice to hear from you. In terms of airlines flying between North America and Europe, I would give a thumbs up to KLM from the Netherlands. They are usually quite good and handling bikes. And their fees for flying bikes tend to be quite reasonable too. TAP Air Portugal are not the worst either. My main worry with TAP is that baggage delay is not uncommon. But if you can get a good price with KLM, then that is the company I would recommend. All the best from here. Claus.
Hi i was wondering were i could find a big bike box to pack my bike in @Faro I dont have any experience yet. Can you buy one at the AirPort? Of Shoud i reach put to a lokal bikeshop. I am currenty cycling tot Santiago but i Will do the Portugal coast to Faro as well 😉
Hi’ Mark. I travel with a soft bike bag myself. So I did not have to get a box at the airport in Faro. But I did not notice anyone selling boxes. So I think that your best bet will be a local bicycle shop. You have a few of them in and around Faro.
Hi Claus. Great advice on bicycle touring. We are passionate bike touring enthusiasts, but so far we have only travelled by train or bus. Now we are planning a trip to Portugal, and we would like to bring our own bikes. We are curious about your foldable soft bike bag. Could you tell us what brand it is? And does it have an interior frame? Best, Helene 🇩🇰
Hej Helene. The bag does not have an interior frame. So it can be folded up quite nicely and put on the back of a bike. The name of the brand is Barbieri, who makes many types of bags for cycling. I can highly recommend them. All the best from here. Claus.