Car Hire in Madeira – The Complete Guide to Hiring a Car at Madeira Airport

Why Car Hire in Madeira Is the Only Way to See the Island Properly

The island is small enough to drive around in a day with your car hire in Madeira and varied enough to reward a week of exploration. Funchal is manageable on foot and by cable car.

The island beyond Funchal is entirely another matter. The dramatic north coast road where waterfalls cascade directly over the carriageway, the 1,500 metre plateau of Paul da Serra where ancient laurel trees emerge from the sea of clouds, the volcanic headland of Ponta de Sao Lourenco where the landscape looks unlike anywhere else in Europe, and the viewpoint at Cabo Girao where the glass floor extends over a 550 metre drop to the sea: none of these are on any transfer route.

A hire car is not a convenience in Madeira. It is the only practical way to see what makes the island genuinely extraordinary.

Comparing cheap car hire in Madeira in advance ensures availability, the best rates and full visibility on excess and fuel policy before you land. Summer availability tightens from June onwards and automatic vehicles, which are strongly recommended for Madeira’s steep roads, are the first category to sell out.

Collecting Your Hire Car at Madeira Airport

Madeira Airport (IATA: FNC), also known as Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport, is one of the most dramatic airports in Europe. Built on reclaimed land on cliffs at Machico on the eastern tip of the island, it sits approximately 18 kilometres east of Funchal. The extended runway rests on concrete pillars above the sea and the approach over the cliffs is genuinely memorable.

All major hire companies have desks in or adjacent to the terminal including Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt and Goldcar. Local operators are where the value lies in Madeira. Insular Car and Rodavante consistently receive the strongest customer reviews for transparent pricing, helpful service and no hidden fees.

Insular Car in particular has a near-perfect customer rating across independent review platforms and is the standout local recommendation for Madeira Airport car hire.

Planning to pick up a hire car at Madeira Airport? Compare available vehicles and rates below before you travel to avoid summer shortages and inflated walk-up prices.

Madeira Airport Car Hire: Getting the Best Deal

Cheap car hire in Madeira rates average approximately €35 to €55 per day for a compact automatic in mid-season. Rates in July and August are significantly higher and advance booking of at least four to six weeks is strongly recommended for summer travel. January and February offer the lowest rates and the most availability.

Key variables to compare when booking your car hire in Madeira: excess amount (CDW), whether theft protection is included, fuel policy (always full-to-full), additional driver fees and whether collection is in-terminal or requires a shuttle to an off-site location.

No toll roads: Madeira has no toll roads anywhere on the island. This is a significant practical advantage over mainland Portugal and means no Via Verde transponder charges, no unexpected deductions and no need to budget for motorway costs. The entire island road network is accessible at no additional cost beyond fuel.

Should You Drive in Funchal City with a Hire Car?

Funchal is manageable but demanding. The city is built on steep hillsides and the streets in the old town and the centre climb sharply with tight junctions and limited parking. For most visitors the practical approach is to use the cable car, taxis and walking for Funchal itself and reserve the hire car for excursions out of the city.

Parking in Funchal: paid underground car parks are available at Anjos, Forum Madeira and the Marina. Street parking in the centre is limited and marked zones are strictly enforced. The car parks at the cable car terminus and near the Old Town are the most convenient options for day visitors. Outside Funchal, parking is generally free at viewpoints and trailheads, though popular spots like Pico do Arieiro and the Sao Lourenco peninsula can fill completely by mid-morning in summer.

Insider Tip: Leave Funchal early for any mountain or north coast drive. The road to Pico do Arieiro regularly has no parking spaces by 9am in summer and the Sao Lourenco peninsula car park fills completely before 10am. An early start gives you the viewpoints to yourself, better light for photography and a cooler temperature at altitude before the midday heat builds.

Essential Routes to drive Your car hire in Madeira

Drive your car hire in Madeira using the scenic ER regional roads rather than the VE expressways. The expressways are fast and efficient but run through long tunnels that miss everything worth seeing. The routes below use the regional roads that make Madeira one of the finest driving destinations in Europe.

The ER101 North Coast Road

The ER101 between Sao Vicente and Porto Moniz on the north coast is the signature Madeira drive and one of the most extraordinary roads in Europe. The road clings to the base of 600 metre cliffs with the Atlantic on one side and sheer rock face on the other.

Waterfalls cascade directly over the carriageway in places. The natural pools at Porto Moniz, carved from volcanic rock on the seafront, are the reward at the western end of the route. Allow a half day from Funchal minimum. Approximately 85 kilometres from Funchal to Porto Moniz via Sao Vicente.

