Every classified PR trail managed by IFCN needs a timed booking on the Region's SIMplifica portal. Here are the steps, the rules on changes and refunds, and the traps.
The short answer: open the SIMplifica service “Pagamento de Taxas para acesso aos Percursos Pedestres Classificados”, log in, choose the trail, date and 30-minute entry slot, add every hiker (exempt ones too), pay by card, and keep the digital ticket that arrives by email. You can't change the booking for personal reasons; refunds happen only when IFCN closes the trail.
Log in or create an account. An account is needed even for a single hiker. Do this at home a few days before, not at the trailhead.
Choose the trail by its PR code. PR1 has two separate products: Pico do Areeiro ↔ Miradouro da Pedra Rija and back (€4.50, no access to Pico Ruivo), or the full one-way route Pico do Areeiro → Pico Ruivo (€10.50, includes PR1.1 and PR1.2).
Choose the date and 30-minute entry slot, then press Solicitar. Same-day and next-day bookings work if places are left. A full slot locks automatically.
Add every hiker. Children 12 and under, Madeira residents and people with a disability of 60% or more (plus one guardian) pay nothing but must be on the booking. A tax number (NIF) is only needed if you want it on the invoice.
Walking several trails? Put them all in one booking. There is no separate pass button: the day rate (€9), 3-day rate (€22.50) or 7-day rate (€52.50) is applied automatically at checkout. Each trail still gets its own slot, and PR1 is never included.
Pay. The official methods are Multibanco (ATM reference), credit card and MB WAY. Multibanco and MB WAY need a Portuguese bank, so visitors pay by card.
Keep the ticket. You get a payment receipt and a digital ticket by email, with the invoice. Show it at the trail, at control equipment, or when IFCN staff ask. Save it offline or print it: there is often no signal at the trailheads.
On the day, arrive within your slot. IFCN allows a tolerance of about 15 minutes either side (a little more if you are doing trails in sequence). That is an allowance, not a right. For the full PR1, start at Pico do Areeiro, not at the Pedra Rija gate.
No changes for personal reasons. Rain, illness, a cancelled flight, the wrong date or a missed slot: you lose the full amount.
When IFCN closes the trail on your date, email helpdesk.ifcn@madeira.gov.pt within 10 working days of the booked date. Ask for either a new date within one year (same trail, same group size, subject to availability) or a full refund.
What to send: the tickets and invoice, plus the new date and slot you want, or for a refund a bank document with IBAN and SWIFT/BIC, the account holder's name and your address. Refunds are paid by bank transfer only.
A weather warning doesn't close every trail automatically. Only an official closure counts.
The SIMplifica Contact Center can't change or refund a paid booking.
PR1: the Pedra Rija ticket can't be upgraded
A €4.50 “Pedra Rija” ticket covers only Pico do Areeiro ↔ Pedra Rija and back. There is no conversion or upgrade: to walk on to Pico Ruivo you must buy a new €10.50 ticket, and the €4.50 isn't refunded. Check PR1's status today before choosing.
Or let an operator book for you
Tour operators with an IFCN protocol book the trail for you at a lower fee: €3 per trail and €7 for the full PR1, instead of €4.50 and €10.50. Operators without a protocol pay the normal rates. Visit Madeira keeps a list of operators on its hiking page. All 2026 fees.
Troubleshooting
Problem
What to do
The portal won't load from abroad, or rejects your phone number
See SIMplifica from abroad: register with your email, turn off any VPN, try mobile data or another browser.
The trail isn't in the list
It is not classified, it is managed by another body (PR3, PR3.1, PR4, PR23), or it is closed (IFCN FAQ 1.7). See which walks need a booking and the live board.
A slot is greyed out
That slot's capacity is reached. Pick another time (FAQ 1.8).
An email says your booking was “cancelled for inactivity / non-payment”, but you have tickets
It is usually an earlier, unfinished attempt. Compare the reference numbers; if they match your tickets, forward the email to IFCN.
Card declined or portal errors
IFCN doesn't run the portal. Contact the SIMplifica Contact Center: +351 800 29 90 90, WhatsApp +351 926 155 465, 800299090@madeira.gov.pt (working days 9:00–18:00).
Open the SIMplifica service for classified trail fees, log in or create an account, choose the trail, the date and a 30-minute entry slot, add every hiker (including exempt ones), pay by card, and keep the digital ticket that arrives by email.
Which payment methods does SIMplifica accept?
Multibanco (ATM reference), credit card and MB WAY. Multibanco and MB WAY need a Portuguese bank account, so visitors usually pay by card.
Can I change or cancel my SIMplifica booking?
Not for personal reasons: rain, illness, a cancelled flight or a missed slot mean you lose the full amount. Only when IFCN cancels (for example an official closure on your date) can you ask for a new date within one year or a full refund.
The trail is closed on my booked date. How do I get my money back?
Email helpdesk.ifcn@madeira.gov.pt within 10 working days of the booked date with your tickets and invoice. Ask for a new date and slot, or a refund by bank transfer (send IBAN, SWIFT/BIC, account holder's name and address).
Can I upgrade a PR1 Pedra Rija ticket to the full route?
No. The €4.50 ticket covers only Pico do Areeiro to Pedra Rija and back. To continue to Pico Ruivo you need a new €10.50 ticket, and the first one is not refunded.
How late can I arrive for my slot?
IFCN allows a tolerance of about 15 minutes either side of your entry slot, a little more if you are doing trails in sequence. It is an allowance, not a right.
How do I get the 3-day or 7-day rate?
Put all your trails in one booking. There is no separate pass: the cheapest combination (€9 per day, €22.50 for 3 days, €52.50 for 7 days) is applied automatically. Each trail still needs its own slot, and PR1 is never included.