In Madeira we consider it essential to rent a car to get to know the island well, so in this guide we tell you everything you need to know to rent a car at Madeira airport or in Funchal: what car rental companies exist, what to check at the time of rental (insurance and franchises), what type of car is best, how to get the best price, how and where to park and how was our experience.
Contents
- Why it is essential to rent a car in Madeira
- How to rent a car in Madeira
- What to consider when renting a car in Madeira
- How to get from Madeira airport to Funchal (and the other way around)
- Parking in the center of Funchal
- Where to stay in Funchal, Madeira: hotels and apartments with parking
- Maps and useful Apps for driving in Funchal and Madeira
- Our experience renting a car in Madeira
Why it is essential to rent a car in Madeira
Madeira is an island with many places to explore (in fact, we recommend at least a week to know it calmly) and to reach many of them, to enjoy the most of the island, to take advantage of your time, to visit all the places recommended in our guide at your own pace, stopping when you feel like it, it is essential that you rent a car for your stay.
While in the island’s capital, Funchal (where we recommend that you base your exploration and stay in a place with parking), you will be able to move on foot to most places of interest, in the rest of Madeira your best option is to have your own vehicle .
If you have considered using public transport, the 3 bus companies that connect some of the points of the island have quite limited connections and frequencies: you can see the lines and schedules here.
If, on the other hand, you have considered renting a motorcycle instead of a car for this trip, remember that the island of Madeira is large so long distances on a motorcycle can be uncomfortable and, more importantly, the unstable and changeable weather in the different areas of the island will mean that you can have all four seasons in the same day… on the motorcycle.
If you do not drive (or if you do not want to do so on your trip to Madeira), in addition to public transport you have the option of taking tours, although it is usually more expensive and much more limited, in addition to the fact that when traveling in large groups you will be contributing to further saturate the already very saturated natural areas of Madeira.
Is it safe / easy to drive in Madeira?
In general, the roads in Madeira are in good condition and are easy and safe to drive on, but some have many curves and can be somewhat narrow and/or very steep. There are also many tunnels, the solution to eliminate curves on an island like Madeira with a lot of mountainous terrain. Driving calmly you won’t have any problems.
Some tips if you don’t have a lot of driving experience and/or are especially concerned about not getting onto more complicated roads:
- It is important to try to plan the route a little before leaving your accommodation and know which ones are the main roads, as sometimes Google Maps does not distinguish and can get you through alternative narrow or very steep roads.
- Check beforehand if there are parking facilities and/or paid parking lots in the places you are going to visit each day, to avoid wasting time driving around. In many areas of the island, street parking areas are paid at certain times, which vary according to the day of the week and from one area to another; always confirm the schedule of the area you are in on the signs you will find there.
- The parking lots of the most popular hiking trails get full easily, especially in high season, so if you want to do any of them, it is advisable to get up early or go later in the day.
- Some old roads (those that existed before the creation of new roads with tunnels that shorten distances and make travel safer) are closed and/or marked as unsafe due to the danger of landslides and falling rocks. Avoid them, as many of the rental companies do not cover damages caused by this type of situation (if you get on one of these roads and a stone falls on your car, for example).
- Respect the signs, prohibitions and speed limits at all times. For example, the old road that passes by the famous “Cascada dos Anjos” is open only for residents, so rental cars are forbidden to drive on it. If you want to go, you will have to park a bit further and go on foot, as we did in Randomtrip. Unfortunately, we saw a large number of tourists skipping the ban; don’t be that kind of tourist, practice responsible tourism.
How to rent a car in Madeira
Car rental companies in Madeira
Being a very touristic island, there are many car rental companies in Madeira. To find the best price, we recommend you to use DiscoverCars and to check very well the conditions of each company and not only the price.
Some of the local companies are AB4Rent (the one we used in Randomtrip on our second trip, everything went perfectly), 7M, Magic Islands, Rodavante, Madeira Rent, Way2Azores…. Almost all of them require deposit and excess, which in most cases can be removed by paying extra.
In addition to these companies, in Madeira you will also find multinational companies such as Sixt, Europcar, GoldCar, Hertz, Dollar, Centauro,… The ideal is to use comparators like DiscoverCars with your dates to find availability and better prices. On our first trip to Madeira we rented with Hertz, which gave us a lot of problems when returning the vehicle with a supposed small scratch (the car was old and full of them) and they wanted to charge us almost 300 € (after much discussion in the end they did not charge us, but the customer experience was terrible).
You can also see a complete list of car rental companies on the official Madeira Tourism website, or search directly on DiscoverCars using the filters to find the type of car and conditions you want for your dates.
We try to keep this post as up to date as possible but always check the information when booking as some of these conditions may have changed, Discovercars presents all the information in a clear and transparent way.
