How to pay for buses in Funchal
On Funchal's Horários do Funchal / SIGA buses you pay the driver in cash or tap a pre-loaded GIRO card — contactless bank cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay are not accepted on board. Cash is the priciest option (≈€2 urban vs €1.45 on GIRO), and you can't buy or top up a GIRO card from the driver.
Best option for tourists
Buy a cheap GIRO card at the start of your stay (SIGA offices, tabacarias, kiosks, the airport or vending machines), load some trips, and tap on boarding. Otherwise pay the driver in cash at the higher fare.
| Transport | Card | Apple Pay | Google Pay | Cash | Onboard | Advance ticket | Front door | Tap off |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horários do Funchal / SIGA busOn board it's cash or a pre-loaded GIRO card only — no bank cards, and no GIRO sales from the driver. | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Unknown | No |
Can you pay by card on the bus?
No. On the SIGA network (which includes Horários do Funchal) you can only pay on board with cash or a pre-loaded GIRO smart card — bank cards and phone wallets are not accepted.
The GIRO card
Buy a GIRO card (about €0.50 for a paper card) at SIGA ticket offices, tabacarias, kiosks, the airport or vending machines, then tap it on boarding. It's roughly 25–30% cheaper than cash and works across the unified SIGA network — but the driver can't sell or top it up, so load it in advance.
Cash fares
Cash to the driver is about €2 for urban trips and €2.60 inter-municipal, higher than the GIRO fare. The Aerobus airport service is a separate flat fare.
Common questions
Can I pay by card on the bus in Funchal?
No — on board it's cash or a pre-loaded GIRO card only. Bank cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay are not accepted on Madeira's SIGA buses.
Can I buy a GIRO card from the bus driver?
No. Buy and top up a GIRO card before travelling at SIGA offices, tabacarias, kiosks, the airport or vending machines. The driver only takes cash for the trip.
Nearby and similar guides
Lisbon
Lisbon has overlapping Carris, Metro Lisboa and Navegante products. Visitors can use Carris onboard payment for a bus ride, contactless at Metro gates, or buy/load a Navegante occasional card for better integrated fares.
Porto
Porto visitors can pay STCP onboard bus fares by contactless bank card, but the Andante card/ticket system is still the better choice for integrated metro/bus journeys and zone-based products.