🚌 Getting Around Madeira by Bus, Aerobus and Taxi
Getting around Madeira is easier than the cliffs and hairpin bends make it look. You do not need a car to live here, at least not at first. The island runs one joined-up bus network called SIGA, plus a dedicated airport line, plenty of taxis and a couple of apps that turn the whole thing into a tap-and-go affair. Here is how locals actually move, and how you can copy them from day one.
Last updated: June 2026Getting around Madeira runs on the SIGA network: yellow Horários do Funchal buses inside Funchal and white SIGA buses (Rodoeste west, CAM/SAM east) across the island. Pay cash on board (2.00 euros municipal, 2.60 euros intermunicipal) or load a GIRO card for cheaper fares (around 1.45 and 1.95 euros). The Aerobus line 500 links the airport to Funchal for 6.70 euros, and Moovit plus Google Maps show every live timetable.
Learn the two bus colours
Madeira folded all its operators into one network called SIGA in 2024, so the tickets work the same everywhere. In practice you see two flavours. Yellow Horários do Funchal buses run inside Funchal and the close suburbs. White SIGA buses handle the long island routes: Rodoeste heads west and northwest toward Câmara de Lobos, Ribeira Brava and Porto Moniz, while CAM (the old SAM) heads east toward Caniço, Machico and Caniçal. One ticket system, two colours. That is the whole trick.
Get the airport sorted with the Aerobus
Landing first? The Aerobus line 500, run by SAM, waits right outside Arrivals and drops you in central Funchal for 6.70 euros (children 3.30 euros), paid in cash on board. It runs roughly hourly, around 08:30 to 22:00 from the airport and 07:00 to 21:00 going back, every day except 25 December. It is by far the cheapest way in. A taxi for the same trip costs many times more.
Buy a GIRO card to stop overpaying
Paying cash on board costs 2.00 euros for a trip inside one municipality and 2.60 euros between municipalities. Load a reusable GIRO card instead and those drop to roughly 1.45 and 1.95 euros, so it pays for itself fast. Grab one at the SIGA ticket office on Avenida do Mar, at tabacarias showing the GIRO logo, or at kiosks around the centre. Tap on as you board, every single trip.
Plan the route in an app, not in your head
Do not memorise timetables. Open Moovit or Google Maps, type where you are going, and both pull live SIGA schedules, stop names and walking links. Moovit is the local favourite and even tells you which platform at the Funchal station to stand on. The official siga.madeira.gov.pt site and the Horários do Funchal site at horariosdofunchal.pt carry the full route maps when you want the source of truth.
Use taxis for the gaps
Madeira taxis are the classic yellow with a blue stripe and they are metered. They fill the hours buses do not: late nights, the steep hamlets up the hillside, the trailhead at the start of a levada walk. You can flag one at ranks across Funchal or have your accommodation call one. For airport runs and longer trips, agree the fare or confirm the meter is on before you pull away.
Know when a car finally makes sense
Buses cover the coast beautifully but thin out fast in the mountains and at night. If your plans involve sunrise at Pico do Arieiro, north coast villages or moving a household, a rental or your own car earns its keep. Plenty of newcomers go car-free in Funchal and rent only for the big adventures. Start with buses, add wheels when the island pushes you to.
SIGA / Horários do Funchal ticket office
Avenida do Mar e das Comunidades Madeirenses, 9000-054 Funchal
🕒 Mon to Fri roughly 08:00 to 20:00, reduced hours weekends
Plan your day on the island
Buses, weather, fuel prices and what is open today. The MadeiraLive hub keeps the live island data in one place so you always know before you head out the door.
Check live Madeira info on MadeiraLive Settling in? Start at the newcomer hubFrequently asked questions
How do I get from Madeira airport to Funchal?
Take the Aerobus line 500, run by SAM. It waits outside Arrivals, runs roughly hourly from about 08:30 to 22:00, and costs 6.70 euros for adults and 3.30 euros for children, paid in cash on board. It is the cheapest option by far compared with a taxi.
What is the GIRO card and is it worth it?
GIRO is Madeira's reusable contactless bus card for the SIGA network. It cuts fares from 2.00 to about 1.45 euros for municipal trips and from 2.60 to about 1.95 euros for intermunicipal ones, so it pays for itself in a few rides. Buy and reload it at SIGA offices, tabacarias and kiosks.
Can I get around Madeira without a car?
Yes, especially if you base yourself in Funchal. The SIGA bus network covers the whole coast, the Aerobus links the airport, and taxis fill the late hours. You only really need a car for sunrise peaks, remote north coast villages or moving house.
Which app is best for Madeira buses?
Moovit is the local favourite for live SIGA timetables, stops and platform numbers, and Google Maps also pulls Madeira bus routes. For official maps and fares, check siga.madeira.gov.pt and horariosdofunchal.pt.
What is the difference between yellow and white buses in Madeira?
Yellow Horários do Funchal buses run inside Funchal and its suburbs. White SIGA buses run the long island routes, with Rodoeste going west and northwest and CAM (formerly SAM) going east. Since 2024 they all share one ticketing system.
How much does a bus cost in Funchal?
Paying cash on board costs 2.00 euros for a trip within one municipality and 2.60 euros between municipalities. With a prepaid GIRO card those fall to roughly 1.45 and 1.95 euros.