Rail transport in Madeira
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The
Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
islands and Funchal have an extensive public transportation system. Travel between the two main islands is by plane or by ferries, the latter also allowing for the transportation of vehicles. Visiting the interior of the islands is now easy, due to major road developments, known as the Vias rápidas, on the islands during Portugal's economic boom. European Union citizens of the Schengen Treaty area can enter the islands freely, while those from other regions need identification.


Human-powered transport

In the past Madeira had a mode of transport that no longer exists called a hammock litter. It was introduced by
Robert Reid Kalley Robert Reid Kalley September 1809 – 17 January 1888) was a Scottish physician and Presbyterian, later Congregationalist, missionary notable for his efforts to spread Presbyterian views in Portuguese-speaking territories and as the introducer ...
in the 19th century.


Air transport

The islands have two airports, one in Santa Cruz (known as Funchal Airport (FNC)) on the Island of Madeira and the other in the city of
Vila Baleira Vila Baleira is the main city in the municipality of Porto Santo, located on Porto Santo Island, Madeira, Portugal. It was made a city on 7 August 1996. References Porto Santo Island Populated places in Madeira Trivia Christopher Col ...
on
Porto Santo Island Porto Santo Island () is a Portuguese island northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean; it is the northernmost and easternmost island of the archipelago of Madeira, located in the Atlantic Ocean west of Europe and Africa. The muni ...
. Flights to the islands are mostly made from
Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
and Porto, but there are also direct flights from other major European cities and other countries, like Brazil, Venezuela and South Africa. The first seaplane to land in Madeira was Felixstowe F.3, captained Carlos Viegas Gago Coutinho by on 22 March 1921, Madeira then had regular Seaplane services from 1949 to 1958 which were operated by Aquila Airways, which had flights from Southampton, Jersey and Lisbon to Madeira. Winston Churchill used the service regularly. Captain
Harry Frank Broadbent Harry Frank "Jim" Broadbent (25 March 1910 – 9 November 1958) was a British pilot largely raised in Australia, who took part in air racing and record-breaking flights in the 1930s. Early life Broadbent was born in Chiswick on 25 March 1910 as ...
who flew as captain for Aquila Airways, then worked for ARTOP Linhas Aéreas as an instructor pilot, ARTOP took over the route in 1958, also operated seaplanes from Lisbon to Madeira. On 9 November 1958, Captain
Harry Frank Broadbent Harry Frank "Jim" Broadbent (25 March 1910 – 9 November 1958) was a British pilot largely raised in Australia, who took part in air racing and record-breaking flights in the 1930s. Early life Broadbent was born in Chiswick on 25 March 1910 as ...
accompanied by co-pilot Thomas Rowell, four other crew and 30 passengers, piloted Martin PBM Mariner (CS-THB, named "Porto Santo") owned by ARTOP Linhas Aéreas, from Cabo Ruivo Seaplane Base near Lisbon, headed for Funchal. About an hour into the flight, when it would have been over the Atlantic Ocean about southwest of Lisbon, a radio message code "QUG" was received, meaning "I am forced to land immediately". After several days of searching by air and sea by US and Portuguese authorities, no further trace was found of the aircraft or its crew or passengers. Funchal Airport became operative in July 1964. It was dreaded among airliner pilots for its runway, which was not only short (the largest planes that could be accommodated were the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737) but was also built on a high
embankment Embankment may refer to: Geology and geography * A levee, an artificial bank raised above the immediately surrounding land to redirect or prevent flooding by a river, lake or sea * Embankment (earthworks), a raised bank to carry a road, railwa ...
which fell away abruptly towards the sea. It often experienced updrafts which tended to lift landing aircraft in an unpredictable fashion. In an accident on November 19, 1977 that killed over 150 people,
TAP Portugal Flight 425 TAP Flight 425 was a regular flight from Brussels, Belgium, to Santa Catarina Airport (informally known as Funchal Airport or Madeira Airport; now the Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport), Portugal, with an intermediate scheduled stop in Lis ...
, landing in unfavorable weather, overshot the runway and dropped off the cliff. Subsequently, the runway was realigned and extended from 1,800m to 2,481m, enabling most modern passenger airplanes (including the
Boeing 747-400 The Boeing 747-400 is a large, long-range wide-body airliner produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, an advanced variant of the initial Boeing 747. The "Advanced Series 300" was announced at the September 1984 Farnborough Airshow, targeting ...
) to visit the island.


