Madeira has six public cable cars. The famous one is the Funchal–Monte teleférico (Almirante Reis to Monte, about 15 minutes, roughly €14 one way / €20 return). A second short line links Monte to the Botanical Garden. The other four are working cliff lifts used by farmers and swimmers rather than tourists: Achadas da Cruz (a 450 m near-vertical drop to a farming fajã, the most spectacular and the cheapest), Fajã dos Padres (300 m down to a sub-tropical fruit farm and beach restaurant), Rocha do Navio in Santana (down to a black-pebble nature reserve) and the small Garajau lift to the shingle beach below the Cristo Rei statue.
Teleférico do Funchal (Funchal → Monte)
- Where
- Almirante Reis, Funchal Old Town, up to Monte (Caminho das Babosas)
- The ride
- About 15 minutes, 3.2 km, climbing roughly 560 m over rooftops and the Ribeira de João Gomes valley
- Rough price
- Around €14 one way, €20 return per adult (children roughly half). Combined tickets with the Botanical Garden line are sold at the ticket office.
- What's at the bottom
- Monte: Nossa Senhora do Monte church, Monte Palace tropical garden, and the wicker toboggan start.
The one nearly every visitor rides, and it earns it — the view back over Funchal's amphitheatre of rooftops and the harbour is the best cheap view on the island. Go up early; queues build from about 10:30 on cruise days. Bus 20/21 up and the cable car down is a good money-saving swap.
Teleférico do Jardim Botânico (Monte → Botanical Garden)
- Where
- Caminho das Babosas, Monte, across the valley to the Jardim Botânico entrance
- The ride
- About 9 minutes across the valley — a short, quiet, glass-cabin crossing
- Rough price
- Around €10 one way, €15 return per adult; sold separately from the Funchal line.
- What's at the bottom
- The Botanical Garden's terraces, cactus beds and the parrot park; a bus back down to Funchal from the gate.
Only worth it if you're doing the Botanical Garden anyway — but it turns Monte + garden into one clean half-day with no taxi.
Teleférico das Achadas da Cruz
- Where
- Achadas da Cruz, far north-west above Porto Moniz
- The ride
- Roughly 3–4 minutes down a near-vertical 450 m cliff to the Quebrada Nova fajã
- Rough price
- A couple of euros return — the cheapest ride on the island. Cash is safest.
- What's at the bottom
- A working farming fajã of vine terraces and small stone huts, a pebble shore, and total silence.
The most dramatic cable car in Madeira and almost nobody rides it. Small cabin, farmers with tools get priority, and it stops for lunch and in high wind. Check it's running before you drive out.
Teleférico da Fajã dos Padres
- Where
- Quinta Grande, between Câmara de Lobos and Ribeira Brava
- The ride
- About 90 seconds down a 300 m cliff face
- Rough price
- Around €10 return per adult; free or discounted if you have a restaurant booking on some rates.
- What's at the bottom
- A sub-tropical fruit farm (bananas, mangoes, custard apples, Malvasia vines), a pebble beach and one very good seaside restaurant.
The classic 'locals bring visitors here' spot. Book the restaurant, take a swim, ride back up at sunset. The sea here is among the warmest and calmest on the south coast.
Teleférico do Garajau
- Where
- Below the Cristo Rei statue at Garajau, Caniço
- The ride
- A couple of minutes down the cliff to the shingle beach
- Rough price
- Usually a nominal fee or free depending on the season; hours are limited outside summer.
- What's at the bottom
- Garajau's shingle beach inside the Garajau Marine Reserve — Madeira's best shore diving, with groupers that come to you.
Functional rather than scenic, but it saves a very steep walk back up in the heat after a swim or a dive.
Planning notes
- Wind closes cliff lifts, not the Funchal line. Achadas da Cruz, Rocha do Navio and Garajau all stop in strong wind or heavy swell — phone or check on the day before driving an hour for one.
- The Funchal and Botanical Garden lines are separate companies with separate tickets. Buy the combined ticket at Almirante Reis if you plan to do both.
- Cards are fine in Funchal and Monte; carry a few euros in cash for the small rural lifts.
- Last ride is earlier than you think — most lines stop mid- to late afternoon in winter. Don't ride down late without checking the last one back up.
- The classic budget trick: bus 20 or 21 up to Monte (about €2), then the cable car down into the Old Town for the view without paying for the return.
Fares and opening hours change every season and the small rural lifts run on local timetables. Prices here are an honest guide from recent visits, not a quotation — always check on the day.
FAQ — Madeira cable cars
How many cable cars are there in Madeira?
Six public ones: Funchal–Monte, Monte–Botanical Garden, Achadas da Cruz, Fajã dos Padres, Rocha do Navio in Santana, and the small Garajau lift in Caniço. Only the first two are aimed at tourists — the rest are working cliff lifts serving farms, beaches and a nature reserve.
How much is the Funchal cable car to Monte?
Roughly €14 one way and €20 return for an adult, with reduced child fares and combined tickets that include the Botanical Garden line. Prices are reviewed each year, so treat these as a guide rather than a quote.
How long does the Funchal to Monte cable car take?
About 15 minutes each way over 3.2 km, climbing around 560 m from Almirante Reis in the Old Town to Caminho das Babosas in Monte.
Which is the most spectacular cable car in Madeira?
Achadas da Cruz in the far north-west. It drops about 450 m down an almost vertical cliff to a farming fajã in three or four minutes, costs a couple of euros, and is usually empty. It closes in strong wind.
Can you take the cable car and the toboggan together?
Yes — that's the standard Monte outing. Ride up from Almirante Reis, see the church and gardens, then take the wicker toboggan down to Livramento. The toboggan is a separate ticket and it does not reach central Funchal, so budget a taxi or bus for the last stretch.
Do the cable cars run in bad weather?
The Funchal line runs in most conditions but can pause in high wind. The four small cliff lifts close far more readily — wind, swell or maintenance. Always check the same morning.
Is the cable car wheelchair accessible?
The Funchal and Botanical Garden lines have level-access cabins and staff assistance. The rural cliff lifts have small cabins and steep, uneven ground at the bottom, so they are not suitable for wheelchairs.