Getting Around Madeira: A Complete Guide to the Best Transport Types

Getting around Madeira is one of the main challenges you will face on your upcoming trip.

Although you can drive from one end of the island to the other in just 1.5 hours, travelling around Madeira can be challenging – especially if you don’t want to hire a car.

There is a large bus network in Madeira. However, to reach some hiking trails and remote areas, you will need to rely on car hire or organised tours. 

In the following blog post, I’ll explain everything you need to know about getting around Madeira, from how to check bus timetables to road conditions and how to hire a car.

If you’re new here, welcome – I’m Katie. I have spent over five months on the island of Madeira over the past couple of year, and I have explored widely with and without a car.

Feel free to plan your trip with the help of my guides, including how much to budget for Madeira and how to plan your Madeira packing list.

Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. If you decide to click through and make a qualifying purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you – thanks for your support.

Getting Around Madeira: An Overview

There are three main ways to get around Madeira: car (or scooter), bus or tours.

You can also supplement those with taxis, Bolt cars,  tuk-tuks and cable cars. However, these are more expensive transport types.

My recommendation is that you primarily explore Madeira by car. Although bus transport is cheap, it is time-consuming, and the routes are limited.

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to hire a car for your entire stay.

Actually, I recommend that you plan your itinerary in advance so that you can use a combination of transport types.

For example, if you stay in Funchal, you can use buses to reach nearby areas: Nun’s Valley, Lido, Praia Formosa, Ponta do Sol, Machico and Porto da Cruz.

When it’s time to go hiking or explore the north coast, you can hire a car or take an organised tour (there are many of the latter available on GetYourGuide).

What are the main transport types in Madeira?

Let’s start with a quick run-down of the main transport types in Madeira and whether you should consider them or not.

1. Car: The best and quickest way to travel around Madeira. You can easily reach remote areas and trailheads.
2. Scooter: Experienced riders can explore Madeira by scooter. It’s cheaper than hiring a car.
3. Bus: The most sophisticated bus networks are from Funchal, allowing you to visit most main towns and cities. Bus travel is cheap, but the routes are limited.
4. Tours and transfers: Tours and hike transfers allow you to reach popular Madeira hiking trails and tourist destinations. The cost can quickly add up.
5. Taxi: Taxis and Bolt cars can be used to get around the island, but they are only readily available on the south of the island and are costly.

Transport type	Cost (per day)	Pros	Cons
Car hire	€35+	✓ Quick ✓ Get off the beaten track ✓ Decide your own itinerary	– Fairly expensive – Additional fuel costs – Must navigate motorways and small roads
Scooter hire	€15 – €30	✓ Cheaper than car hire ✓ Freedom to explore	– Experienced riders only – Small scooters will struggle with hills
Buses	€2+	✓ Very affordable ✓ Good connections from Funchal ✓ Visits most tourist destinations	– Limited bus routes – Poor trail access – Takes longer – Can be crowded
Tours	€30 – €50	✓ Quick and easy ✓ Organised for you ✓ May work out cheaper than car hire ✓ No need to navigate	– Must follow a set itinerary – Mostly group tours – Charged per person

My Experience Getting Around Madeira

The first time I visited Madeira, I used a combination of car hire, buses and tours to get around.

It was a good solution that allowed me to explore freely while sticking to a budget.

In my first few days, I…

• Hired a car and drove to the Ponta do Sol, Seixal and the Porto Moniz natural pools.
• Took a bus from Funchal to the Nun’s Valley, Doca do Cavacas Funchal and Câmara de Lobos.
• Took a hiking tour from Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo.
• Went whale-watching on the Magic Dolphin catamaran tour from Funchal.

Exploring by car!

After my first holiday, I stayed an additional two months in Madeira and explored widely by car.

On later visits, I have used a combination of car, Bolt cars and buses to get around Madeira.

One of many bus stops I have used in Madeira

I also hired a scooter to explore Porto Santo, an island just off the coast of Madeira. I have plenty of experience riding scooters in southeast Asia, but preferred to explore this smaller island.

My hire scooter in Porto Santo!

Madeira is far more challenging by scooter, as it has fast motorways and steeper roads.

Should You Explore Madeira By Car?

