What is the best way to travel around the island? Where can I get to by bus and what are the average car rental prices?
In general, many natural attractions are only accessible by car, but even if you don't want to drive or can't drive, Madeira is definitely better explored by bus than, say, the Azores.
Car rental in Madeira
The best way to get around Madeira is to use the services of car rental companies. It's the only way to really get to all the treks and, for example, up the mountains, a car is the only way to go.
All the big multinational car rental companies have a branch in Madeira and many local ones, the vast majority of them will rent you a car directly at the airport.
Average prices for a 7-day rental , depending on the size of the car, range from 0 eur 29 eur 183 eur. You can compare all the prices in, for example, the booking.com search engine.
For detailed information on rental prices, when to book a car or even the traffic on Madeira's roads, see the chapter Car rental Madeira.
Buses in Madeira
It's important to realise that although you can reach many interesting places by bus, you will miss the opportunity to explore more of the mountains in the central part.
If you want to visit places like Pico Ruivo, the levadas of Olbasti Encumeada or Rabaçal, you will need to rent a car.
In the capital Funchal you will find a dense network of public transport buses. There are stops literally at almost every turn, as the city is situated on a steep hillside, so every step counts.
The vast majority of intercity services leave from Funchal and if you don't want to rent a car, it's almost essential to find accommodation in the largest city.
SIGA Single System
Until 2024, there were 4 different bus operators operating in Madeira - Horários to Funchal, Rodoeste, SAM and EACL.
From 1 July 2024, the system of all buses in Madeira is unified under the SIGA brand. The same tickets are therefore valid throughout the network, all routes in Madeira have a single website and a clear search for connections and timetables.
Official information, timetables and ticket types can be found on the website siga.madeira.gov.pt.
Fares and tickets
As of 2024, the fare system in Madeira has been greatly simplified. Prices are uniform regardless of distance. You will pay the same amount to travel between two neighbouring villages and from one end of the island to the other.
- 2,60 eur - Intercity fares anywhere outside Funchal
- 1,95 eur - city fares within Funchal only
If you will be travelling a lot around Funchal, we recommend buying a GIRO prepaid card at one of the sales points (see map) for 0,50 eur, load any amount of money onto it and tickets around Funchal are then slightly cheaper:
- 2 to 9 rides - 1,35 eur for 1 ride
- from 10 rides - 1,25 eur for 1 ride
The GIRO card can only be used on Funchal public buses for the time being.
Timetables and connection search
You can find timetables for all lines in Madeira clearly on the website [translate=none]siga.madeira.gov.pt/horarios[/translate.
The times in the timetables are always given from the departure stop only.
Taxi
All official taxis in all cities in Madeira have the same design and exact rates. The only official taxis are yellow with a blue stripe and must always use a taximeter.
In Madeira you will practically not encounter unfair practices of taxi drivers in relation to tourists. The starting rate is around 3 eur, then you pay about 0,70 eur for each kilometer of driving.
There are plenty of taxis in all major cities, mostly in the centres of the villages, and in Funchal all over the city.
There is also an Uber app in Funchal (Google Play / App Store), which usually runs at lower prices than regular taxis.
Cable cars
A non-traditional mode of transport can be cable cars. There are a total of 8 public cable cars in operation in Madeira, but they serve as a sightseeing experience rather than transport from point A to point B.
For more information, see the chapter Activities in the section "Sightseeing and cable cars".
By boat and plane to Porto Santo Island
Part of the Madeira archipelago, the smaller island of Porto Santo is a popular destination for beach hiking because of its long beaches with fine sand. From Funchal, you can also take a day trip to Porto Santo, either by boat or by plane.
Ferries to Porto Santo run once a day, always in the morning from Funchal and in the evening around 6pm back from Porto Santo. The cruise takes 2.5 hours one way and a return ticket works out at 70 eur. For more information, visit portosantoline.pt.
Planes fly from Madeira to Porto Santo twice a day and a return ticket costs from 80 eur. The flight takes about 20 minutes and you can buy tickets on the Binter Canarias airline website.
