Madeira by bus: 6 useful routes from Funchal in 2026 (including Pico do Areeiro)

You can plan several Madeira day trips from Funchal by public bus. Start with the high-mountain trailheads at Pico do Areeiro (PR1 / PR1 Short), the mountain village of Curral das Freiras, the PR8 coastal trailhead at Baía d’Abra, Porto Moniz, Ribeiro Frio or Santana. The useful question is not just which line goes there, but whether your departure reaches the right stop and leaves you a way home.

These six suggestions use route and stop records from Wander Madeira’s transport database. They show where to board and where to get off for a selected journey; the arrival stop can be an intermediate stop, rather than the bus’s final destination. This is a route guide, not a dated departure timetable.

Timetable data updated 18 October 2026 Oldest source check 3 October 2026

Madeira bus numbers changed: read this first

Older route numbers still appear in travel advice written before the change. SIGA introduced a new numbering scheme from 9 March 2026. We show the current numbers alongside the older timetable number so you can connect the two.

A single timetable can contain several numbered services. Some are feeder routes, some travel in the opposite direction, and some departures end early. Matching the number alone is not enough: check the direction and the stops of the departure you choose.

1. Funchal to Curral das Freiras: the village in the mountains

Use the service and stops shown above for a visit to Curral das Freiras. This suggestion takes you to the village itself, rather than to a separate mountain viewpoint.

The bus can continue beyond the church, so you do not need to ride to the end of the line. If you want Eira do Serrado instead, check that your particular departure serves it. A bus to the village should not be treated as a promise of a stop at the viewpoint.

2. Funchal to Baía d’Abra: the bus for Ponta de São Lourenço

Choose a departure on the service shown above that continues to Baía d’Abra. This is the destination to look for when planning a visit to Ponta de São Lourenço and the PR8 trailhead.

Some departures in this timetable stop at Caniçal instead. Our selected variant runs from Funchal to Baía d’Abra, but that does not mean every departure with the same line number does. Check the final destination before boarding and look up the journey back from Baía d’Abra separately.

3. Funchal to Porto Moniz: a scenic west journey (watch the return!)

The Porto Moniz via Calheta timetable is a useful starting point for planning a day on the west of the island. The card shows the current timetable numbers; you can check the official SIGA timetable 2009 or download the official Rodoeste timetable PDF. The selected outward variants pass through Ribeira Brava, Ponta do Sol, Calheta, and Prazeres before reaching Porto Moniz.

4. Funchal to Ribeiro Frio: point-to-point hikes on PR10 & PR11

For Ribeiro Frio, the card selects services in the Arco São Jorge timetable that call at Ribeiro Frio on the way north. Check the official SIGA timetable 5004 or view the official timetable PDF.

The bus superpower: Hiking PR10 Levada do Furado without backtracking

Public transit solves a major hiking dilemma in Madeira: linear, one-way trails.

• PR10 Levada do Furado (11 km, ~4 hours): If you drive a rental car, you have to hike out-and-back (22 km) or pay €40+ for a taxi back to your car. With the bus:
  1. Take the morning CAM bus (e.g. line 801 / 850) from Funchal, arriving at Ribeiro Frio around 08:50.
  2. Walk the full 11 km levada through ancient laurisilva to Portela (arriving around 13:00–13:30).
  3. Enjoy lunch at the viewpoint restaurant in Portela, then board the return bus to Funchal (CAM lines 750 / 760, departing Portela at 14:50 on weekdays / 14:05 on Saturdays; see official timetable 4000 PDF).
• PR11 Vereda dos Balcões (2.8 km return, ~1 hour): Sits right by the same Ribeiro Frio stop for a shorter, gentler morning walk.

Not every Arco de São Jorge departure calls at Ribeiro Frio. Some express variants bypass the mountain road. In this guide, the card lists only services found on the selected outward variants that actually contain the Ribeiro Frio stop.

5. Funchal to Santana: a town visit without a car

Use the selected service shown above for the Funchal → Santana journey (consult the official SIGA timetable 5000 or the official timetable PDF). Santana’s traditional thatched houses make it a different kind of day out from the coastal and hiking options above.

Other services in the same timetable family can serve different sections around Santana. They are not interchangeable labels for the selected ride from Funchal. Also, arriving in Santana town centre is not the same as being dropped at the start of PR9 Caldeirão Verde (which begins up at Parque das Queimadas): plan that onward leg separately.

6. Funchal to Pico do Areeiro: the official hikers’ bus for PR1 & PR1 Short

Horários do Funchal operates a dedicated, official mountain bus connecting central Funchal directly to the summit of Pico do Areeiro (the trailhead for PR1 Vereda do Areeiro and PR1 Short). This service is a game-changer for hikers who do not want to rent a car or navigate the summit parking restrictions.