Car rental prices in Madeira
The prices for renting a car in Madeira vary a lot depending on the number of days rented, the season, the type of car and how far in advance you book. Especially in winter and dates with less demand it is possible to get prices from 7-10€ per day (although with excess and leaving a high deposit), although the most common price is between 20 and 30€ per day; and if you travel in high season (summer, long weekends, Christmas) it is especially important that you try to book well in advance, as prices can go up a lot.
Ideally, you should check and compare all the companies with availability for your dates on DiscoverCars. Remember to check the rental conditions of each company (excess, insurance coverage, fuel policy, if a second driver is included or not, reviews…) and not only the price.
In addition, there are no tolls in Madeira so you will only have to take into account the price of car rental and fuel to get an approximate budget of how much you will spend. You can check the updated fuel prices in Madeira here
What to consider when renting a car in Madeira
Book in advance
Especially since the pandemic, since 2021, as some of the rental companies had to sell part of their fleet to hold on, they now have difficulties to acquire more vehicles, so with less supply and much more demand (due to the growth of tourism in Madeira since then), prices have risen and it is possible that in high tourist seasons (summer, Easter, long weekends, Christmas, New Year’s Eve …) rental cars can get huge prices. Therefore, it is very important to try to book as far in advance as possible.
Deposit and Excess
The vast majority of rental car companies require a deposit when picking up the rental car, which translates into blocking a certain amount on your credit card, which is frozen until the end of the rental period. If there is any problem (damage to the car, accidents, etc.), the blocked money will be used to pay these expenses (up to the value of the excess); if there is no problem, the money is unblocked from the credit card and is available again.
In turn, the excess is the maximum amount that you will have to pay in the event that the vehicle suffers major damage or breakdowns, i.e., you will only have to pay it in the event that the car has suffered damage but, in most cases, you can eliminate it by paying X euros more per day or by taking out a specific extra insurance policy.
To understand it with an example, if the excess is 700€, you will pay a maximum of 700€ in case something happens to the vehicle:
- If any part of the car is scratched and the stipulated price for it is 200€, you will pay those 200€.
- If something more serious happens and the stipulated price for it is 2400€, you will pay 700€.
- That is, up to 700€ you will have to pay it yourself, and what exceeds that will be paid by the insurance company.
It is possible to eliminate or reduce both the deposit and the excess, usually by paying extra, which if it is not too much is usually worth paying a little more for peace of mind.
Fuel Policy
Ideally, you should choose a full-full fuel policy, i.e. you receive the car with a full tank of fuel, and you deliver it with a full tank of fuel. There is also nothing wrong if the car is delivered with half a tank and you will also need to deliver it with half a tank, but, in addition to the fact that it is always more complicated to fill the tank to exactly where you want it at the gas station before delivering it (and you lose money), there may be misunderstandings with the company.
In either case, take a photograph of the mileage and fuel level when the car is delivered to you and you will have photographic proof of how it was delivered to you.
Mileage
Most rental companies include unlimited mileage, so you don’t have to worry and can drive around Madeira freely. In any case, be sure to confirm it in the conditions (and/or use DiscoverCars filters) before booking, to avoid extra costs.
Type of car
In general, the roads in Madeira are in good condition so in our opinion, the most basic and smallest (cheapest) car is usually more than enough, although if you can pay a little more, due to the amount of slopes there are, if you get an automatic car it will make your life much easier.
On our first trip to Madeira we chose the cheapest car (a manual Skoda Fabia) and at times we suffered with some hills. On the second trip, we did have an automatic car, and it is a joy both for the ease of driving and for when you have to stop and start several times, or if you have to park on a slope.
In any case, depending on your preferences (if you are 5 people or even more, or if you prefer a more comfortable car or with more power) most of the companies have cars for all tastes. Use DiscoverCars filters if you have preferences to be able to compare the prices of various companies for the type of vehicle you prefer.
Extras (GPS, additional driver, baby seats, etc.)
Most of the extras have to be paid separately, making prices go up (usually X euros per day for each extra), so if you are going to need them, use DiscoverCars filters to see the prices of the different companies with those extras included and do not get surprises later at the time of booking.
One of those extras is a GPS: in our opinion, nowadays it is not worth paying for it as it is much easier and faster to use apps like Google Maps on your smartphone. So, you can take our map of Madeira in your Google Maps app, select the place to visit and follow the GPS indications of the app itself. We recommend you to bring a good cell phone holder (and remember to remove it when you return the car hahaha, in our case we have already forgotten a few) and a good powerbank (some cars bring USB charger, but not always and sometimes they charge very slowly).
Payment methods
Most car rental companies ask for a credit card in the driver’s name to block the amount of the deposit. In any case, it is best to check the particular conditions of each company in the Discovercars search results (you will find all the information there).
