How to book Madeira trails on SIMplifica (2026)
Every classified PR trail in Madeira needs a timed entry slot booked online on SIMplifica, children and residents included. You do not need an account: an email and a card are enough. Most trails cost €4.50 per person; the full PR1 to Pico Ruivo costs €10.50.
How to book a trail on SIMplifica, step by step
Six steps on the official portal. Nobody sells trail tickets at IFCN offices or at the trailheads.
- 1
Open the trail-fee page on SIMplifica
Go to the SIMplifica trail-fee service. You do not need an account, so ignore “Entrar” (sign in). The portal is in Portuguese: if a field is unclear, see what each one means.
- 2
Choose the route, the date and the entry slot
Tap “Ver disponibilidade” (see availability), pick the PR code, then the day and the entry slot. A slot you cannot select has reached its capacity: try another time or day.
- 3
Tap “Solicitar” and fill in the form
Enter your email, answer “Não” to the tax-number question, tick the two declarations and say how many people are walking in each category. Count everyone, including children who do not pay. Stuck on a field? Use the translation.
- 4
Add every route of your trip before paying
If you plan two or more trails, add them all in the same booking. The portal only applies the cheaper 1-, 3- or 7-day rate at the end of the process, when it can see all the routes together.
- 5
Check the summary and pay by card
Read the “Resumo” (summary) before you pay: route, date, slot and number of people cannot be changed later. If the card is refused, contact SIMplifica support, not the IFCN.
- 6
Save the tickets on your phone
The tickets and the invoice arrive by email. Download them before you drive up, because many trailheads have weak or no mobile signal.
Booking flow: SIMplifica, checked 22 October 2026. SIMplifica also has an official video of the process in English.
Trail fee calculator
Add the trails you plan and the day of your trip for each one. The calculator applies the same rule as SIMplifica: single tickets or the cheapest 1-, 3- or 7-day combination.
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Estimate from the official 2026 fees. The total at the SIMplifica checkout is the one that counts.
Before you leave for a trail
A ticket is only one part of a safe walking day. Use this order, especially when the weather is unsettled.
- 1
Check the trail is open today
Closures change faster than any guide. Look at the official IFCN trail-status list on the day, even with a valid booking.
- 2
Arrive within your slot
The IFCN allows about 15 minutes either side of your entry time, a little more if you are linking trails. Slots exist to spread walkers through the day, so do not count on more.
- 3
Keep the ticket offline
Save the PDF before you drive uphill. Signal is unreliable at many trailheads, and wardens can ask to see it.
- 4
Plan the way back, not just the way in
A ticket does not arrange a lift, retrieve a parked car or make an exposed route right for your group. This matters most on the PR1.
Which Madeira walks need a reservation?
The classified walking routes managed by the IFCN, the numbered PR trails. They include the walks visitors usually know by another name: 25 Fontes is PR6, the Risco waterfall is PR6.1, Ponta de São Lourenço is PR8, Caldeirão Verde is PR9, the Balcões viewpoint is PR11 and the Fanal forest is PR13.
Do not use the word “levada” as a shortcut. Madeira has many non-classified paths, and some classified routes are managed by a town council instead of the IFCN. A walk that is not in SIMplifica sits outside this system, but that does not mean it is open, maintained or sensible to walk. Check the IFCN list of classified routes first.
Some classified routes sit outside the fee system because a council manages them: PR3, PR3.1 and PR4 (Funchal council) and PR23 in Caniço. You walk those without a SIMplifica booking. The trail map marks which is which.
The three best-known Madeira trails
Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo, 25 Fontes and Ponta de São Lourenço. The other 39 classified routes are on the Madeira hiking trails map, grouped by area.
Vereda do Arieiro
ModeratePico do Arieiro → Pico Ruivo
Madeira's best-known ridge walk, between the three highest peaks, from Pico do Arieiro (1,818 m) to Pico Ruivo (1,862 m).
- Distance
- 6.1 km
- Time
- 3 h
- Height
- 1,491–1,857 m
- Fee
- €4.50 to Pedra Rija · €10.50 to Pico Ruivo
Two-way only between Pico do Arieiro and Pedra Rija; one-way towards Pico Ruivo after that. The east variant over Pico das Torres is closed; the route uses the west variant through the tunnels.
Our full PR1 guide How the one-way PR1 works Route on Visit Madeira
Levada das 25 Fontes
ModerateRabaçal → 25 Fontes
Along the levada from Rabaçal to the 25 Fontes lagoon, fed by springs coming down from Paul da Serra.
