Arriving at Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC) and wondering how to get to Funchal? The Aerobus is the most popular, reliable, and cost-effective way for tourists to reach the city center and the main hotel zones.
Aerobus at a glance
One-way Fare
€6,70 on board
€5,55 pre-purchased (GIRO)
Duration
50 min to terminus
~24 min to Av. do Mar
Frequency
Varies by day
See timetable below
Operator
CAM — Companhia de Autocarros da Madeira
Route 500 / 500R · timetable published by SIGA, the regional transport authority
How to find the Aerobus at the airport
After collecting your luggage and exiting the arrivals hall, simply turn right. The Aerobus stop is located directly outside the terminal on the ground floor. Look for the large blue signs marked "Aerobus".
Fare & payment
A single adult ticket bought on board (Bilhete de Bordo Aerobus) costs €6,70; children pay €3,30. A pre-purchased Aerobus ticket loaded on a GIRO card (Bilhete Pré-Comprado Aerobus) costs €5,55 (children €2,75) — but note that GIRO cards are not sold at the airport. (Tariff effective 01/04/2026 per the official SIGA Aerobus page.)
Where to buy: on board from the driver (cash only), or load the pre-purchased Aerobus ticket on a GIRO card at a verified SIGA sales point in Funchal — none is at the airport, so most arriving visitors pay on board and use the cheaper pre-purchased price for the trip back. The 2026 tariff also lists a pre-purchased return ticket at €9,00, marked as available on a date still to be announced. Do not plan around it until SIGA confirms it is on sale. See all 2026 fares and passes →
Free WiFi on board — useful for messaging your hotel pick-up or pulling up directions on the way in.
Key stops in Funchal
The Aerobus is the only direct bus connection between the airport and the western hotel zone, with the route designed around tourist needs — the official SIGA "Hotels A–Z" directory indexes 113 named hotels against their nearest Aerobus stop. Here are the most important boarding points:
Stop numbers above match the official SIGA timetable for the Airport → Praia Formosa direction.
Hotels A–Z
Find your hotel — Aerobus stop A-Z
All hotels on the SIGA Aerobus route, alphabetical. Type your hotel name to filter. (113 hotels)
A–B
- Anadia Atrium Stop 04 Mercado
- Atlântida Apartamentos Turísticos Stop 07 Plaza Madeira
- C. C. Anadia Stop 04 Mercado
- Hotel Albergaria Dias Stop 04 Mercado
- Hotel Allegro Stop 15 Lido
- Hotel Alto Lido Stop 17 Rua Passos Gouveia
- Hotel Apartamentos da Sé Stop 06 Avenida do Mar
- Hotel Apartamentos Reno Stop 06 Avenida do Mar
- Hotel Baía Azul Stop 18 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Barceló Stop 11 Avenida do Infante
- Hotel Belmond Reid's Palace Stop 13 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Belo Sol Stop 19 Fórum Madeira
- Hotel Buganvília Stop 15 Lido
- Pensão Astória Stop 06 Avenida do Mar
- Residêncial Americana Stop 06 Avenida do Mar
C
- Apartamentos Casa Branca Stop 14 Estrada Monumental
- C. C. Centromar Stop 21 Centromar
- Hotel Castanheiro Stop 06 Avenida do Mar
- Hotel Catedral Stop 06 Avenida do Mar
- Hotel Cliff Bay Stop 13 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Colombo Stop 07 Plaza Madeira
- Residencial Chafariz Stop 06 Avenida do Mar
D–E
- Apartamentos da Carreira Stop 07 Plaza Madeira
- Esmeralda Hollidays Apartments Stop 06 Avenida do Mar
- Hotel do Carmo Stop 04 Mercado
- Hotel do Centro Stop 04 Mercado
- Hotel Dorisol Florassol Stop 15 Lido
- Hotel Duas Torres Stop 19 Fórum Madeira
- Hotel Eden Mar Stop 15 Lido
- Hotel Enotel Lido Stop 17 Rua Passos Gouveia
- Hotel Enotel Quinta do Sol Stop 12 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Escola Stop 25 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Estrelícia Stop 15 Lido
F–G
- 109 Funchal Hostel Stop 03 Campo da Barca
- C. C. Fórum Madeira Stop 09 Terminal SAM
- Funchal Design Hotel Stop 09 Terminal SAM
- Hotel Four Views Baía Stop 08 São João
- Hotel Four Views Monumental Stop 15 Lido
- Hotel Girassol Stop 14 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Golden Residence Stop 07 Plaza Madeira
- Residencial Funchal Stop 04 Mercado
- Residencial Gordon Stop 22 Rua do Cabrestante
- Residencial Greco Stop 04 Mercado
I–J
- Hotel Imperatriz Stop 10 Avenida do Infante
- Hotel Jardins D' Ajuda Stop 19 Fórum Madeira
K–L
- Hotel Lusitania Stop 14 Estrada Monumental
M–N
- 29 Madeira Hostel Stop 06 Avenida do Mar
- C. C. Monumental Lido Stop 15 Lido
- Estalagem Monte Verde Stop 14 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Madeira Stop 07 Plaza Madeira
- Hotel Melba Stop 14 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Meliã Stop 16 Rua Passos Gouveia
- Hotel Mimosa Stop 15 Lido
- Hotel Monte Carlo Stop 08 São João
- Hotel Musa D' Ajuda Stop 19 Fórum Madeira
- Hotel Next Stop 11 Avenida do Infante
- Madeira Bright Star Stop 10 Avenida do Infante
- Residencial Mariazinha Stop 04 Mercado
- Residencial Mónaco Stop 04 Mercado
- Residencial Monumental Stop 15 Lido
O
- Hotel Orquídea Stop 06 Avenida do Mar
P–Q
- C. C. Plaza Madeira Stop 07 Plaza Madeira
- Hospedaria Pôr do Sol Stop 08 São João
- Hotel Pestana Bay Hotel Stop 24 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Pestana Carlton Stop 11 Avenida do Infante
