How long does it take to drive down from Lisbon Airport these days? I presume it's all motorway now?

About 2.5 hours

Yes it's all motorway now, and about 20 euros in tolls.

We have done it in 2 hours without stopping.

……..allow three hours and stop half way for a coffee….Some people experience problems getting from the airport to the motorway……my mate from Ireland has to allow a full day to find his way out of Lisbon!!!!!!!!

kteee.....I know some lunatic locals who reckon they could do it in 2 hours back in the days before there was a motorway......!!!!!!!

It used to take us nearer 5 hours then !

Isn't there a good way to avoid the tolls please?

No. I pay as much in tolls as I do in diesel for the journey I think it is worth it because but the motorway is absolutely empty by UK standards and makes for a fast relaxing drive compared to the toll free routes.

Cant you get a bus? or is that daft question
I found the journey extremely comfortable and enjoyed it(exactly 3 hours) and at 15 euros very cheap!

p.s.probably no good if youve lot luggage i suppose..though some on bus had quite big bags in luggage hold...ellie

digger wrote:kteee.....I know some lunatic locals who reckon they could do it in 2 hours back in the days before there was a motorway......!!!!!!!

….I can now confirm this is nothing but hot air….these once-young would-be matador daredevils now confess the fastest they ever did it was in three and a bit hours………..and yes Kteee, five hours is more like it….

We came back to lisbon on that toll free road ,well most of it, and it wasn,t to bad ...........im getting better at getting out of lisbon...........getting back to the airport is the nightmare..........bit of advice...go for the moterway.. the views as you come thru the mountains are worth the 17 euro tolls

……I’ve got a couple of other favourite routes…..not for those in a hurry….

…..Lisbon>Evora>Beja>on to the new auto-estrada near Ourique……and you still catch that amazing bit of road around the mountain tops that Gerry mentions…

….and an even slower one……
….Lisbon>Setubal>put the car on the ferry to Troia> follow the Atlantic costa ....if you can...down to algarve…... ....a couple of many places en route worth seeing/stopping are Porto Covo, just south of Sines, and Odeceixe in the NW corner of algarve……

.

The alternative, toll-free route down is the IP 1 which you can catch at the Marateca exit from the A2. (there is no way of avoiding a bit of toll)
If you are driving on Sundays or around lunch time you should not run into too much traffic. Be aware that this route requires a whole lot more concentartion and awareness as you may well witness some of the most hair-raising maneuvers as well as run into a more windy strech of road on the last 80 Kms.

I have taken the train from Barreiro station (this was due to be changed - Lisbon has 5 stations so check) to Silves via Tunes, then either bus (via Lagoa) or taxi from Silves. It's about a 5 hour journey but you can sit at the window with a bottle of Sagres and watch the country pass by and it's really cheap. I think I paid about EUR12 for the whole journey about 2 years ago.

Gambrinus' suggestion is probably the best alternative, but I think it's called the IC 1 now-you will see signs for both the IP 1 and IC 1-same thing. The train is a nice idea too. The coach is faster than the train.