Pico do Arieiro sunrise transfer: PR1 bus, taxi or car

The forest road from Eira do Serrado to Pico do Areeiro is still closed (IFCN). Drive up on the ER202 via Poiso.

The options side by side

Per person unless stated.
Option	Price	Sunrise timing	Back from Achada do Teixeira?
Public bus “Pico do Areeiro” (Horários do Funchal)	€3.00 per trip, paid on board	Funchal (Teleférico stop) 06:00 → summit 06:45: before sunrise all year	No. Down from the summit at 12:15 and 18:00
Shared sunrise transfer	Ask for a quote; PR1 ticket usually extra	Pick-ups about 05:40–06:30 (one operator's schedule)	Yes, most collect at Achada around 12:30–12:50
Private transfer	Ask for a quote	Pick-up about 1 h 30 before sunrise	Yes, if you book the Achada pick-up
Taxi	Ask for a quote (metered taxi)	Any time you book	Usually waiting at Achada in the daytime; book ahead for early, late or off-season finishes
Own or hire car	Parking €4.00/hour at the upper car park (first 30 min free)	Not advised for sunrise: the car park is small and fills very early	No: the car stays at Areeiro, so you need a lift back to it

Bus and parking prices are the official published ones. Taxi and transfer prices vary, so ask for a quote before you book. Levadinho has no commercial link with any company named here.

PR1 the public bus in detail

Horários do Funchal runs a named service, “Pico do Areeiro”, every day except 25 December. The winter timetable runs until 27 March 2027.

Up: 06:00 and 13:30 from the Teleférico terminus stop (4A) in Funchal, via Monte, Terreiro da Luta and Poiso, arriving at the Radar roundabout at Pico do Areeiro at 06:45 and 14:15.
Down: 12:15 and 18:00 from the Radar roundabout, back at the Teleférico at 13:00 and about 18:45.
Fare: €3.00 per trip, bought on board. No other transport tickets are accepted. 31 seats.
Seat reservations by phone only, 7 to 2 working days before the trip: 291 705 555 (Mon–Thu 08:30–12:30 and 14:00–18:00, Fri 08:30–12:30 and 14:00–17:00). With a reservation, be at the stop 15 minutes before departure.
Summit shuttle: €1.20 per trip, every 15 minutes (06:40–12:15 and 14:10–18:00), between the CAM Florestal das Serras de Santo António, the Pico do Areeiro car park and the Radar roundabout. It leaves with at least 4 passengers.

Sunrise margin: the 06:45 arrival beats sunrise every day of the year, but in June and early July only by about 8–15 minutes (table below). The stop is the Radar roundabout, a short walk from the viewpoint. The bus doesn't serve Achada do Teixeira, so it suits sunrise only, an out-and-back to Pedra Rija (€4.50 ticket, back on the 12:15), or the way up if a transfer or taxi collects you at the end.

Shared and private transfers

The easiest way to book a transfer is through your hotel reception: tell them the date and the pick-up time you need.

Several companies run shared vans that drop hikers at Pico do Areeiro before sunrise and collect them at Achada do Teixeira after the traverse. Prices vary, so ask for a quote. This is what their own pages say:

Beyond Madeira: shared, up to 9 people, pay on the day, free cancellation up to 48 h; collects at Achada do Teixeira. The page is unclear about whether the trail ticket is included, so ask.
Doit Madeira: a PR1 + PR1.2 sunrise transfer; it can also sell you the PR1 ticket at €7.
GetToHikes: sunrise transfer with pick-ups at Ajuda, Lido and central Funchal; no price in the page text.
Private: madeira.best offers a sunrise round trip to Areeiro by car (up to 3) or minivan (4–8), or a drop at Areeiro with collection at Achada do Teixeira, with hotel pick-up about 1 h 30 before sunrise.

All four companies are listed in Visit Madeira's official directories (travel agencies, tourist entertainment companies).

Why some quote €7 for the ticket and others €10.50: IFCN protocol operators pay the operator rate for PR1, €7, set by Portaria 48/2026. On your own it is €10.50 on SIMplifica. See hiking fees 2026.

Taxi rather than your own car

Taxi: 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, so ask for a quote when you book. In the daytime taxis usually wait at Achada do Teixeira, and a shared ride back to Pico do Areeiro costs about €15–20 per person; for an early, late or off-season finish, agree a pick-up time. For a pick-up at Achada do Teixeira call the local rank, Táxis Santana +351 291 572 540 (the number printed on IFCN's trailhead panels); the Funchal rank leaves these pick-ups to local drivers. Ask for a quote for the whole trip when you book. For the ride up from Funchal to Pico do Areeiro: Táxis Madeira +351 291 764 476 (online booking at taxismadeira.pt) or AITRAM +351 291 765 760, both listed by Visit Madeira.
Own or hire car: we advise against it for sunrise. The car park at the summit is small and is full very early, and you can't park at the Radar roundabout. The road is public but steep and narrow, can be icy in winter, and is best not driven at night; it takes about 30 minutes from Funchal. Take a taxi (Funchal → Pico do Areeiro about €35 per car, indicative) or a transfer instead, or leave your car at Achada do Teixeira, where PR1 ends, and take a taxi up from there (Táxis Santana +351 291 572 540). If you do drive, the upper car park costs €4.00 per hour, up to €20 a day (first 30 minutes free), and the lower one on the access road €2 per hour, up to €5 a day (IFCN price list). Remember PR1's one-way rule: with the car at Areeiro, you need a taxi or transfer from Achada do Teixeira back to it.

