Everything You Need to Know About the Ferry From Funchal to Porto Santo

Did you know that there’s an island even smaller than Madeira only a short ferry ride away? It’s called Porto Santo! The craziest thing is that despite the short distance between the two islands, they are completely different.

Madeira is lush, green, and full of trees and mountains. Porto Santo, on the other hand, is this small yet beautiful island full of beaches, palm trees and golf courses!

If you’re spending a significant amount of time in Madeira then a trip to Porto Santo should be in the books. As you may know already, there aren’t too many white-sand beaches in Madeira. So if you’re looking for beaches, your best option is to take the ferry from Funchal to Porto Santo for a few days. There you can enjoy the chilled out vibe and relax on the golden sand beaches for a few days.

Regardless if you’re going for a day trip or plan to spend a few days in Porto Santo you’re going to love this little paradise of an island a few hours off the coast of Madeira.

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How to book your ferry ticket from Funchal to Porto Santo

To get to Porto Santo from Madeira, you can either fly from Madeira airport or take the ferry from Funchal to Porto Santo. In this post, we are covering everything you need to know about taking the ferry from Funchal to Porto Santo.

When it comes to booking your ferry tickets, you have a few different options on where to book them… You can either book them online beforehand if you’re certain of the days you plan to go. Otherwise, you can do it in person in Funchal at one of their ticket offices.

Unless you’re going during the peak season (August and September) you don’t have to book too far in advance. During the quiet and shoulder season (January through March), you might even be able to buy the ticket the morning before your departure with no problem.

Online booking – Ferry to Porto Santo

The easiest and most convenient way to book the Porto Santo ferry is online. Make sure you go on the official Porto Santo website and not a third-party website. Going through a third-party website will be a lot more costly as they will charge you extra fees and you’ll end up paying as much as an extra 15-25% of the original ferry ticket price.

You can find the official Porto Santo website here where you can buy the tickets online directly through them. You can see the price guide for the ferry here. Prices do change depending on the season, so during the summer, it is more expensive whereas winter and spring are a bit cheaper.

As of 2022, the prices vary between €49 to €60 return for tourist class (which is the cheaper option) and between €75 and €85 return for first class (food included).

Locals get around 50% off the ticket price, so if you’re planning on staying in Madeira long-term on a D7 Visa or as another type of resident, you’ve got just another perk to add to the list.

Booking in person – Ferry to Porto Santo

If you prefer to book your ferry ticket in person, your best bet is to go to one of the Porto Santo ticket offices in Funchal where you can purchase your tickets directly. There are three different offices you can go to: One in Lido, one in the old town, and one at the ferry terminal.

You can see the three ticket offices on Google Maps here.

The offices are usually open from 8 am to 6 pm so if you plan to take the early morning ferry from Funchal to Porto Santo it’s best to purchase your tickets the day before. Alternatively, your last option is to buy your ticket at the ticket office next to the boat right before departure. However, you might risk not getting a ticket if the ferry is sold out.

Things to know before booking the ferry to Porto Santo

Ferry cancellations

Due to the rough weather that Madeira sometimes has, the ferry trips from Funchal to Porto Santo can get cancelled with short notice. We actually went on a super calm day and Dom found it to be quite rough once we got out on the open water. But he’s definitely a baby when it comes to the sea 😉

Make sure to stay updated on your trip because there is the possibility that either your ferry to Porto Santo or your ferry coming back to Funchal can get canceled.

We had originally planned to stay for two days but ended up only doing a day trip because our return ferry got cancelled due to a storm. So we had to catch the ferry back to Funchal in the evening on the same day as we got there.

Sea Sickness

Yup, the water can get rough and choppy and a lot of people do get sick on the boat on bad weather days. Make sure to have some seasickness pills if you get sick on boats often. Another good thing to do is sit outside in the fresh air.

There’s plenty of room outside on the ferry. There’s a huge section in the back and then also the whole top deck where you can sit and relax in the sun (or shade if needed). The fresh air did wonders to Dom lol.

So if you get seasick, consider taking some sea sickness pills prior to the trip and, hopefully, you’ll feel fine by the time you get to Porto Santo.

Don’t use third party websites to book the ferry

We made the mistake and now we’re sharing this so you won’t do the same thing. We ended up paying 20% extra for the ferry which is honestly quite a lot since the ferry isn’t the cheapest…

Remember, there’s an official Porto Santo website or the ticket offices you can go to. Those are the two options to buy tickets at the standard price without overpaying.

