My wife and I are flying into Faro Portugal in mid March. Have seen a few articles from 2024 regarding long lineups and extended wait times going through customs and that improvements were expected. Just wondering what the experience has been this winter and what we might expect.

Also interested in any suggestions for transportation to Tavira.

I assume you mean immigration as customs is nothing more than walking through a door.

Where does your flight to Faro originate? If it is from a connection in Europe, within the Schengen area then you won’t pass through immigration in Faro either.

FAO has a frequent high winds so flights in are sometimes delayed or cancelled. As J62 says -- if you are connecting in Schengen there will be no Immigration, and Customs is a non-issue. (If you are flying in from outside Schengen -- the immigration queues can be a bit chaotic.)

Bus or bus and train. Rome2rio is a good place to start

Thankyou for your replies. We are flying Air Canada from Toronto with a connecting Swiss Air flight from Zurich to Faro. I'm assuming that we would have to pass through a customs/ immigration procedure upon entering the EU somewhere, would that be in Zurich?

If it is one ticket you will go through Immigration at Zurich and collect your bags and go through Customs at Faro. If it is two separate tix -- you will go through both at Zurich and the flight to Faro will be like any other domestic flight.

I've had good experiences with www.algarserra.com for transfers, they are super quick to respond so you could ask them how much your transfer would cost.

I believe Faro has e-gates now so unless they are down, it should not be so terrible even if people are flying in from a non-schengen area. But you don't need to worry about that.

To be frank, my big worry comes down to bladder control and whether or not I can hold out for an extended multi-hour line up. The videos and photos I'm seeing from last winter 2024 Faro airport appear to be passport control. If I go through immigration in Zurich will I be in a different and quicker customs lineup at Faro or do all passengers fall into the one lineup? Just looking for some piece of mind or if I should plan for incontinence protection.

You are not going through any immigration line at Faro.

And there is no such thing as a customs line up. Period.

you pick up your luggage at baggage claim and walk out the door. Only if you are importing items that you need to declare do you stop to talk to someone. And you will not, so nothing to fret about.

Thankyou so much. That's a relief! And we are only going to have a carry-on so that must help.

With just carry-on's you won't have any lines of any sort. (except maybe in the restroom ) You will just walk off the plane, past all those people waiting for luggage, and out the door.