This route is best accessed with a hire car collected at Madeira Airport. Public transport on the north coast is extremely limited.

Cabo Girao and the South Coast

Drive west from Funchal on the ER101 south coast road to Cabo Girao. At 550 metres, Cabo Girao is the highest sea cliff in Europe with a glass-floored skywalk extending over the edge. The view from the platform straight down to the sea is genuinely vertiginous. Continue west to Calheta and Ponta do Sol, two of the prettiest villages on the south coast, with terraced banana plantations and traditional levada irrigation channels running through the hillsides. Approximately 60 kilometres. Allow a half to full day.

If you plan to drive this route, collect your hire car before peak morning hours to avoid congestion on the Funchal city roads heading west.

Paul da Serra Plateau and Fanal Forest

Take the ER228 north from Funchal to the Encumeada Pass, where on clear days you can see both the north and south coasts simultaneously from the road. Continue west on the ER110 across the Paul da Serra plateau at 1,500 metres elevation.

The plateau is open moorland frequently shrouded in cloud, with ancient laurel trees rising from the mist at Fanal Forest. The Fanal trees are centuries old, their gnarled forms covered in moss and lichen. On clear mornings the forest is one of the most atmospherically beautiful places in the Atlantic islands. Approximately 90 kilometres from Funchal. Allow a full day.

A hire car is essential for reaching the Paul da Serra plateau and Fanal Forest. There is no public transport to either.

Compare and Book Your Car Hire in Madeira with Get Car Hire below

Driving in Madeira with a Hire Car: What You Need to Know

Portugal drives on the right. Madeira has no toll roads. Speed limits: 50 km/h in towns and villages, 80 km/h on secondary ER roads, 100 km/h on the VE expressways. The drink-drive limit is 0.5g/l. A standard UK driving licence is accepted by all major hire companies at Madeira Airport.

Road types: Madeira has two road systems. The VE expressways are fast, modern and run mainly through tunnels. The ER regional roads are the scenic routes and the ones that define the Madeira driving experience. For any excursion beyond Funchal, turn off highway routing in your navigation and choose the ER roads.

Road conditions: Most roads in Madeira are in excellent condition. Some older coastal roads and mountain access tracks are narrower and steeper. Rockfalls after heavy rain can cause temporary closures on the north coast. Check the Madeira Tourism website road information page before any north coast drive in wet weather.

For a full breakdown of car hire charges and how to avoid hidden fees, see our guide to car hire scams in Spain, which covers the same desk pressure practices used across Portugal and the Atlantic islands.

For full documentation requirements and driving regulations refer to Visit Portugal’s official guidance for drivers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Car Hire in Madeira

Is a car hire in Madeira necessary?

If you plan to stay in Funchal, cable cars, taxis and walking will serve you adequately. If you want to reach the ER101 north coast road, Cabo Girao, the Paul da Serra plateau, Fanal Forest, Ponta de Sao Lourenco or Pico do Arieiro, a hire car is the only practical option. The best of Madeira is unreachable without your own transport.

Is it easy to drive in Madeira?

More demanding than mainland Portugal but highly rewarding. The VE expressways are straightforward. The ER regional roads involve steep climbs, tight bends and some narrow sections on the north coast. An automatic car with adequate engine power makes a significant difference. Most visitors adapt quickly and find the driving one of the highlights of the island.

Are there toll roads in Madeira?

No. Madeira has no toll roads anywhere on the island. The entire road network including the VE expressways is free to use. This is a significant practical advantage over mainland Portugal where toll roads apply on most major motorways.

What is the minimum age to hire a car in Madeira?

The legal minimum driving age in Portugal is 18. However most hire companies at Madeira Airport require drivers to be at least 21, with a young driver surcharge applying to drivers under 25. Some vehicle categories and operators require the driver to be at least 25. Check the specific terms of your chosen operator at the time of booking.

Should I book an automatic or manual car in Madeira?

Automatic. Consistently and emphatically. Funchal’s steep city streets, the mountain roads to viewpoints and the ER regional roads all involve significant inclines where automatic transmission removes considerable stress. Automatic vehicles are in higher demand than manuals and sell out fastest in peak season, which is another reason to book well in advance.

Start Your Madeira Road Trip Through Get Car Hire

Get Car Hire compares cheap car hire in Madeira deals across leading suppliers with transparent pricing, clear excess terms and no hidden fees, so you can book with confidence before you travel. For the driving routes that make the most of your Madeira hire car, see our complete guide to the 5 best scenic drives in Madeira.

Booking before arrival is consistently cheaper than walk-up pricing at Madeira Airport, particularly for automatic vehicles during the summer months. Start your search today for the best low price offers below.