The only time we would recommend going through a third-party website is if you book a guided tour to the island. But if you’re only getting the ferry tickets and are exploring on your own, then don’t use a third-party website!

Check the weather before you go

Porto Santo is a stunning island full of beaches and cafes. It has a super relaxed vibe and it’s a great place to go if you want to relax and enjoy the sun. To make sure you can have this experience, check the weather before booking/going on your trip.

You can see the current weather for Porto Santo here to help you decide when you should go. The island can still be fun if it’s not sunny and warm but there’s a lot more to do in Porto Santo when it’s sunny! 

Almost everything you can do in Porto Santo is outdoors so if you have the option to go when it’s sunny, that is definitely the best way to do it!

Getting to downtown Porto Santo

Once you’ve made it to the island of Porto Santa and get off the ferry, a city bus will be waiting next to the ferry. If you want to get to the city quickly you can pay a few euros and hop on the bus.

You can also book the ferry + transfer. If you look under the prices + fares section on the ferry’s website, you will, at the bottom, see an option for “one day cruise to Porto Santo” which will show an option where you get the ferry + transportation included.

Otherwise, you can easily walk along the coast and have a nice 25 ish minute walk to downtown Porto Santo. We took the walking route and it was actually quite nice since the sidewalk is right next to the beach and the ocean so the views the whole way are great.

Of course, if you only have a day in Porto Santo then it might be best to just get to the city quicker but we just want to share the different options on how to get there once you’re off the ferry. You can also take a taxi which should take 4-5 minutes max to get downtown! This is, however, the more expensive option.

Other related questions about the ferry from Funchal to Porto Santo

How long is the ferry ride from Madeira to Porto Santo?

There is only one ferry route between Madeira (Funchal) and Porto Santo. The ferry takes roughly 2.5 hours from the harbour in Funchal to the harbour in Porto Santo. If the water is really choppy you can expect a few more minutes but for the most part it will always be around 2.3 hours between the two islands.

Is Porto Santo worth visiting?

Porto Santo is totally worth visiting. The island of Porto Santo has one of the best beaches in Madeira. A beautiful golden sand beach. There are plenty of fun bicycle routes and viewpoints on the island as well. So yes, Porto Santo is totally worth visiting.

The only thing to consider is that it’s quite a long journey if you’re planning to do it as a day trip. The Ferry only goes once a day between Funchal and Porto Santo so you will really be limited for time if you do it just as a day trip.

In our opinion if you’re spending 2+ weeks on Madeira or even live on Madeira then it’s worth going for at least 2-3 days. Porto Santo is small but there’s still lots to see and by the time you pay for the ferry there and back it’s worth spending a night or two on the island of Porto Santo.

What time does the Porto Santo ferry leave Funchal?

Most days the ferry service leaves Funchal to Porto Santo at 8am. They say it’s good to be at the ferry terminal at least 30-45 minutes early as well. If you’re staying downtown Funchal you can walk to the ferry terminal in about 20 minutes.

So even though the ferry leaves Funchal to Porto Santo at 8am it’s best to leave your apartment around 7am to get there early. The ferry is quite nice inside and you can find a nice spot, grab a coffee, and enjoy the view.

How long do you need in Porto Santo?

To fully enjoy and see most things you need at least two full days in Porto Santo. There are beaches, bike trails, restaurants, hikes, and even a golf course. If you can, take the ferry the first day, stay two nights, and on the third day take the ferry back from Porto Santo in the evening back to Funchal.

This way you have one full day and two half days to fully enjoy Porto Santo. You can spend one day enjoying the beaches and restaurants of Porto Santon. Another day biking and hiking the mountains. The last day explore anywhere you’ve missed or other viewpoints and area you want to see!

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Recap on booking the ferry from Funchal to Porto Santo

That’s it! All you need to know about booking the ferry from Funchal to Porto Santo. It really is an easy trip to book. There are trips daily from Funchal to Porto Santo (with the exception of Tuesdays) and there’s always the option of catching the 25-minute flight from the Madeira airport to Porto Santo as well (for around €75-100 return) if you don’t want to go by boat.

Remember that during the busier months the ferry can get busy and it may be worth booking your ticket in advance through the Porto Santo website or at one of the ticket offices. 

We hope you have the best time exploring this island full of beaches, bike trails, and small hikes! Enjoy your trip and let us know if you have any questions about Lagos in the comments below or DM us on Instagram.

Have fun!

Dom & Jo
Red White Adventures

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