PR1 runs one-way since the 1 May 2026 reopening, so you finish at Achada do Teixeira, a car park above Santana with no bus, far from where you started, and you can't walk PR1 back. Without a car, take one of the taxis that usually wait there in the daytime, or book one for a set time (pick-ups there are done by the local rank, Táxis Santana, +351 291 572 540), take a shared or private transfer (easiest booked through your hotel reception), or skip the traverse and walk PR1.2 up and back from Achada.
| Your situation | Plan | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| No car, 3–4 people or on a budget | Public bus up to Pico do Areeiro (06:00 from Funchal) + a taxi booked to collect you at Achada do Teixeira | €3 pp bus + taxi: ask for a quote (metered taxi) |
| No car, 1–2 people | Shared hiker transfer: dropped at Areeiro, collected at Achada | Ask for a quote; trail ticket usually extra |
| Group of up to 8 | Private transfer: drop at Areeiro, pick-up at Achada | Ask for a quote |
| Own car | Park at Pico do Areeiro, taxi from Achada back to your car | parking for the day: up to €20 (upper car park) or €5 (lower) + taxi: ask for a quote (metered taxi) |
| No transport plan | Skip the traverse: Areeiro ↔ Pedra Rija there-and-back, or PR1.2 up and back from Achada | €4.50 ticket |
Horários do Funchal runs a "Pico do Areeiro" service every day except 25 December. It serves the start of PR1, not Achada do Teixeira, so it solves half the problem.
| Winter timetable (to 27 Mar 2027) | Morning | Afternoon |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves Funchal, Teleférico terminus (stop 4A) | 06:00 | 13:30 |
| Arrives Pico do Areeiro (Radar roundabout) | 06:45 | 14:15 |
| Leaves Pico do Areeiro for Funchal | 12:15 | 18:00 |
The 06:45 arrival is before sunrise all year (only just, in June and July). It works for a sunrise start, or for a Pedra Rija there-and-back with the 12:15 bus down. For the full traverse you still need someone to collect you at Achada. More in sunrise transport to Pico do Areeiro.
In the daytime taxis usually wait at Achada do Teixeira, and hikers often share one: a shared ride back to Pico do Areeiro costs about €15–20 per person. If none is there when you arrive, wait a little. For an early, late or off-season finish, book one for a set pick-up time before you start (save the number first). If you want certainty, a scheduled hiker transfer collects you at a fixed time.
| Taxi rank | Phone |
|---|---|
| Táxis Santana (the rank nearest Achada do Teixeira) | +351 291 572 540 |
| Táxis Funchal (for trips starting in Funchal, not pick-ups at Achada do Teixeira) | +351 291 764 476 |
Numbers as printed on IFCN's trailhead panels (the PR1.1 and PR1.2 panels for Santana). Whether each line is staffed today isn't verified.
What it costs: taxis charge by the meter at the official regulated tariff, set by the Region's transport authority (IMT-RAM) with the taxi associations and in force since 1 January 2026. There is no fixed price per route; nights, weekends and holidays cost more. Ask for a quote when you book.
Who to call: pick-ups at Achada do Teixeira are done by the local taxis, so call Táxis Santana (+351 291 572 540), not a Funchal taxi. The Funchal rank itself says these services are carried out by local drivers. Ask for a quote for the whole trip when you book.
If you need a ride-hailing app in Madeira, your option is Bolt. Taxis are available from Funchal, Santana and other towns (numbers above).
NetMadeira's webcam at Achada do Teixeira looks over the car park where PR1 ends, where you meet your taxi or pick-up. Check it to see whether the top is in cloud before you set off.
Webcam: NetMadeira, embedded with its share code. Reload the page for the latest picture; the camera is sometimes offline. Full-size webcam ↗
No bus reaches Achada do Teixeira, but Santana, down the road, has CAM buses to Funchal. Book a taxi from Achada do Teixeira to Santana only (a much shorter ride than all the way to Funchal; ask the fare when you book) and take the bus from there.
