Is the bus a good option for this trip? We are considering hiring a car service. Any recommendations for a reliable car service used recently? Thanks.
Bus is best.
My brother in law & sister in law did the reverse trip by bus and worked perfectly (I think they used Rede at the time).
Multiple companies to check:
https://www.flixbus.com/
https://www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/home
https://www.rede-expressos.pt/en
I used ALSA bus from Spain to Portugal in 2015 and it was very comfortable. I would use it again if in the area.