If you don’t have a credit card, you will have to limit yourself to companies that only ask for debit cards, which in general are few and more expensive. If you use DiscoverCars, in the filters you have a specific one (Payment Method) to see only the companies that accept one type of card or another.
Extra insurance: yes or no?
If you prefer to pay a little more to avoid headaches or hassles when delivering the rental car, you can consider hiring the Discovercars Full Coverage Insurance . The current cost starts at 6,36 € per day, valid for car rental in Madeira, and is usually much cheaper than the options offered by the companies themselves (being an external insurance, if something happens, you will have to pay up to the value of the excess to the rental company, and then request a refund to DiscoverCars insurance). More info about the insurance
Be careful! Most car rental companies do not cover damages caused by driving on unpaved roads and, perhaps in Madeira, you may get a bit adventurous at times. In these cases it is better to be safe than sorry…
As a recommendation, when the vehicle is delivered to you, make a video/photo of the car’s condition, to avoid situations in which the company tells you that some of the damage was not there and they want to charge you for it.
Where do I pick up the rental car? Madeira Airport or Funchal Downtown
Taking into account that you are probably going to arrive in Madeira by plane, the most common option is to pick up your car as soon as you arrive, at a counter of the Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC), without the need to make any other trips. So ideally you should choose a car rental company with representation and/or balcony at the airport terminal itself to save time, both in the pick-up and drop-off of your rental car as well as in the delivery.
It is also possible that you arrive by boat from the neighboring island of Porto Santo, in that case the boat (the “Lobo Marinho”) will drop you off at the port of Funchal. Some rental companies have the option to deliver the car there, when you arrive (that was our case with AB4Rent on the second trip we made to Madeira). Otherwise, you can look for any company that has delivery in Funchal and get there by taxi/Bolt from the port (or even on foot if you don’t have much luggage).
How to get from Madeira airport to Funchal (and the other way around)
In case you have to pick up your car in the center of Funchal, we explain how to get there from Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC), which is located about 18 km from Funchal.
- Book a transfer: you can book a transfer in advance with a private vehicle that will be waiting for you at your arrival (or your return to the airport), the price per vehicle starts at 36€ (up to 3 people).
- Cab: you will find cabs at the exit of the airport, and the fare between the airport and the center of Funchal is usually between 25 and 35€ (with taximeter)
- Aerobus: the Aerobus is a shuttle service between the airport and various points of Funchal that operates 24h (less frequent at night). It is the cheapest option, and the price is 6,40€ per person. You can see more information about the route, schedules and price here
Parking in the center of Funchal
Due to the huge increase in tourism and the limited space in some areas, parking in Madeira can be difficult, especially in the capital, Funchal, and in the main tourist spots. In Funchal, most parking areas are paid (except at night), or you will have to pay for a private parking (and some are closed at night so you have to plan a little).
The ideal in our opinion if you want to stay in Funchal (or in other areas where parking is limited) is to choose an accommodation with guaranteed parking (important to check this as some accommodations have parking but with a limited number of spaces and not enough for the entire accommodation, as was our case in the Allegro Madeira – Adults Only, although in the end we managed to park every day of our stay).
Where to stay in Funchal, Madeira: hotels and apartments with parking
At Randomtrip we visited Madeira Island twice, the first time we stayed in an appartment in the historic center and the second time in a hotel in the Lido area.
The first time we stayed at Downtown Apartments (from 100€/night) and we loved the apartment: very central, in the historic center a few steps from the cathedral, with a small terrace, very comfortable and well decorated. Of course, in this case the accommodation did not have parking so we left the rental car every night in a nearby paid parking lot.
The second time we visited the island we stayed at the Hotel Allegro Madeira (from 112€/night).
This 4 star hotel has comfortable rooms, with free pool, spa and Turkish bath and a delicious breakfast buffet with homemade and typical products (we loved the breakfast, so many options!) so if you are a “hotel breakfast” kind of person and value it, this is a nice option. Also, although it was not located in the historic center of Funchal (but about 8 minutes by Bolt), the hotel has parking for guests. Unfortunately, however, parking spaces are limited, cannot be reserved and fill up as guests arrive so it’s a bit of a lottery, although in our case we ended up getting space for us every night. In case you don’t find a place, at night you can park for free in the street in the blue areas (until 8:00 am, perfect if you leave early for sightseeing) or look for a paid parking if you don’t want to get up early or you can’t find a place on the street.
Here you find a variety of hotels with parking in Funchal to suit all tastes and wallets:
- Cozy House (from 60€/night): small, cozy and comfortable house for two people and with outdoor space.
- Quinta Paços do Lago (from €99/night): studios and suites in a beautiful estate with parking
- Quinta do Bom Sucesso (from €99/night): apartments with parking in a farm with local products welcome and charming owners
- Granny’s House View (from 100€/night): one-bedroom house with stunning view from the terrace, parking and close to the capital city
- Atlântico Azul (from 114€/night): apartments with private parking very close to the capital city
- Dona I Apartments at Botanical Garden (from €114/night): modern apartments near the Botanical Garden
- Hotel Madeira (from 120€/night): a small 3-star hotel, centrally located and with parking.