Santana → Funchal. Monday to Friday: 11:00 (route 801, in Funchal 12:30, or route 885, 12:40), 12:30 (801, 14:25) and 17:25 (860, 19:00). Saturdays: 12:00 (801, 13:30), 13:15 (860, 14:20) and 17:28 (860, 19:20). Sundays and holidays: 15:30 (801, 16:50) and 17:28 (860, 19:20).
Times as printed on CAM's Santana network timetable; times at intermediate stops are approximate and can change with traffic or bad weather. No buses on 25 December. Check before you travel with CAM: info@cam-madeira.pt, +351 291 201 151 (weekdays 08:30–17:30).
A minibus drops you at Pico do Areeiro (often before sunrise) and collects you at Achada do Teixeira at a set time. Prices vary, so ask for a quote. The trail ticket is usually extra: €10.50 on SIMplifica, or €7 when an operator with an IFCN protocol books it. Examples, all listed by Visit Madeira: Beyond Madeira, Doit Madeira, GetToHikes. The easiest way to book is through your hotel reception. Book the day before at the latest; sunrise pick-ups fill up.
Your own vehicle, drop at Areeiro and pick-up at Achada. One seller, madeira.best, offers it for up to 8 people; ask for a quote. Shared between 4–8 people it can cost less per head than shared seats.
IFCN protocol operators bundle the ticket (€7 on PR1), a guide and both transfers. The most expensive option, but closures and sold-out slots become their problem.
Leave one car at Achada do Teixeira and drive the other to Pico do Areeiro. It costs an hour of shuttling plus Areeiro parking (€4/h in the upper car park).
No. No regular bus serves Achada do Teixeira; the nearest bus services are down in Santana. The only public bus in the area is Horários do Funchal's Pico do Areeiro service (€3), which serves the start of PR1, not the end. Arrange a taxi or transfer to collect you.
There is no fixed price per route. Taxis charge by the meter at the official tariff set by the Region's transport authority (IMT-RAM) with the taxi associations, in force since 1 January 2026; nights, weekends and holidays cost more. Ask for a quote when you book, and book ahead for a set pick-up time; Táxis Santana is on +351 291 572 540 (the number on IFCN's trailhead panels).
Yes. Horários do Funchal's Pico do Areeiro service leaves Funchal (Teleférico terminus) at 06:00 and 13:30 every day except 25 December, arriving at 06:45 and 14:15, and comes back down at 12:15 and 18:00. The fare is €3.00, paid on board; seats can be reserved on 291 705 555.
No. Since the 1 May 2026 reopening the full route is one-way, Pico do Areeiro → Pico Ruivo. Only the 1.2 km Areeiro ↔ Pedra Rija section is two-way. From Pico Ruivo you go down PR1.2 to Achada do Teixeira.
Prices vary by company and group size, so ask for a quote when you book. The trail ticket is usually extra: €10.50 on SIMplifica, or €7 if an operator with an IFCN protocol books it.
Before you start walking, for a set pick-up time at Achada do Teixeira. Count the official trail times from your PR1 entry: about 3 h from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo, plus 1 h 30 down PR1.2 to Achada do Teixeira — with a summit stop, most walkers need 4½–5½ hours. Starting at 08:00, a pick-up around 13:00–14:00 fits. In the daytime taxis often wait at the car park, but an early, late or off-season finish needs a booked time.
Per person, because the meter total is shared. The taxi runs on its meter; when hikers share the ride back to Pico do Areeiro, each pays a share, which usually works out at about €15–20 per person. Two people in a taxi of their own don't pay double that each — they split the same meter between two. Ask for a quote when you book.
Usually not — a regular taxi takes up to four passengers. For five or more, book two taxis for the same pick-up time, or a scheduled hiker transfer (minibuses take larger groups). Book either before you start walking.
Sources: Horários do Funchal, Pico do Areeiro service · IFCN warnings list · IFCN trail list and trailhead panels · Portaria 48/2026 (fees) · DN on Areeiro parking · IMT-RAM, Primeira alteração à Convenção n.º 1/2019 (taxi tariff) · Visit Madeira, taxis.