The compact nature of Funchal makes it easy to get around the city centre on foot. Most of the buses which operate in the city leave from the waterfront area. Tickets can be purchased on board the bus or, alternatively, travel cards can be obtained from the main transport office. There are a large number of taxis operating within the city, charging quite favourable fares in comparison to some other European cities.
Getting to the City
The airport which serves flights to Funchal, Madeira Airport (FNC) is located in the suburb of Santa Cruz, just over 8 miles (13 km) from the city centre. Travelling from the airport by road, the city can be reached via the ER101 highway which runs along the coast. A regular bus service links the two locations, in addition to plentiful taxis and personal shuttle services which can be booked in advance.
Informally referred to as Funchal Airport and once known as Santa Catarina Airport, Madeira Airport is one of the most unique airports in the world. Once infamous for its short runway (mountains on one side and ocean on the other), its extended runway is now supported by 180 columns each 70m (230ft) high, extending out over the Atlantic.
The airport offers connections to 45 cities around the world and can handle 3.5 million visitors each year. Madeira Airport is perfectly situated as the gateway to Portugal’s vibrant island life.
Madeira Airport provides travellers with a host of services to ensure a pleasant and enjoyable arrival to (or departure from) the island. And it’s not just the runways that were ingeniously conceptualised; its single terminal is mostly underground. It has 40 check-in counters, 16 boarding gates and seven baggage belts. There are no air bridges, but passengers can simply stroll to the terminal once they’ve disembarked or catch one of the free bus shuttles.