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Getting Around Funchal With Your Dog: Buses, Cable Car, Airport

🇵🇹Funchal, Portugal·Updated 16 May 2026

← City overview 🍽️ Restaurants 🌳 Parks & Walks 🏖️ Beaches 🏥 Vets 💡 Local Tips 🏛️ Attractions 🐶 Pet Sitting

Funchal is a compact harbour amphitheatre best tackled on foot for short hops and by Horários do Funchal (HF) bus for the steep climbs to Monte, Palheiro and the Lido cliffs. Pet transit rules favour small dogs in carriers; large dogs are easier to handle by taxi or rental car, both widely available at the airport.

Horários do Funchal (HF) urban buses

The municipal operator running all city routes within Funchal and surrounding parishes, including the bus 21 up to Monte and 22 to Palheiro for the popular dog-friendly hike starts.

🐾 Small pets in fully enclosed carriers are admitted free of charge; guide dogs ride freely without a carrier. Large dogs are at the driver's discretion and may be refused at peak times.

💡 Pay with Giro card (loaded at HF kiosks or in app) for any journey over the airport-port range; cash fares require exact change.

🌐 Visit official website →📍 View on Google Maps →

Teleférico do Funchal (Monte Cable Car)

Fifteen-minute aerial gondola climbing 560 metres from the Almirante Reis Garden to Monte, with Funchal's only bird's-eye view of the bay. Note: scheduled annual maintenance closures, check operator before travel.

🐾 Small pets only, inside a fully enclosed carrier; one carrier per cabin. Guide dogs ride without a carrier. Cabins are private (max 8 people per cabin), making it less stressful than typical public transit.

💡 If your dog is medium-to-large, take HF bus 21 to Monte instead (~25 min); the cable car policy excludes most dogs over 10 kg.

🌐 Visit official website →📍 View on Google Maps →

Madeira International Airport (FNC)

Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira International Airport, 18 km east of central Funchal, with TAP, easyJet, Ryanair and seasonal European carriers. Pet relief grass strip just outside Arrivals.

🐾 Pets travel as cabin (under 8 kg) or hold luggage; an EU pet passport with valid rabies vaccination is required. ANA Aeroportos confirms a dedicated pet relief area outside the Arrivals exit on the seaward side.

💡 Airport is famously windy and short-runway; if your dog is anxious, schedule arrivals before noon when crosswinds are calmer and go-arounds are rarer.

🌐 Visit official website →📍 View on Google Maps →

💡 Quick Tips

1.HF buses do not allow large dogs at the driver's discretion; in practice this is rarely enforced for calm, well-leashed dogs outside peak hours (07:30–09:00, 17:30–19:00).
2.Madeira taxis (cream-coloured fleet) accept pets at the driver's discretion, usually with a small cleaning surcharge of 1–3 €; ask before getting in.
3.Renting a car is the easiest option for medium-to-large dogs; Sixt, Europcar and Madeira-Rent all confirm pet-friendly vehicles on request at FNC airport pickup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my dog travel on the Funchal–Monte cable car?

Yes if it fits in a fully enclosed carrier (small dogs only, one carrier per cabin); guide dogs ride without a carrier. Medium and large dogs are better served by HF bus 21 from the city centre.

Do Madeira buses charge for pets?

No, Horários do Funchal carries small pets in carriers free of charge; large dogs are admitted only at the driver's discretion and cannot be reserved in advance.

Pet-Friendly Hotels in Funchal

Our top-rated pet-friendly hotels, handpicked and verified.

Three House Hotel

★★★★ · 9.3/10

€190/night

Casa Velha do Palheiro Relais & Châteaux

★★★★★ · 9.2/10

€420/night

Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Madeira

★★★★★ · 9/10

€520/night

See all hotels →Compare on Booking.com →

More Funchal guides

🍽️Restaurants 🌳Parks & Walks 🏖️Beaches 🏥Vets 💡Local Tips 🏛️Attractions 🐶Pet Sitting

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💡 Quick Tips

1.HF buses do not allow large dogs at the driver's discretion; in practice this is rarely enforced for calm, well-leashed dogs outside peak hours (07:30–09:00, 17:30–19:00).

2.Madeira taxis (cream-coloured fleet) accept pets at the driver's discretion, usually with a small cleaning surcharge of 1–3 €; ask before getting in.

3.Renting a car is the easiest option for medium-to-large dogs; Sixt, Europcar and Madeira-Rent all confirm pet-friendly vehicles on request at FNC airport pickup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my dog travel on the Funchal–Monte cable car?

Yes if it fits in a fully enclosed carrier (small dogs only, one carrier per cabin); guide dogs ride without a carrier. Medium and large dogs are better served by HF bus 21 from the city centre.

Do Madeira buses charge for pets?

No, Horários do Funchal carries small pets in carriers free of charge; large dogs are admitted only at the driver's discretion and cannot be reserved in advance.

Pet-Friendly Hotels in Funchal

Our top-rated pet-friendly hotels, handpicked and verified.

Three House Hotel

★★★★ · 9.3/10

€190/night

Casa Velha do Palheiro Relais & Châteaux

★★★★★ · 9.2/10

€420/night

Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Madeira

★★★★★ · 9/10

€520/night