Water transport

The
Port of Funchal The Port of Funchal is the port and harbour of Funchal and is frequently used as a stop-over by transatlantic ships, en route from Europe to the Caribbean, as it is the northernmost Atlantic island that lies in the path of the Westerlies. History ...
was the only major port in Madeira until 2007 when it became fully dedicated to passenger transport – cruise ships and ferries – and other tourist-related boats and yachts. In that year all remaining fishing activity and cargo trade was moved to the newly developed port of
Caniçal Caniçal () is a civil parish in the municipality of Machico in the Portuguese island of Madeira. The population in 2011 was 3,924, in an area of 11.85 km2. Equidistant from Funchal and Santana (20 km), the community is connected to the ...
, to the east. A ferry service between Funchal and Portimão, on the mainland, provided by
Naviera Armas Naviera Armas is a Spanish company, founded in the 1940s, which operates a number of ferry services in Spain. The company mainly operates in the Canary Islands, with additional routes connecting the Canary Islands and the north African coast t ...
sailed weekly from 2008, but was discontinued in 2013 due to a dispute over harbour fees. In the summer of 2018 it was re-instated, but as a seasonal service from July to September, being operated by Grupo Sousa using Naviera Armas's ship called Volcán de Tijarafe, that provided the crossing prior to the 2013 discontinuation, with a maximum speed of the crossing takes around 24 hours. A ferry called ''Lobo Marinho'' runs in two hours between Funchal and
Porto Santo Porto Santo Island () is a Portuguese island northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean; it is the northernmost and easternmost island of the archipelago of Madeira, located in the Atlantic Ocean west of Europe and Africa. The muni ...
Island. Funchal is frequently used as a stop-over by transatlantic ships, en route from Europe to the Caribbean, as it is the northernmost Atlantic island that lies in the path of the Westerlies.


Cable transport

In Funchal there are two aerial tramways, the
Funchal Cable Car The Funchal Cable Car ( pt, Teleférico do Funchal), or Madeira Cable Car, is a gondola lift that transports people from the lower section of Funchal, Madeira to the suburb of Monte. History The route of the cable car was chosen to replace th ...
and a second aerial tramway, which went in service in 2005. Previously there was a steam-powered cog railway (
Monte Railway The Monte Railway ( pt, Caminho de Ferro do Monte) (commonly known as the Monte train or Monte Lift) was a rack railway connecting Pombal, in Funchal, to Terreiro da Luta in Monte (Madeira, Portugal), a distance of 3,911 metres. It was built in ...
) from Funchal to
Monte Monte may refer to: Places Argentina * Argentine Monte, an ecoregion * Monte Desert * Monte Partido, a ''partido'' in Buenos Aires Province Italy * Monte Bregagno * Monte Cassino * Montecorvino (disambiguation) * Montefalcione Portugal * Monte ...
, which operated between 1893 and 1943, and went further up to
Terreiro da Luta Terreiro da Luta is located north of Monte (Funchal) and the area was once the last stop on the only cog railway (Monte Railway) in Madeira. It is also where the Our Lady of Peace sanctuary ( pt, Nossa Senhora da Paz) is located. History Betwe ...
at 867 m above sea level.


Land transport

Bus companies such as
Horários do Funchal Horários do Funchal is a bus operator based in Funchal, Madeira. They operate Urban and Inter-urban services on the south, central, and north of the island. History On 11 April 1985, the Committee for the Study of Urban Transportation (CETU) ...
, Rodoeste and SAM ( Sociedade de automóveis da Madeira) have been operating for over one hundred years, and they have regularly scheduled routes to all points of interest on the island. The ''Direcção Regional dos Transportes Terrestres'' is the department of the regional government responsible for land transportation in the autonomous region.


Gallery

File:Caminho de Ferro do Monte - 2.jpg, Old cog railway File:Madeira-01-0014 (7337300278).jpg, Funchal Airport extended runway File:2016 Porto de Funchal. Madeira. Portugal-97.jpg, The
Port of Funchal The Port of Funchal is the port and harbour of Funchal and is frequently used as a stop-over by transatlantic ships, en route from Europe to the Caribbean, as it is the northernmost Atlantic island that lies in the path of the Westerlies. History ...
File:Motorway-459011.jpg, João Gomes Bridge, part of the
VR1, Madeira The Via Rápida 1 or VR1 (Fast Road 1 in English) is the first motorway in Madeira. Since April 2017, there is another motorway in the island called VR2. Construction started in 1989 completed in 2005. With 44 km it goes from Ribeira Brava ...
File:Teleférico Funchal-Monte.jpg,
Funchal Cable Car The Funchal Cable Car ( pt, Teleférico do Funchal), or Madeira Cable Car, is a gondola lift that transports people from the lower section of Funchal, Madeira to the suburb of Monte. History The route of the cable car was chosen to replace th ...
File:Funchal Cable Car Madeira.jpg, Gondola of Teleférico Funchal-Monte Image:Barkasse Aquila, die der Fluggesellschaft vor Funchal als Tower diente, vor dem Madeira Story Centre.JPG, Boat used to take passengers from the seaplane operated by Aquila Airways, on display in Almirante Reis Park, Funchal


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transport In Madeira