- Distance
- 4.3 km + 4.3 km back
- Time
- 3 h
- Height
- 964–1,288 m
- Fee
- €4.50
Controlled one-way circulation: out along the levada, back by the alternative path called the bypass.
Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço
ModerateBaía d'Abra → Cais do Sardinha
Along the volcanic eastern peninsula, with the north and south coasts in view at the same time.
- Distance
- 4 km + 4 km back
- Time
- 2 h 30
- Fee
- €4.50
Visit Madeira lists temporary diversions: follow the signs on the ground.
By bus: Line 702 (old 113) runs from Funchal to Baía d’Abra, where the trail starts, in about 1 hour 20 minutes. Bus times
Our full PR8 guide No car? Transfer from Funchal Route on Visit Madeira
Madeira trail fees for 2026
Rates for visitors walking on their own. You pay when booking. The PR1 is outside every combined rate.
| Booking | Fee | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| One PR trail | €4.50 | One classified IFCN route, except PR1. |
| PR1 to Pedra Rija and back | €4.50 | From Pico do Arieiro to the Pedra Rija viewpoint only. It does not give access to Pico Ruivo. |
| Full PR1 to Pico Ruivo | €10.50 | Starts at Pico do Arieiro. One-way after Pedra Rija. Includes PR1.1, PR1.2 and, once it reopens, PR1.3. |
| Two or more routes in one day | €9 | Combined rate, excluding PR1. |
| Two or more routes over three days | €22.50 | Combined rate, excluding PR1. |
| Two or more routes over seven days | €52.50 | Combined rate, excluding PR1. |
When the combined rate actually saves money
Two trails in one day cost €9 as single tickets and €9 with the 1-day rate: the same. The combined rates only start saving from these numbers of trails (PR1 not counted):
- 1-day rate (€9) saves from 3 trails on the same day.
- 3-day rate (€22.50) saves from 6 trails within three days.
- 7-day rate (€52.50) saves from 12 trails within seven days.
Over a week, two 3-day rates often cost less than one 7-day rate: twelve trails in six days come to €45 that way. The calculator finds the cheapest mix.
There is no pass to buy. Add all your routes to one booking and SIMplifica applies the cheapest combination at the end. Each route still needs its own entry slot.
Fees: IFCN FAQ in English, updated 2 June 2026 (Portaria 801/2025, amended by Portaria 48/2026), checked 22 October 2026.
PR1 is the ticket people get wrong
The €4.50 ticket is a return walk from Pico do Arieiro to the Pedra Rija viewpoint and does not let you continue. For Pico Ruivo, buy the €10.50 ticket. A €4.50 ticket you already hold cannot be upgraded on the trail.
- 1
Start at Pico do Arieiro, in your first slot. The gate at Pedra Rija is not a starting point.
- 2
Pico do Arieiro to Pedra Rija: two-way. You can walk out and back to the summit.
- 3
Pedra Rija to Pico Ruivo: one-way only, towards Pico Ruivo.
- 4
From Pico Ruivo: leave by PR1.1 to Ilha or PR1.2 to Achada do Teixeira. PR1.3 to Encumeada is closed. The IFCN does not provide transport back to Pico do Arieiro.
No car, or a car parked at the top? Getting to the start is easy: a €3 bus leaves central Funchal at 06:00 and 13:30 (stops and times below). It works for the walk to Pedra Rija and back. The full PR1 ends at Achada do Teixeira or Ilha, where there is no bus. Most people come down to Achada do Teixeira and take a taxi back to Pico do Arieiro: it is €20 a seat, shared with other walkers, and a driver asking much more is trying his luck. From the summit, the bus takes you back down to Funchal. The PR1 guide has the whole day, from the bus up to the taxi down.
