Madeira without a car
Yes, it works, from a base in Funchal. Walk the city, take the bus along the south coast, and book two or three day tours for the far side.
Where each way works
The island splits in three. Match each part to the right way of getting there and you lose very little.
- On foot
Funchal and Monte
The centre is walkable, and the cable car takes you up to Monte in 15 minutes.
- Bus
The south coast and the east
Câmara de Lobos, Cabo Girão, Machico and the PR8 all have buses from Funchal.
- Day tour
The west, the north coast and the peaks
Porto Moniz, Seixal, Fanal and the Arieiro sunrise each take a full day by bus, if a bus goes at all.
Five days in Madeira without a car
Two tour days, two bus days and one on foot. Swap them around the weather: the sunrise and the west need a clear forecast.
-
Day 1 · On foot and by boat
Funchal and the sea
The market and the Old Town in the morning. In the afternoon, a catamaran from the marina along the coast, looking for dolphins and whales. I have done it more than once, and it is one of the things I tell friends to book. If the sea is rough, take the cable car up to Monte instead (€22 return).
-
Day 2 · Transfer
Sunrise and the stairway to heaven
A minibus collects you in Funchal at 06:05 for sunrise at Pico do Arieiro. Then you walk the PR1, the ridge path visitors call the stairway to heaven, to Pico Ruivo, and the minibus waits where the trail ends. Book the permit on SIMplifica first (€10.50); it is not in the price.
-
Day 3 · Tour
The west and the north coast
The day to spend on a tour. Porto Moniz, Seixal, Fanal and Cabo Girão in one loop; by bus you would get Porto Moniz alone, with seven hours on the road.
-
Day 4 · Transfer or bus
The east and São Lourenço
Walk the Ponta de São Lourenço headland (PR8) in the morning, before the heat. The transfer from Funchal has the permit in the price. By bus, some 702s go all the way to Baía d’Abra, and you book the slot on SIMplifica yourself. Stop in Machico on the way back.
-
Day 5 · Bus
Câmara de Lobos and Cabo Girão
Line 267 goes via the Cabo Girão skywalk (€5), then down to the fishing harbour at Câmara de Lobos for lunch and a poncha. Any bus east takes you back to Funchal.
Affiliate links: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we make money.
Staying longer?
The tours that replace a car
Each one covers a day that is long or impossible by bus. Most pick you up from hotels in and around Funchal.
The west in one day, in an open Land Rover
- 8 hours
- Pick-up in central Funchal
- From €69 a person
Porto Moniz, Seixal, Fanal, Paul da Serra and Cabo Girão, with lunch and some off-road tracks. It is the day that is hardest without a car, and the most tiring to drive with one.
See the west tourDay tours
- East · ★ 4.8 from 3,633 reviewsThe east with a guidePico do Arieiro, a short flat walk to the Balcões viewpoint, Santana, the glass platform at Faial and Porto da Cruz in one day, from €34 a person. Pick-up anywhere in Funchal or Caniço.
- SeaDolphins and whales by catamaranTwo and a half to three hours along the coast, looking for dolphins and whales. No hotel pick-up: you meet the boat at Funchal marina.
- PrivateA driver for the dayYour own stops at your own pace, from €130 for up to three people for six hours. Worth it for a family or a small group.
Hikes with a transfer
- PR1 · ★ 4.6 from 1,428 reviewsSunrise at Arieiro and the full PR1Pick-up in Funchal at 06:05, sunrise at the summit, then the walk to Pico Ruivo; the minibus waits at Achada do Teixeira. Transport only: book the permit yourself.
- PR8 · ★ 4.8 from 1,182 reviewsSão Lourenço with the permit in the pricePick-up anywhere from Funchal to Machico, to the start of the trail and back. The only option with the permit already in the price.
- PR6 · ★ 4.7 from 2,732 reviewsA guided levada walk with pick-upNo regular bus reaches Rabaçal. This guided walk picks you up in Funchal and takes you to Risco and 25 Fontes; check on the listing whether the trail fee is included.
Affiliate links: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we make money. Prices from GetYourGuide, checked 22 October 2026; ratings checked 2 November 2026. I have not done these tours myself, so the picks come from what each one solves and from the reviews.
Where the bus is enough
Pay the driver in cash: €2.05 in Funchal, €2.65 for any intercity ride. Plan the bus back before you leave.
- Câmara de Lobos and Cabo GirãoLine 267Two or three a day via the skywalk
- MonteLines 020 and 021All day
- Garajau and Caniço de BaixoLine 555All day, until after midnight
- MachicoExpresso and 702Every half hour to hour on weekdays
- Caniçal and the PR8Line 702A few a day to Baía d’Abra
- Curral das FreirasLine 181Several a day
Bolt, Uber and taxis
Quick in Funchal, rare everywhere else: never count on one to bring you back from a trailhead. From the airport to Funchal, a Bolt or Uber is about €16 to €30, the Aerobus €5.55 with a GIRO card.
Stay in central Funchal
Every line starts or ends there, so it is the only base where both coasts are one bus away. Near the seafront or the Old Town is best. Where to stay
Fares: SIGA fares table, Portaria 128/2026, checked 21 October 2026. Taxi and app prices are typical rides in October 2026, not official fares. Every route, with the times and the last bus back: Madeira by bus.
If you book only a few tours
The sunrise with the PR1, the west in a 4x4 and the east with the Arieiro by day are the three days hardest to do without a car. Check dates and prices here.
Affiliate links: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we make money.
Planning a city half-day? Follow the Monte route from Funchal, with the garden, cestos and return from Livramento.
Questions about Madeira without a car
Can you visit Madeira without a car?
Yes. Stay in central Funchal, walk the city and take the cable car to Monte, use the buses for the south coast and the east, and book a day tour for the west and the peaks. You see fewer places in a day than with a car, and you skip the mountain roads and the parking.
Is Madeira easy to get around without a car?
Around Funchal, yes: buses run all day, and Bolt and Uber are quick to arrive. On the north and west coasts there are one or two buses a day, so you either plan the day around the bus back or take a tour.
Which tours are worth it without a car?
The west first: Porto Moniz, Seixal and Fanal are the hardest places to reach by bus, and one full-day tour covers them. Then a sunrise tour to Pico do Arieiro, and a transfer for the PR1 or the PR8 if you hike.
Can you hike in Madeira without a car?
Yes, on several of the best walks. Buses reach the PR8 at Baía d’Abra and the PR11 at Ribeiro Frio, and the Arieiro bus takes you to the start of the PR1. For walks that end far from the start, or trailheads with no bus such as the PR6, book a transfer or a guided walk.
Where should I stay in Madeira without a car?
Central Funchal. Every bus line starts or ends there, the Aerobus stops in the centre, and most tours pick up from hotels in and around the city.
Can you plan my trip without a car?
Yes. Planning without a car is part of our personal plan: we build each day around the bus times, the tours and the transfers, and tell you which days only work with a car. A personal plan from our family is €149 for up to 5 days (€199 for 6 to 8), ready in 48 hours.
Your trip without a car, planned by a Madeiran family
Tell us your dates and that you will not have a car. We plan every day around the bus times, the tours worth booking and the transfers, and tell you honestly which days only work with a car. A personal plan from our family is €149 for up to 5 days (€199 for 6 to 8), ready in 48 hours.