A22 Via do Infante

Street guide, Algarve News

The A22 motorway, officially named Via do Infante de Sagres after Prince Henry the Navigator, is the Algarve's main east-west motorway. Running roughly parallel to the EN125 but further inland, it connects the western Algarve near Lagos to the Spanish border at Vila Real de Santo Antonio. The motorway was built in stages using EU structural funds and was completed in the early 2000s. It dramatically reduced journey times across the region; the drive from Lagos to Faro, which could take well over an hour on the EN125, takes approximately 45 minutes on the A22. The motorway uses an electronic toll system with no physical booths on most sections, which has caused confusion among visitors unfamiliar with the payment arrangements. Drivers must use a Via Verde transponder, prepaid card, or register their numberplate for post-payment.