The main means of transport on the entire island of Pico is the car. Otherwise it is practically impossible to move around the island.
Car rental
All car rental companies operating on Pico are located directly in the arrivals terminal of the local airport, and some companies (Ilha Verde or Autatlantis) also have a branch in the port of Madalena.
The price for a weekly rental in high season starts at about 220 eur. There is no extra charge for returning the car elsewhere (at the port of Madalena).
Compare prices of all car rental companies
We recommend booking a car at least 2 months in advance. Local car rental companies have limited capacity and may be completely sold out.
When returning your car, park it in the car park reserved for all car rentals, you can stop in any available space. In the direction of Madalena, the parking lot is on the right just at the entrance to the airport area. If you are coming from the east from the town of Santa Luzia, you will have to go around the terminal first and the parking lot will then be on your left.
For the best places to stay on the island and tips on specific hotels, see our guide:
Taxi
The official white taxi stand with two blue stripes is on the right in front of the terminal.
There are no mobile apps operating on Pico, but there are always taxis waiting for every scheduled arrival. Outside the airport, you'll only find taxis in abundance at the Madalena dock.
You can only pay in cash and the approximate prices are as follows:
- Madalena - 15 eur
- São Roque do Pico - 20 eur
Bus
Bus line 1, one of the two bus routes on the island, stops directly at the terminal.
Line 1 runs along the north coast of the island, stopping at all the villages along the way. Its basic route is: Madalena (port) - Bandeiras - Pico Airport - Santa Luzia - Santo António - São Roque do Pico - Prainha - Santo Amaro - Ribeirinha - Piedade.
The service is operated by the UTC bus company and the exact timetable can be found at utcpico.pt/Schedule.
- Monday to Saturday - 4 times a day on the section Madalena - Airport - São Roque do Pico and 2 times a day continuing on towards Piedade
- Sundays and public holidays - 1x daily
The ticket price is calculated according to the distance and is paid at the driver in cash or by card.
- Madalena - 1,46 eur
- São Roque do Pico - 2,49 eur
- Ribeirinha - 4,91 eur
For the current price schedule, please visit the website: utcpico.pt/Tariff.
The stop is right outside the terminal, but you won't find any timetable. In addition to the above website, you can also find the current connection on the mobile app: utcpico.pt/app
