Part of our complete guide: Levada walks on Madeira
Booking has been mandatory since January 2026
Anyone setting foot on one of the waymarked PR trails has needed a reservation for a fixed time slot since 1 January 2026. It applies to every classified walking trail and to everyone alike — independent walkers, private groups and people on guided tours. You book and pay in advance through SIMplifica, the regional government’s services portal. Entering without a valid reservation is an offence and can carry a fine.
What it costs
The standard fee is €4.50 per person per trail. Booking through a tour company holding an IFCN protocol brings it down to €3.00. The exception is PR1, the Vereda do Areeiro between Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo: €10.50 on your own, €7.00 through an operator. Payment happens at booking, not at the trailhead — there is no kiosk where the path starts.
Who pays nothing and still has to register
Residents of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, children up to and including twelve, and people with a certified disability of 60 percent or more are exempt. The exemption covers the fee, not the registration: everyone walking has to appear in the reservation, paying or not. For a family that means the children are booked in without adding to the price.
What changes about planning
The time slot is the real change, not the fee. Until now you decided in the morning, after looking out of the window, which trail suited the weather. Now you commit beforehand — on an island where north and south run two different weathers on the same day, and where the mountain roads close in storms or wildfire risk.
In practice: book the well-known routes early, because slots get tight in high season. For anything that depends on the weather, a spare day is more honest planning than a fixed appointment. And if PR1 is on the list, two people pay €21 for access alone — that does not change the decision, but it belongs in the budget.
How current this is
Fees, exempt groups and the set of trails covered can change. The figures here were checked on 11 August 2026 against the regional government’s portal and the official tourism site. Before you travel, it is worth a second look at simplifica.madeira.gov.pt.