- Casa da Praça Apartments (from 143€/night): one or two-bedroom apartments with free parking in the center of Funchal
- Ocean Cliff Apartaments (from €144/night): apartments with sea view and parking in Funchal, close to the natural swimming pool Doca das Cavacas
- Seaview Apartment (from 167€/night): 3-bedroom apartment ideal if you are traveling with your family or in a group with free parking on site
- Pestana CR7 Funchal (from 174€/night): an ideal 4-star hotel to stay at if you are a fan of soccer and, more specifically, of Cristiano Ronaldo, a player of Madeira origin and one of the most awarded players in the world. If you stay at the hotel, you should know that guests have free access to the Cristiano Ronaldo Museum. In addition, the hotel has bright rooms, sea views and a view of the capital’s marina, which is just 300 meters away.
- Les Suites at the Cliff Bay (Funchal): one of the most exclusive hotels in the capital, this hotel has 23 exclusive suites with private access to the sea, spa, bars and Michelin-starred restaurant.
- Savoy Palace (Funchal): another of the most special hotels if you want to stay in the capital is this 5-star hotel in the heart of the city.
More well-rated accommodations with free parking at this link
The prices mentioned are approximate and change according to the type of room and the season of each accommodation. Find more hotels with parking in Funchal at this link.
Maps and useful Apps for driving in Funchal and Madeira
In this Google Maps map that you can carry on your smartphone to consult at any time we leave you all the places of interest in Madeira that we talked about in our guide.
We also leave you a tourist map with the roads of Madeira ( click on the image to download it in larger size and resolution).
We recommend you to bring a good cell phone holder, to use Google Maps as GPS in the car (and remember to remove it when you deliver the car hahaha, in our case we have already forgotten a few) and a good powerbank (some cars have USB charger, but not always and sometimes charge very slowly).
In addition, we recommend these apps that will be very useful when driving to explore Funchal and Madeira
- Google Maps (Android / iOS): this app is our best friend on the road. Besides working as a GPS, it is the app we use to save / classify all the places we want to go / have gone. You can see other people’s opinions of the places, photos, restaurant menus, phone number of the places to contact them, etc.
- Maps.me (Android / iOS): this app is similar to Google Maps but works better offline than the previous one and that’s great in some parts of the island where you lose connection. Also, if you go hiking in Madeira (for sure) in many cases Maps.me has information that Google Maps doesn’t have, especially about trails.
- NetMadeira (Web): here you will be able to see all the existing webcams in different points of Madeira to see how the weather is. Because the weather is very changeable and it can be raining in one part of the island and sunny in another, this site is the fastest way to be sure and avoid unnecessary trips.
- Windy (Android / iOS / Web): essential app in our trips, even more so in Madeira. It allows you to see forecasts for rain, clouds, wind, etc., to help you plan your days based on the weather (as there are places that lose a lot depending on the weather). Obviously the forecasts are not 100% reliable. It also shows the available webcams
Also, always travel with travel insurance: medical expenses, theft or problems with your plane on a trip can mean a lot of money, so the ideal is to take out travel insurance. At Randomtrip we always use IATI and we recommend it. If you purchase your insurance through this link you have a 5% discount.
Our experience renting a car in Madeira
At Randomtrip we visited Madeira Island twice, and both times we rented a car.
On the first visit, we rented the most basic car with Hertz at Funchal airport, which turned out to be a rather old Skoda Fabia, manual, which made it quite difficult to climb some hills. At the return, given that we had insurance with excess and that we had not made a proper video of the car when we picked it up (we arrived late and at night), they tried to charge us 300€ for a small scratch that they said was not there (the car was in fact full of scratches everywhere), so we had to argue for a long time (“luckily” our flight was cancelled and we were rebooked on another one the next day), until finally talking to a senior person they reasoned and let us go without having to pay extra. It was a terrible experience, and in fact we have never rented with Hertz again.
On the second visit, we rented a car, also small but much newer and automatic with AB4Rent (they delivered it to us at the port of Funchal and we returned it at the airport). Being automatic is a great advantage in Madeira, and if you can pay a little more, we recommend you to choose an automatic, as there are a lot of slopes, in many cases narrow, where you will have to stop and start several times (for traffic lights, to let another vehicle pass, crosswalks, parking, etc.), something much easier with an automatic car. Both the pick up and return were fast and smooth, without any problem, so we can recommend this company (which is also local).
What are you waiting for to embark on this adventure? Find your Madeira car for the dates of your vacation, put on your seat belt and… Boa Viagem!
