Part of our complete guide: Activities and tours on Madeira
Transfers are useful for one simple reason: Madeira’s best walks are point to point. In your own car you finish 40 km from the vehicle, and the public bus does not go there. A transfer solves exactly that problem — without having to buy a guided tour along with it.
The connections that matter
| Transfer | from | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| One-way up to Pico do Arieiro | €30 | 1 h |
| PR1: out to Arieiro, back from Achada do Teixeira | €32 | 8 h |
| Sunrise Arieiro & Ruivo | €33 | 10 h |
| Ponta de São Lourenço (PR8) | €31 | 4–6 h |
| Caldeirão Verde (PR9) | €40 | 8 h |
| Sunset PR1 | €50 | 3 h |
| Funchal → Praia do Seixal (beach day) | €55 | 1 h |
| Ponta de São Lourenço water taxi | €16 | 30 min |
| Private airport transfer, up to 4 | €40 per group | 30 min |
The water taxi at Ponta de São Lourenço is an outlier and at €16 one of the best deals on the island: it takes you round the peninsula to a point you cannot walk to.
Why this is often the right booking
Do the sums. A guided PR1 tour costs €44–52. A plain transfer for the same route costs €32–38. The difference is the guide — and on a fully waymarked, very busy path like the PR1 that is a genuine choice, not a corner cut.
The reverse holds too: on the Caldeirão Verde route with its four unlit tunnels, a guide earns the money if it is your first time here.
What to watch for
- Pickups are early and the van does not wait. 4:00 am is normal for sunrise transfers.
- Pickup radius: usually Funchal and Caniço only. Staying in Calheta or Machico means driving to the meeting point.
- The return time is fixed. You must be at the destination car park at the agreed hour — that is the real time pressure on transfer walks.
- A SIMplifica reservation is almost never included with a plain transfer. Book it yourself.
- If a path closes after rain they reroute or refund — check the terms.
Book it or drive it yourself?
Drive yourself on loop routes. Book a transfer for any point-to-point route. And if you have a hire car anyway: some operators will move your car from the start car park to the finish — ask, because it rarely appears on the portals.
Common questions
How much does a hiking transfer on Madeira cost?
From around €16. A one-way transfer up to Pico do Arieiro is from €30, the PR1 with a pickup at Achada do Teixeira from €32, Ponta de São Lourenço from €31, and Caldeirão Verde from €40. The water taxi at Ponta de São Lourenço is €16 for 30 minutes.
Why book a transfer rather than a guided hike?
Do the sums: a guided PR1 tour costs €44–52, while a plain transfer for the same route costs €32–38. The difference is the guide — and on a fully waymarked, very busy path like the PR1 that is a genuine choice, not a corner cut.
Why do you need a transfer on Madeira at all?
Because the best walks are point to point. In your own car you finish 40 km from the vehicle, and the public bus does not go there. A transfer solves exactly that problem without having to buy a guided tour along with it.
What should you watch out for with a hiking transfer?
Pickups are early and the van does not wait — 4:00 am is normal for sunrise transfers. The pickup radius is usually Funchal and Caniço only. The return time is fixed, so you must be at the destination car park at the agreed hour. A SIMplifica reservation is almost never included with a plain transfer.
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Next: Mountain hiking tours · Guided levada walks · Car hire and getting there
