Transport in Madeira
The Madeira islands and Funchal have an extensive public transportation system. Travel between the two main islands is by plane or by ferries, the latter also allowing for the transportation of vehicles. Visiting the interior of the islands is now easy, due to major road developments, known as the Vias rápidas, on the islands during Portugal's economic boom.
Human-powered transport
In the past Madeira had a mode of transport that no longer exists called a hammock litter. It was introduced by Robert Reid Kalley in the 19th century.
Air transport
The islands have two airports, one in Santa Cruz (known as Funchal Airport (FNC)) on the Island of Madeira and the other in the city of Vila Baleira on Porto Santo Island. Flights to the islands are mostly made from Lisbon and Porto, but there are also direct flights from other major European cities and other countries, like Brazil, Venezuela and South Africa.
The first seaplane to land in Madeira was
On 9 November 1958, Captain Harry Frank Broadbent accompanied by co-pilot Thomas Rowell, four other crew and 30 passengers, piloted Martin PBM Mariner (CS-THB, named "Porto Santo") owned by ARTOP Linhas Aéreas, from Cabo Ruivo Seaplane Base near Lisbon, headed for Funchal.
About an hour into the flight, when it would have been over the Atlantic Ocean about 280 kilometres (150 nautical miles) southwest of Lisbon, a radio message code "QUG" was received, meaning "I am forced to land immediately". After several days of searching by air and sea by US and Portuguese authorities, no further trace was found of the aircraft or its crew or passengers.[1][2]
Water transport
The Port of Funchal was the only major port in Madeira until 2007 when it became fully dedicated to passenger transport – cruise ships and ferries – and other tourist-related boats and yachts. In that year all remaining fishing activity and cargo trade was moved to the newly developed port of Caniçal, 19 km (12 mi) to the east.[3]
A ferry service between Funchal and Portimão, on the mainland, provided by Naviera Armas sailed weekly from 2008, but was discontinued in 2013 due to a dispute over harbour fees. In the summer of 2018 it was re-instated, but as a seasonal service from July to September, being operated by Grupo Sousa using Naviera Armas's ship called Volcán de Tijarafe, that provided the crossing prior to the 2013 discontinuation, with a maximum speed of 23 kn (43 km/h) the crossing takes around 24 hours.[4] [5]
A ferry called Lobo Marinho runs in two hours between Funchal and
Funchal is frequently used as a stop-over by transatlantic ships, en route from Europe to the Caribbean, as it is the northernmost Atlantic island that lies in the path of the Westerlies.
Cable transport
In Funchal there are two aerial tramways, the Funchal Cable Car and a second aerial tramway, which went in service in 2005.[7]
Previously there was a steam-powered
Land transport
Bus companies such as Horários do Funchal, Rodoeste and SAM (Sociedade de automóveis da Madeira) have been operating for over one hundred years, and they have regularly scheduled routes to all points of interest on the island.
The Direcção Regional dos Transportes Terrestres is the department of the regional government responsible for land transportation in the autonomous region.[9]
Gallery
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Old cog railway
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Funchal Airportextended runway
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The Port of Funchal
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João Gomes Bridge, part of the VR1, Madeira
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Gondola ofTeleféricoFunchal-Monte
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Boat used to take passengers from the seaplane operated by Aquila Airways, on display in Almirante Reis Park, Funchal
References
- ^ ASN Aircraft accident Martin PBM-5 Mariner CS-THB North Atlantic Ocean
- ^ 1958 / NOV / 09 - Accident with the Seaplane - CS-THB - disappeared between Lisbon and Funchal GIAA Final Report (in Portuguese)
- ^ "Portos da Madeira" (in Portuguese). Administração dos Portos da Região Autónoma da Madeira. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012.
- ^ "Ferry Madeira-Portimão: Bilhetes disponíveis a partir de hoje A primeira viagem realiza-se a 2 de julho mas os bilhetes vão estar disponíveis já a partir desta terça-feira (Vídeo)". Retrieved 2018-06-13.
- ^ "Maritime trips Portimão - Madeira - Canárias". Retrieved 2018-06-13.
- ^ "madeira-web.com – Things to do: "Lobo Marinho"". madeira-web.com. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
- ^ Madeira on seilbahn.net Archived 2008-12-26 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Monte Railway at madeira-web.com
- ^ Portal do Cidadão. "Direcção Regional dos Transportes Terrestres". portaldocidadao.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2008-04-12.
External links
Media related to Transport in Madeira at Wikimedia Commons