Scooter🛵, motorcycle🏍, car🚙 or bus🚌? What is better if you visit Madeira?

Scooter🛵, motorcycle🏍, car🚙 or bus🚌? What is better if you visit Madeira?

Wondering how to get around Madeira? Should you rent a car, a scooter, or rely on public transport? In this article, Crazy Snail Rentals helps you decide which option best suits your needs.

Travelling to Madeira, you would definitely need transport to see all the parts of the island that are so different and sooooo beautiful. 😍
Let’s have a closer look at the most popular types of transportation, their advantages and weaknesses.

Buses. They are price-affordable. That’s it. No more advantages in buses. Now let’s see the difficulties you’ll have travelling by this public transport. First of all, you are limited in time. Quite often, the last bus can be at 17:00–18:00, sometimes even earlier, especially if it’s a Sunday bank holiday (which are frequent in Portugal). It can be a real problem to get back to your hotel if you miss your last bus. Frequency is the second biggest problem with the buses. In most places in Madeira, there are just a few buses a day, so you can wait at a bus stop for an hour or more for your next bus. Also, there are no direct buses to many destinations, so if you come, let’s say, from any place inside the island, you can spend 3–4 hours just one way. If you add return time, basically, you can visit 2–3 places a day max, spending most of the time on a bus or at a bus stop. Did you work so hard the whole year to pay for your holidays and spend them this way? Just forget about buses, it’s the worst way to waste your lifetime.

Taxi – it is a way better choice than a bus. You will be much more flexible, no waiting time (compared with the bus), and you don’t need to drive by yourself, which can be an advantage on steep, curvy roads on the island. But still, the cost of a taxi is higher than if you rent a car and pay for fuel.

Rent a car. Obviously, the car is better. You have the opportunity to build your own route and can stay in a restaurant or take photos of any places as long as you wish. Also, unlike a taxi, you don’t have tariffs, so you can drive either at night, during the day, or in rush hour with the same cost. Luggage also shouldn’t be a problem, you can take as much stuff as you need and put it in a car boot. Additionally, to a lower cost compared with a taxi, you’ll have no pressure of somebody “standing above your head” and controlling everything you do. Music – no problem, stop for a rest – you’re welcome, switch the A/C to the minimum temperature – you’re your own boss! The only inconveniences you might have are parking problems – a really huge problem, especially in cities, traffic jams (yes, they happen sometimes), and fuel consumption.

Scooter! This is even better. No time limits, an affordable price and no problems with parking and traffic. Fuel consumption is just 2.4L/100km, which is about 5–7 EUR/day maximum. Most of the scooters in Madeira have top cases, so you can put some clothing or shoes if you go hiking. Also, it has a storage compartment under the seat, so in fact, you can take all the stuff you need with you. Ideally? Almost! Travelling on a scooter, please don’t forget to take warmer clothes and motorcycle gloves with you, as late evenings might be a bit colder than daytime.

And finally – motorcycle. Big motorcycles can be even better than a scooter if you’re travelling with a friend or a partner. Actually, it’s the best option, but only if you have a driver’s licence with the appropriate category. Big bikes have all the advantages of a scooter plus more comfort for long-distance trips, more power and torque, which is extremely important in the mountains or along the roadless levadas. Motorcycles were actually created for this. The only problem with big bikes is experience. If you’re not confident on a bike, it’s better to select a smaller option – scooter, or rent a car. Anyway, as for me, it is the best of the best decisions for Madeira. 👌

See you here, in our paradise island. 🏝

Need a rental? Check out our Motorcycles & Scooters and Cars for the best deals in Madeira!