- Hotel Pestana Casino Park Stop 10 Avenida do Infante
- Hotel Pestana Casino Studios Stop 10 Avenida do Infante
- Hotel Pestana CR7 Stop 06 Avenida do Mar
- Hotel Pestana Grand Stop 20 Rua da Ponta da Cruz
- Hotel Pestana Miramar Stop 12 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Pestana Ocean Bay Stop 26 Praia Formosa
- Hotel Pestana Palms Stop 15 Lido
- Hotel Pestana Promenade Stop 17 Rua Passos Gouveia
- Hotel Pestana Village Stop 13 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Porto Mare Stop 16 Rua Passos Gouveia
- Hotel Porto Santa Maria Stop 04 Mercado
- Hotel Quinta Casa Branca Stop 14 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Quinta Mãe dos Homens Stop 02 Boa Nova
- Hotel Quinta Penha de França Stop 10 Avenida do Infante
- Hotel Quinta Perestrelo Stop 12 Estrada Monumental
- Quinta Mar e Sol Stop 12 Estrada Monumental
- Quintinha de São João Stop 08 São João
- Residencial Park Stop 03 Campo da Barca
- Residencial Queimada de Baixo Stop 06 Avenida do Mar
R–S
- Apartamentos Santa Maria Stop 04 Mercado
- Hostel Santa Maria Stop 04 Mercado
- Hostel São João Stop 09 Terminal SAM
- Hotel Raga Stop 15 Lido
- Hotel Regency Cliff Stop 19 Fórum Madeira
- Hotel Regency Club Stop 11 Avenida do Infante
- Hotel Regency Palace Stop 22 Rua do Cabrestante
- Hotel Royal Savoy Stop 11 Avenida do Infante
- Hotel Savoy Gardens Stop 14 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Savoy Palace Stop 11 Avenida do Infante
- Hotel Sirius Stop 04 Mercado
T–V
- Apartamentos Taberna Stop 04 Mercado
- Apartamentos Turísticos Avenue Park Stop 10 Avenida do Infante
- Apartamentos Turísticos Paraíso Stop 14 Estrada Monumental
- Apartamentos Turísticos São Paulo e Alegria Stop 09 Terminal SAM
- Hotel Terrace Mar Stop 14 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel The Vine Stop 07 Plaza Madeira
- Hotel Vidamar Stop 14 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Vila Baleira Stop 15 Lido
- Hotel Vila Formosa Stop 25 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Vila Rosa Stop 14 Estrada Monumental
- Hotel Vila Vicência Stop 15 Lido
- Residencial Universitária Stop 04 Mercado
- Torres Fórum Plus Stop 19 Fórum Madeira
- Turim Santa Maria Stop 03 Campo da Barca
- Vitorina Corte Guesthouse Stop 04 Mercado
W–Z
- Hotel Windsor Stop 04 Mercado
- Residencial Zarco Stop 06 Avenida do Mar
- Zona Velha Apartments Stop 04 Mercado
Can't find yours? Try the Madeira Bus app — it accepts fuzzy spellings and variations.
All Aerobus stops
Stops 01–26 (25 in service)
Time shown is the estimated arrival in minutes after departing the airport (stop 01), as printed on the official SIGA route poster. Stop 05 is decommissioned and the bus skips it.
Timetable & schedule
Frequency at a glance: departures vary by day and time, with published gaps from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Check the table for your travel day.
These times have been withdrawn pending a timetable review.
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.
Return journey to the airport (route 500R)
The return service (route 500R) starts at stop 26, Praia Formosa, and calls at the same numbered stops in reverse order, through the hotel zone and the city centre. The timetable shows Praia Formosa departures only, so add the minutes SIGA prints for your stop:
Minutes after the Praia Formosa departure:
- 19 Fórum Madeira 5–10 min after departure
- 15 Lido 10–15 min after departure
- 11 Avenida do Infante 10–20 min after departure
- 06 Avenida do Mar 15–30 min after departure
- 04 Mercado 20–30 min after departure
The last bus to the airport leaves Praia Formosa at 21:00 every day of the week; if that arrives too late for your flight, plan a taxi or transfer instead. Leave a generous margin: the estimates are SIGA's, not a guarantee.
These times have been withdrawn pending a timetable review.
If your flight lands late or the bus has gone
- A bus still fits: use the dated Aerobus timetable on this page for your travel day and direction. Allow for baggage collection and reaching the stop; a flight arrival is not a bus connection.
- No suitable bus remains: follow the airport signs to the taxi rank and ask the driver about your destination and fare before setting off.
- Prefer to arrange the ride in advance: compare the pre-booked Kiwitaxi option below. Check the meeting instructions, flight-delay terms, luggage and any child seat before booking.
Bags and children
The SIGA Aerobus sheets and FAQ reviewed do not publish a luggage allowance, bag dimensions or a pushchair rule. No such rule is published in those sources; confirm with CAM for large bags or a pushchair rather than assuming space is guaranteed.
The published tariff allows children under 6 to travel free with proof of identity. Child tickets apply from ages 6 through 12 inclusive for children without Passe Social 4_23. See the fares guide for the published Aerobus child products; the documents reviewed do not establish child-seat availability on the bus.
Published child fares and conditions →Sources: SIGA Aerobus, SIGA FAQ and Portaria 128/2026, Article 7 and Annex II. SIGA Aerobus · SIGA FAQ
Keep the timetables with you
Published SIGA timetable: 25 operating stops. 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.