Book PR1 on SIMplificaThe bus to the start of the PR1
| Going up | Stop | Coming down |
|---|---|---|
| 06:45 · 14:15 | Pico do ArieiroShuttle | 12:15 · 18:00 |
| 06:40 · 14:10 | Parque Pico do ArieiroShuttle | 12:20 · 18:05 |
| 06:35 · 14:05 | CAM FlorestalShuttle | 12:25 · 18:10 |
| 06:27 · 13:57 | Poiso | 12:33 · 18:18 |
| 06:23 · 13:53 | Portão Norte Herdade Chão da Lagoa | 12:37 · 18:22 |
| 06:15 · 13:45 | Terreiro da Luta | 12:45 · 18:30 |
| 06:11 · 13:41 | Entrada Corujeira de Dentro | 12:49 · 18:34 |
| 06:10 · 13:40 | Monte – Largo da Fonte | 12:50 · 18:35 |
| 06:02 · 13:32 | Jardim Santa Luzia | 12:58 · 18:43 |
| 06:00 · 13:30 | Teleférico (Funchal centre) | 13:00 · 18:45 |
Winter times shown. The summer timetable, with the last trip at 19:00, returns at the end of March. No service on 25 December, and the bus can be suspended in bad weather. Source: Horários do Funchal: Pico do Arieiro timetable (27/03/2026), checked 23 October 2026.
More on the bus, the summit shuttle and sunrise on the Pico do Arieiro guide.
No car for the PR8?
Ponta de São Lourenço with a transfer from Funchal
Without a car, the simplest way to walk the PR8 is a return transfer from Funchal to the start of the trail at Caniçal. The trail fee is not included: book your SIMplifica slot yourself, for a time that matches the pickup.
Funchal: Caniçal Transfer for PR8 Hike São Lourenço, run by Do it Madeira
Affiliate link: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we make money.
Who does not pay, but still needs a booking?
Exemption from the fee is not exemption from the capacity limit. Every walker needs a place.
- Children aged 12 or under, resident or not.
- Madeira residents, with a resident card and citizen card.
- People with a disability of 60% or more, plus one accompanying legal guardian, with proof.
Exemptions: IFCN FAQ, checked 22 October 2026.
Rain is not a refund reason
You can ask for a refund or a new date only if the IFCN or another authority officially closed or restricted the route on your booking date. A weather warning does not close every trail automatically, and a cancelled flight, illness, missed transport or a bad forecast do not qualify.
If the trail closes
Email helpdesk.ifcn@madeira.gov.pt within 10 working days of the booking date, with the ticket and invoice. For a refund, add the account holder’s name and bank details: refunds are paid by bank transfer only.
A new date is for the same route and the same number of people. SIMplifica’s phone line cannot change or refund a paid booking.
When SIMplifica goes wrong
- “Your booking was cancelled for inactivity or non-payment”
- If you already have tickets and an invoice, the email is almost always about an earlier attempt you did not finish. Compare the reference numbers: different means ignore it; the same means forward it to the IFCN.
- The card is refused or the page shows an error
- Contact SIMplifica support, which runs the portal: +351 800 29 90 90 or WhatsApp +351 926 155 465, working days, 9am to 6pm. The IFCN cannot help with payments.
- The trail I want is not in the list
- It is either not a classified IFCN route, so it is outside the booking system, or it is closed. Check the IFCN status panel to know which.
- I cannot select a slot
- That slot has reached its capacity. Visitors, residents and tour operators have separate quotas, and places are not moved between them.
Sources: IFCN FAQ and SIMplifica notices, checked 22 October 2026.
A booking is not a trail-status check
A route can close because of weather, ground conditions, works or safety. The IFCN decides and publishes the status route by route, so this page deliberately does not keep a list of “open hikes”. Open the official panel on the day you walk.
Status source: IFCN classified trail status, checked 21 October 2026.
Questions about Madeira trail bookings
Do I need an account to book a trail on SIMplifica?
No. The trail-fee booking asks for an email address, the number of walkers in each category and two declarations. You can ignore the “Entrar” (sign in) button.
Do I need to book every hike in Madeira?
You need to reserve a timed entry slot for every classified trail in the IFCN system. That includes the famous PR walks such as PR1, PR6, PR8, PR9 and PR11. A path called a levada or vereda is not automatically in the system: if it is not listed on SIMplifica, it may be unclassified or managed by another authority. That does not make it open or safe, so check the official trail-status page before you go.
Can I book a Madeira trail on the same day?
Yes, if a slot is still available in SIMplifica. The IFCN confirms same-day and next-day bookings are possible. Capacity is limited, so do not leave a walk your itinerary depends on until the morning.
Is the PR1 fully booked in the morning?
Often, in busy weeks. The IFCN gives visitors, residents and tourism operators their own capacity in each slot, and spaces cannot be moved between the three, so a slot can look full to you while it is still open to someone else. Morning slots go first. If yours is full, try a later slot or another day, and check again on the day. Walkers report starting the PR1 around noon and finishing before dark; the sun sets around 18:00 to 18:15 after the clocks change, so carry a head torch. The full day, step by step, is in the PR1 guide.
