Porto Santo Ferry From Funchal: Times And Fares

Most Days

On Monday to Thursday and Saturday, the ferry leaves Funchal at 08:00 and returns from Porto Santo at 19:00, giving a same-day visitor roughly nine hours on the island after the outbound and before the return crossing, each currently taking 3 hours 15 minutes. This is Porto Santo Line's standard weekday pattern, built around a full working day on the island rather than a quick look, and it is the schedule most day-trippers should plan around. Arrive at the Funchal terminal with time to spare, since boarding and baggage handling both close ahead of the stated departure.

Fridays And Sundays

Friday sailings run later, departing Funchal at 19:00 (18:00 specifically on 18 September) and Porto Santo at 22:30, which makes Friday an overnight or one-way travel day rather than a same-day round trip. This schedule exists because the operator treats Friday as a changeover day for longer stays rather than a day-tripper's slot, so build a Friday crossing around an overnight rather than a return. Sunday keeps the 08:00 Funchal departure but returns from Porto Santo at 20:00 instead of 19:00, an hour later than the rest of the week, giving Sunday visitors the longest same-day window of any day on the timetable.

Why The Crossing Now Takes Longer

The operator's own site states that crossings currently take 3 hours 15 minutes due to technical reasons, language that implies the normal scheduled time is shorter. We will not print a specific faster figure since the operator itself does not currently state one as standard, only the 3h15 currently in effect. This matters more than it sounds: a slower crossing eats directly into the roughly nine hours a same-day visitor otherwise gets on the island, so a Sunday sailing with its later 20:00 return is the more forgiving choice while the longer crossing time stands.

Build your day around the longer figure rather than an older number you may see quoted elsewhere online, and re-check the operator's site close to your travel date in case the technical issue clears.

Children And Discounted Fares

Children aged 5 to 11 pay a return fare of $41.26 (€36.00) in the April-September window or $33.74 (€29.44) the rest of the year, roughly half the adult price. Children 0 to 4 travel free but still need a ticket issued for them. A separate discounted column on the operator's price list, described as the Social Mobility Allowance rate, brings the adult return down to $53.88 (€47.02) in high season, but the eligibility criteria for that allowance were not confirmed on the pages we could reach, so treat the higher $82.53 (€72.02) figure as the one to budget unless you already know you qualify.

First Class And Bringing A Car

A first-class cabin option exists at $116.16 (€101.36) return in high season and $102.31 (€89.28) off-season, before the fuel surcharge the operator adds monthly on top of every fare band. Bringing a small car of up to 7 seats costs $286.96 (€250.40) return in high season and $224.32 (€195.74) off-season, in addition to the passenger fares for everyone travelling in it, which makes a car worth the price mainly for a stay of several days rather than a same-day crossing. For a short visit, renting a car or scooter on Porto Santo itself once you land, as the Porto Santo 4x4 tour effectively does with a driver included, avoids paying the vehicle fare twice for a single day on the island.

The One Day Cruise Package

Porto Santo Line also sells a same-day round-trip package called the One Day Cruise. Without a Funchal transfer it costs the same as the standard adult return, $82.53 (€72.02) high season or $67.50 (€58.90) low season. Adding a transfer in Funchal or Caniço raises it to $89.27 (€77.90) high season or $75.29 (€65.70) low season.

This is worth comparing against booking the standard return yourself if you are travelling from central Funchal and do not need the transfer.

Luggage And Bicycles

The carrier's own passenger contract limits cabin baggage to one item per passenger, maximum 56 x 45 x 25 centimetres, and anything larger travels as hold baggage placed on the designated trolleys up to 30 minutes before departure. No standalone per-bicycle carriage fare is published on the operator's fetched price list. What does exist is a bundled package, a day cruise plus a bicycle rental on Porto Santo itself, from $99.36 (€86.70), which is a rental once you arrive rather than a fee for bringing your own bike aboard.