Key timetable & booking rules:

• Outward departures from Funchal (Teleférico-Término 4A):
  • 06:00 (arrives at ~06:45 at Pico do Areeiro, ideal for sunrise and starting the trail before the crowds).
  • 13:30 (arrives at ~14:15, well-suited for afternoon walks or sunset visits).
  • Intermediate pickup stops include Jardim Santa Luzia (52), Monte - Largo da Fonte (71), Terreiro da Luta (77), and Poiso.
• Return departures from Pico do Areeiro:
  • 12:15 daily.
  • 19:00 during Summer time (last Sunday of March to last Sunday of October) / 18:00 during Winter time.
• Fares & payment: €3.00 one-way, paid in cash directly to the driver on board. GIRO prepaid cards and general urban passes are not valid on this special mountain service. (Between the lower car park and summit, an optional shuttle runs every ~15 minutes for €1.20).
• Strict 31-seat limit: Under mountain transport regulations, the minibus carries a maximum of 31 seated passengers with zero standing passengers allowed.
• Phone reservations recommended: To guarantee your seat, HF strongly recommends reserving by phone between 7 and 2 working days in advance via +351 291 705 555 (seat pickup available at 4A Teleférico or 71 Largo da Fonte).
• Official info & maps: Consult the official Horários do Funchal Pico do Areeiro guide and HF network maps.

Car-free Madeira trip plans in Wander Madeira

If you prefer exploring without car rental, Wander Madeira includes pre-built multi-day itineraries designed specifically for public transit and walking:

• Car-Free Funchal (3-Day Plan): Historical centre on foot, cable cars to Monte & the Botanical Garden, and bus 702 directly to the PR8 coastal trail at Ponta de São Lourenço.
• A Week in Madeira Without a Car (7-Day Plan): Combines city walking, coastal bus lines to Câmara de Lobos, Cabo Girão, Porto Moniz, and Ponta de São Lourenço, with targeted morning transfers for the high peaks (Pico do Arieiro).

In the app’s Explore by bus section, you can browse every line, stop, and connection, view walk times from bus stops to trailheads, and check live trail opening statuses before you depart.

In Wander Madeira’s Explore by bus section, you can browse the line catalogue or search for a destination. Select your starting point and travel date to see available direct connections and options with one transfer where the timetable data supports them.

Open a journey to see its stop sequence and the available scheduled times. Some operator timetables publish times only for key stops; estimated intermediate times are marked ~. You can also open the operator’s original timetable for its full notes and use the return section when your starting point supports a return search.

These are timetable-based connections, not live vehicle tracking. A transfer shown in a plan is not guaranteed, so allow enough time between buses.

Get Wander Madeira and explore the bus planner.

SIGA tickets and GIRO: what to check before travelling

SIGA brings together Horários do Funchal, CAM and SIGA Rodoeste. Its official passenger FAQ explains that onboard tickets are bought with cash, while GIRO products can be bought or loaded through the supported sales network. The coverage depends on the ticket you choose.

For an occasional journey, compare the appropriate onboard ticket with a prepaid product. For several outings, check whether a time-based pass covers your planned trips. Airport travel needs its own check: do not assume that every pass includes Aerobus. Use the official fares and sales-point finder for current prices and purchase locations.

Wander Madeira helps you plan bus journeys; bus tickets and GIRO products are purchased through the transport operators’ sales channels.

Questions about exploring Madeira by bus

Can I explore Madeira without hiring a car?

Yes, you can build a trip around destinations with suitable bus connections. These six journeys from Funchal are starting points. Plan the return before you leave, and check onward transport when your attraction is beyond the bus stop.

Is there a public bus from Funchal to Pico do Areeiro for the PR1 hike?

Yes. Horários do Funchal operates an official mountain service from Teleférico-Término (4A) in Funchal directly to Pico do Areeiro at 06:00 and 13:30 daily (€3.00 cash on board). Seating is capped at 31 passengers, so advance telephone booking (+351 291 705 555) is advised. Return departures from the summit leave at 12:15 and 19:00 (Summer) / 18:00 (Winter). Note that if you hike the full one-way PR1 to Achada do Teixeira, you cannot take this bus back from the finish point.

Which bus goes from Funchal to Ponta de São Lourenço?

Use the current service number in the Baía d’Abra card above and choose a departure whose destination is Baía d’Abra. A departure that ends at Caniçal does not complete the journey shown in this guide.

How do I recognise older Madeira bus numbers?

The route cards show current service or timetable numbers alongside the older timetable number, where available. For Curral das Freiras, use the boarding and arrival stops in its card and check the direction before travelling.

Does every bus in the Arco São Jorge timetable stop at Ribeiro Frio?

No. The selected outward variants here include Ribeiro Frio, but other variants take a different path. Check the stop list for the departure you intend to use.

Are these departure times or a list of useful routes?

This page is a route guide with boarding and arrival stops. For departures on your travel date, use the app’s journey search and the operator’s timetable. Weekdays, weekends, holidays and school periods can have different services.

Sources and route checks

The cards use the transport records behind Wander Madeira’s bus explorer, fetched when this page is published. Timetable data updated records the latest publication of the relevant source dataset in our database; Source checked records the source check used for that dataset. These dates do not change just because the page is rebuilt. Each card links to the official source. That check date does not guarantee service on a future travel date. Confirm the departure, direction and return before travelling.

Route numbering is cross-checked against SIGA’s numbering notice and its individual timetable pages. Ticket guidance comes from SIGA’s passenger information. This is an independent travel guide; the operators publish the official timetables and service changes.