Madeira by bus: which bus, from where, when
Find your bus route and plan your journey around Madeira.
Find your bus
Only lines this site already publishes for both places. Most route pages show dated timetable cards; some link only to a PDF, and a few have neither.
The journeys people ask about most
Which line, from where. Each card opens the route page with the official SIGA timetable.
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Airport Funchal
Route 500, the Aerobus, runs between the airport and the Funchal hotel zone. The stop is outside arrivals.
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Funchal Monte
Routes 020 and 021 climb from the city centre to Monte; route 048 does the same from the Lido and Nazaré side.
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Funchal Porto Moniz
Two Rodoeste lines reach the lava pools: 340 along the north coast via São Vicente and 380 along the south coast via Calheta. Pick the return before you leave.
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Funchal Pico do Areeiro
An unnumbered Horários do Funchal bus serves Pico do Areeiro, published for 29 March 2026 to 27 March 2027. The guide explains the summit stop and onward shuttle.
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Funchal Santana
Route 801 is SIGA’s Funchal–Santana line on the north coast. It reaches the town, not the remote trailheads around it.
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Funchal Curral das Freiras
Route 181 reaches Curral das Freiras. Eira do Serrado is served only by request trips marked b), c) or e); read the booking rules on the route page.
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Funchal Machico & São Lourenço
Route 701 is SIGA’s Machico line. Route 702 serves Caniçal and Baía d’Abra, the PR8 trailhead — confirm on the route page which trips run through from Funchal.
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Funchal Jardim Botânico
Route 031 runs from the centre up to the Botanical Garden gate.
Staying east of Funchal? Plan your arrival: Madeira Airport to Caniço by bus · Madeira Airport to Machico by bus.
Before you rely on a timetable
Madeira’s bus times and stop information can be difficult to interpret and may change. Keeping this guide current is ongoing work, and errors are possible. Always check the latest SIGA timetable and confirm the departure and boarding place with local staff or the driver before relying on a journey — especially for the last bus or a tight connection.
Top destinations by bus
Explore Madeira’s towns, coast and mountains. Check each guide for bus routes and onward travel.
Photo credits
Funchal — Photo: Vista de Funchal desde Pico dos Barcelos, Madeira, Portugal, 2019-05-29, DD 37-44 PAN — Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized / cropped
Monte — Photo: Madeira - Monte - Village Square (33364675091) — muffinn · CC BY 2.0 · resized / cropped
Santana — Photo: Santana (Madeira, Portugal), Casas Típicas de Santana -- 2025 -- 1378 — Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized / cropped
Câmara de Lobos — Photo: Bahía de Cámara de Lobos, Madeira, Portugal, 2019-05-29, DD 50 — Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized / cropped
São Vicente — Photo: Madeira São Vicente Valley — Ilya.somewhere · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized / cropped
Calheta — Photo: Madeira - Calheta Marina (4732325485) — Michael Gaylard · CC BY 2.0 · resized / cropped
S. Lourenço — Photo: Ponta de São Lourenço, Madeira, Portugal, 2019-05-28, DD 31 — Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized / cropped
Machico — Photo: Machico (Madeira, Portugal), Ortsansicht -- 2025 -- 1369 — Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized / cropped
Cabo Girão — Photo: Madeira-Camara de Lobos-Cabo Girao (Cliff)-03ASD — Asurnipal · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized / cropped
Take the timetables with you
Madeira Bus is free to download: the free version covers journey planning on the SIGA network and offline timetables in English, Portuguese, German and French. The offline route map is a paid premium upgrade.
Your route, beautifully clear.
See the route, follow the stops, and get a feel for your journey.
Your journey at a glanceEverything you need to know
Common questions about using Madeira's buses with the app
What is the Madeira Bus app?
Madeira Bus is a mobile app for navigating Madeira's SIGA bus network, with an interactive route map. It provides schedules, route planning, and timetables for the island's unified bus system launched in July 2024.
Does the app work for the airport bus (Aerobus)?
Yes! The app includes complete Aerobus schedules between Funchal Airport and the hotel zones. The Aerobus costs €6,70 and takes 30-50 minutes depending on your hotel stop.
Is the app free?
The Madeira Bus app is free to download. Its interactive route map is part of an optional Pro upgrade, and an Early Supporter purchase helps fund ongoing development.
Does it work offline?
Yes! All bus schedules and route information work offline once downloaded. Perfect for tourists with limited mobile data or in areas with poor signal.
What is the SIGA bus network?
SIGA is Madeira's unified bus network launched in July 2024. It replaced the fragmented system of SAM, Rodoeste, and Horários do Funchal operators with one integrated network covering the entire island.
Does this app work with the new SIGA network?
Yes! Our app includes the 84 routes in our published Madeira directory for the SIGA unified network that launched in July 2024. We regularly update the directory as official schedules change.
Can I use the app for the bus to Monte?
Yes! Routes 020 and 021 connect Funchal city centre to Monte (with route 048 running from Nazaré/Lido). The Botanical Garden is served from Monte by short walk or the route 031 connection from Funchal. Journey is roughly 20 minutes from the centre.
Is the app available on Android?
Yes! Madeira Bus is available on both iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play Store).
Do I need the GIRO card to use the buses?
The GIRO card is recommended for cheaper fares (€1,45 urban, €2,00 intermunicipal) but you can also pay cash on board (€2,05 urban). The app helps you find routes regardless of payment method.
Does the app show real-time bus locations?
The app currently shows schedules and timetables. It does not provide real-time GPS bus tracking.
Can tourists use Madeira buses to reach hiking trails?
Yes! Many popular trails are accessible by bus, including PR8 (Ponta de São Lourenço) via Route 702 (the renumbered SIGA replacement for the old 113, terminating at Baía d'Abra). The app helps you plan bus access to trailheads across the island.