Do children and Madeira residents need a trail reservation?
Yes. Children aged 12 or under and Madeira residents do not pay, but they still need a place in the booking. People with a disability of 60% or more, plus one accompanying legal guardian, are also exempt from the fee and still book.
Is there a Madeira trail pass?
No. The €9, €22.50 and €52.50 rates are not passes and do not give unlimited access. Add all your routes to one booking and SIMplifica applies the cheapest combination at checkout. Every route still needs its own entry slot, and PR1 is never included.
Can I book several trails on the same day?
Yes. Add every route to the same booking, each with its own entry slot. Book the first walk for the time you will really start, then add the time it takes plus the drive to the next trailhead before you pick the second slot. If you are not sure you will have the energy for a second walk, book only the first: same-day slots are often still free for the less famous routes.
Which entry slot should I choose if I do not know when I will arrive?
Pick the slot you can realistically reach and plan the morning around it. The usual tolerance is about 15 minutes. For the busiest trails (PR1, PR6 and PR8) the early slots go first, so book those a few days ahead; for most other routes, booking the evening before, once you have seen the forecast, works well.
Can I walk a PR trail for free after the booking hours end?
No. The fee applies to anyone on a classified trail, whatever the time. Hikers reported being fined by the Forest Police at the end of PR14 and PR18 in the evening in April 2026, after the last bookable slot. If you plan a late walk, book the last slot of the day.
Is there mobile signal at the trailheads?
Often not, especially in the mountains and the northwest. Book and download your ticket before you leave your accommodation, and keep a screenshot of the QR code in case the email does not open offline.
Can I cancel or move a booked hike if it rains?
No. A refund or a new date is only possible when the IFCN or another authority officially closed or restricted the route on your booking date. Rain, illness, a cancelled flight or a change of plan do not qualify. If the route was closed, email helpdesk.ifcn@madeira.gov.pt within 10 working days of the booking date. Refunds are paid by bank transfer only.
I received an email saying my booking was cancelled. Is it still valid?
Usually yes. The IFCN says that in most cases the email refers to an earlier attempt you did not finish. Compare its reference number with the one on your tickets and invoice: if they differ, ignore the email. If they match, forward it to the IFCN.
Who do I contact if SIMplifica does not work or my card is refused?
SIMplifica support, not the IFCN: +351 800 29 90 90 or WhatsApp +351 926 155 465, working days, 9am to 6pm. They help with errors and payments but cannot change or refund a paid booking.
What happens if I walk a PR trail without a booking?
Walking a classified trail without a reservation is an infraction: you may be asked to leave the trail and could be fined. Keep the ticket on your phone, because wardens can ask for it.
Do I need a guide to hike a PR trail?
No. The IFCN does not require a guide on any classified trail. If you join a guided walk or a transfer, ask the company whether the trail fee and the slot are included before you book them yourself.
What the Portuguese booking form means
The booking form is in Portuguese; its “Tradutor” link only opens Google Translate. Here is every field and button, in the order you meet them, with what to choose.
| On screen | In English | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Entrar | Sign in | Not needed. You can book without an account. |
| Ver disponibilidade | See availability | Opens the routes, dates and entry slots. |
| Solicitar | Request | Starts the booking form. |
| Solicitar NIF para faturação | Add a tax number to the invoice | Choose “Não” (no), unless you have a Portuguese NIF. |
| Os utilizadores dos percursos pedestres são pessoal e exclusivamente responsáveis… | Walkers are personally responsible for any damage or injury | Mandatory. Tick it. |
| Tomei conhecimento de que… alterações ou pedidos de reembolso… | I understand changes and refunds are only possible if the IFCN cancels | Mandatory. Tick it, and take it literally: rain is not a reason. |
| Atesto, sob compromisso de honra… incapacidade >60% | I declare this booking is for a person with a disability over 60% and their guardian | Tick only if it applies. Carry the proof. |
| Não residentes | Non-residents | Your section if you do not live in Madeira. |
| Visitante (> 12 anos) | Visitor over 12 | Pays the fee. |
| Visitante (<= 12 anos) | Visitor aged 12 or under | Free, but enter the number so they have a place. |
| Residentes | Residents | Only for Madeira residents with a resident card. |
| Seguinte · Resumo · Cancelar | Next · Summary · Cancel | The buttons at the bottom of each step. |
Form fields copied from the SIMplifica booking form on 22 October 2026.
Fit the trails around the rest of your trip
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