Getting Around Funchal
Funchal sits in a natural amphitheatre-shaped valley, with gentle slopes rising from the coast, and the city centre itself is compact. That combination shapes how visitors move around: much of the historic core is best covered on foot, while buses and other transport handle the climbs and the trips further out.
Walking the City Centre
The city centre is small enough to explore on foot, so for the Sé Cathedral, the Mercado dos Lavradores and the surrounding streets, walking is the simplest option. Just bear in mind that Funchal is built on slopes, so routes heading inland or uphill involve some climbing.
Rail, Metro and Trams
Funchal has no metro or conventional rail network for visitors to use, and no tram system is described in the available information. The city's public transport is road-based, with buses forming the backbone of local travel.
Buses and Public Transport
Orange city buses are the main way to get around and up to Monte, served by lines 20 and 21. Most city buses start from the waterfront area, which makes the seafront a convenient place to begin a journey.
- Giro cards: bought from the office for €2.20, pre-loaded with two journeys, and can be topped up with additional journeys for €1.50 each.
- Single ride: €1.90 when bought directly from the bus driver.
- Timetables: if you are lucky, you can pick up a timetable for the local and regional buses starting in Funchal at the tourist information office; timetables and a map are also available there.
If you plan to use the buses more than once or twice, the Giro card works out cheaper per journey than paying the driver, and it can be reloaded as you go.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
The available information does not describe taxi or ride-hailing services in Funchal, so no specific guidance can be given on operators, apps or fares.
Motorcycles and Mopeds
Madeira is well suited to exploring by motorcycle, and Funchal is well connected with the rest of the island, with plenty of places to discover along the coast roads. Using a moped is a common practice around the island and is often more convenient. Rental companies are not hard to find, and most are located within the town centre.
- Rent a Scooter Madeira: mostly smaller mopeds and motorcycles, with a good variety of models; basic equipment is provided with each rental, including a helmet for the main driver.
- Riderly: provides motorcycles for longer and shorter trips with the necessary driving equipment, such as helmets and gloves.
Getting There from the Airport
Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira International Airport (FNC), formerly known as Santa Catarina Airport, is about 30 minutes northeast of Funchal, in Santa Cruz municipality. Once famous for its hair-raisingly short runway ending at a cliff over the Atlantic, it has since been expanded to handle all sizes of aircraft.
Airlines flying regularly to the airport include TAP Air Portugal, Azores Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Air France, easyJet, Finnair, Condor, SAS, Transavia, Binter Canarias and Jet2.com. Most flights come from mainland Portugal and northern Europe, with several daily flights from major Portuguese cities such as Lisbon and Porto, and good connections from London (mostly Gatwick, but also Heathrow).
Arriving by Car
Funchal is served by the coastal highway ER101. An easy way into the city centre by car is to take exit 11 and head downhill towards Funchal, continuing on the ER103 until you pass under an overpass. Immediately on your right is a large parking garage (closed on Sundays), from which it is only a few minutes' walk to the Mercado dos Lavradores and the Sé Cathedral.