If you need a ride-hailing app in Madeira, your option is Bolt. Taxis are available from Funchal, Santana and other towns (numbers above).

Sunrise times and SIMplifica slots

Sunrise at Pico do Areeiro on the 1st of each month, Madeira time. Computed; accurate to about ±2 min. Clocks change on the last Sundays of March and October.
Month	Sunrise	Summit, clear horizon	06:45 bus arrives … min before
January	08:10	08:03	78
February	08:03	07:56	71
March	07:36	07:30	45
April	07:56	07:50	65
May	07:21	07:15	30
June	07:01	06:54	9
July	07:03	06:57	12
August	07:21	07:15	30
September	07:42	07:36	51
October	08:02	07:56	71
November	07:25	07:19	34
December	07:52	07:45	60

Sunrise slots at 07:00 and 07:30 were added in June 2026 for sunrise demand, 70 places each from 21 June (Diário de Notícias, 19 June 2026). Slots are 30 minutes with about 15 minutes' tolerance (IFCN FAQ 1.3).
From mid-May to late July the sun rises around 07:00, so a 07:00 slot lets you watch it and set off straight away.
The rest of the year it rises later, up to about 08:10 in early January and mid-October. To watch it from the viewpoint before you start, book a slot that begins after sunrise (for example 08:00 or 08:30 in October). An earlier slot means starting the ridge in the dark.
Booking step by step: how to book on SIMplifica.

Do you need a ticket just to watch the sunrise?

The fee is charged for entering the classified trail (Portaria 48/2026, arts. 5–6). The Pico do Areeiro viewpoint is by the car park, outside the trail, so watching the sunrise there should not need a ticket. We haven't found an official statement that says so explicitly, so check with IFCN if in doubt.

Once you walk onto PR1, you need a valid SIMplifica ticket for your slot. Walking an IFCN classified trail without one is an administrative offence (Portaria 801/2025 art. 10; DLR 24/2022/M art. 13), and the law sets fines for individuals of €250–€2,500.

The one-way finish: plan the way back first

Official IFCN list: CLOSED

PR1 status comes from the official IFCN warnings list. It loads here as a live badge (needs JavaScript).

Since the full route reopened on 1 May 2026, PR1 beyond Pedra Rija is one-way: Pico do Areeiro → Pico Ruivo, then down PR1.2 to Achada do Teixeira. No bus serves Achada do Teixeira, and IFCN says hikers are responsible for their own transport (IFCN FAQ 5.5). So there are two halves to plan: getting up for sunrise, and getting back from Achada around midday. When only Areeiro ↔ Pedra Rija is open (see the card above), it's an out-and-back and the bus works both ways.

→ Getting back from PR1: every option for the return.

Sunrise transport: questions

Is there a bus to Pico do Areeiro for sunrise?

Yes. Horários do Funchal's “Pico do Areeiro” bus leaves the Teleférico stop in Funchal at 06:00 and reaches the summit at 06:45, before sunrise every day of the year. It costs €3.00 per trip, paid on board, and runs daily except 25 December. Seats can be reserved by phone on 291 705 555, 7 to 2 working days ahead.

How much is a PR1 sunrise transfer?

Shared and private hiker transfers run to Pico do Areeiro for sunrise; prices vary, so ask for a quote when you book. The PR1 ticket is usually extra: €10.50 on SIMplifica, or €7 if the operator books it. Taxis charge by the meter at the official tariff, with no fixed price per route.

Do I need a SIMplifica ticket just to watch the sunrise at Pico do Areeiro?

The fee applies to entering the classified trail, and the viewpoint is by the car park, outside it, so watching the sunrise there should not need a ticket. We found no explicit official statement, so check with IFCN if unsure. Walking onto PR1 needs a valid ticket for your slot.

Which PR1 slot should I book for sunrise?

Slots at 07:00 and 07:30 were added in June 2026 for sunrise demand. From mid-May to late July the sun rises around 07:00, so the 07:00 slot fits. The rest of the year sunrise is later (up to about 08:10), so pick a slot that starts after sunrise if you want to watch it from the viewpoint first.

How do I get back from Achada do Teixeira after PR1?

No bus serves Achada do Teixeira. Book a transfer that collects you there, or arrange a taxi in advance (Táxis Santana +351 291 572 540, as printed on IFCN panels). Taxis charge by the meter at the official tariff, with no fixed price per route, so ask for a quote when you book.

Can I drive to Pico do Areeiro for sunrise?

You can, but we advise against it: the car park is small and is full well before sunrise, and the mountain road is steep, narrow and can be icy at night. A taxi, a transfer, or parking at Achada do Teixeira and taking a taxi up is easier.

Getting to Pico do Areeiro for sunrise: bus, transfer, taxi or car