Tavira is on the main Algarve railway line between Faro (30 minutes west) and the Spanish border at Vila Real de Santo António (30 minutes east). Trains run frequently and are the most convenient option from Faro Airport, which is the main international gateway for the region. From the Tavira station, the town centre is a ten-minute walk.
By car, the IP1/A22 motorway runs inland from Faro toward the Spanish border; Tavira is accessed from exit 16. Buses run along the coast road and connect Tavira to Olhão, Faro, and the Spanish border. In summer, a day-tripper boat service operates between Faro and Tavira along the Ria Formosa waterway.