Having tried pretty much every transport option available on the island, I quite quickly came to the conclusion that the best way to explore Madeira is by car.

1. You can reach areas that are not serviced by buses and tours.
2. You can travel at your own pace, not your tour guide’s pace.
3. Most of the time, it also works out cheaper than booking a tour, especially if you are a family or group. Tours are charged per head, whereas car hire includes seating for four to five people.

My car hire parked in Porto Moniz

The downsides of hiring a car in Madeira?

1. You must navigate foreign roads, some of them fast motorways with no slip roads and others narrow and winding. You also need to drive on the right side of the road, which may be different than at home.
2. Fuel cost is in addition to the cost of car hire.
3. Solo travellers may find it cheaper and more social to book a tour group.

You can hire a car from the airport, central Funchal or other destinations on the south coast.

I like to use Discover Cars to compare the prices across many different car hire companies:

The earlier you book your car, the better the selection and prices.

Here are some key things to consider when you hire a car in Madeira:

• Car size: Smaller cars can be easier to navigate on small roads. However, they often struggle with driving into the mountains. Fuel cost typically increases with car size.
• Manual or automatic: When you’re driving a new car, it’s usually best to stick to the car type you’re familiar with. However, you don’t need to think about changing gears in an automatic car.
• Pick-up location: Most of the time, it’s easiest to pick up your car rental at the airport and drive to your accommodation. However, if you’re only planning to hire a car on select days, you can easily hire a car closer to your accommodation. E.g. in Funchal.
• Check for insurance coverage: Read the fine print for the insurance coverage to prepare in the case of an accident or damage to the car.

Tips For Getting Around Madeira By Bus

If you want to travel around Madeira by bus, I highly recommend that you base yourself in Funchal, the capital city.

It has the most sophisticated public transport system, with many buses departing from the promenade and next to the Funchal-Monte cable car station.

There are several main bus companies in Madeira:

• The Aerobus (cash-only) runs between the airport and Funchal/São Martinho. Check the Aerobus timetable online.
• Horários do Funchal provides sophisticated connections across Funchal and Caniço, running late into the night.
• Rodoeste services most of the island, from the north to south. Check the Rodoeste bus timetables online.
• SIGA is a new service and handy for reaching tourist attractions and hikes. Check the SIGA bus timetables online – their website is one of the best.
• SAM buses are also widespread and connect Funchal to Machico, Curral das Freiras and Ponta do Sol. However, their website is very poor, so you are better off checking the timetable in person.

Catching buses in Madeira can be a little hit or miss, as they don’t always run on time, and it’s hard to find the correct timetables online.

It’s best to research the correct bus station/stop, and then turn up in person to check the timetable.

I always come prepared with cash and a debit card, because some buses accept cash only.

If a bus service is at full capacity, it won’t let on additional people. You’ll need to wait for the next bus.

Taxis and E-Hailing Apps in Madeira

There are plenty of yellow taxis in Madeira. You can flag them down on the street or head to the taxi ranks in the main cities.

If you want to order a taxi from somewhere more remote, you’re best off organising a ride directly with the taxi or company in advance. I don’t often see taxis outside of Funchal.

Porto Moniz

I usually order my taxis using the Bolt app. If you’re familiar with Uber, this E-Hailing app works in the same way.

You need to download the app, add your card information, and order a car using an internet connection.

There are plenty of Bolts around Funchal and the airport. However, I often struggle to order a Bolt car outside of these areas.

Tours: Are They Worth It?

Tours are a helpful way to get around Madeira if you don’t want to hire a car or can’t drive.

One of the most useful tour types are the self-guided hike transfers. These organise your transport to the start of popular trails and pick you up from the other end.

One of the most popular self-guided hike transfers is the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo sunrise transfer, which picks you up from Achada do Teixeira near the end of the hike.

I always book my tours through GetYourGuide because I can easily check other tourists’ reviews.

Remember, tours are charged per person. Therefore, if you’re a solo traveller, they are often the cheapest way to explore Madeira.

However, if you have a family of three or four, it’s cheaper to hire a car than take a tour.

FAQ

Suggested reading:

• Budget for Madeira: Is Madeira expensive to visit?
• Steal my Madeira packing list + exactly what to wear.