All you need to know about renting a car in Madeira

For an island like Madeira, having a car is required. There are many remote places and beautiful scenery that can’t be reached easily by public transportation.

In this article, we’ll be giving advice on renting a car in Madeira as well as answering some critical questions. If this sounds interesting to you, keep reading!

But before we start, if you came here to check where we recommend to rent a car in Madeira, you can check Discover Cars for the best rates.

Do you need a car to get around Madeira?

Before starting this article about renting a car in Madeira, we need to answer the question… “Do you really need a car to get around Madeira?”

The answer is 99% yes if you want to explore the island, if you want to sunbath at the hotel for a week, then it’s not. But it depends on what you want to do, what places you want to visit, how much time you’ll be spending on the island, etc. Public transport is efficient in Funchal city but not so efficient if you want to go and explore the island.

Public transportation doesn’t cover the route to some remote beaches or a drive to the start of a wonderful hike up the mountains. Therefore, if you want to visit outside Funchal and other locations, you should have your own car. Public transportation won’t be enough.

You can check the best rental prices for your dates on Discover cars.

Is driving in Madeira safe?

Overall, driving in Madeira is considered safe. When you’re visiting the south part of the island, which is more developed, you’ll come across highways and big roads that allow convenient driving.

Many parts of the island have narrow roads, difficult turns, and weather conditions that make it even worse. That said, you shouldn’t be afraid. Locals are great drivers and they’ll understand if you aren’t from the island and they’ll try to help. Maneuvering is something you’ll probably have to do from time to time.

Other than the mountain and steep roads, Madeira has a good road network. By being cautious, you can avoid any accidents and get a safe drive around the island every time.

Should I rent a large or small car?

When visiting Madeira, choosing a small-medium car is your best option. And that’s for several reasons.

First of all, many of Funchal’s roads are one-way and they were built for small cars and not large SUVs. And this goes for outside of Funchal as well. Many roads are narrow and steep and a small car would be a better fit for them. By renting a small car, you’ll avoid difficult situations while driving both in and outside of the city.

Another reason is parking. Parking gets much more complicated when you rent a large vehicle than when you have a small one. You’ll find many parking spots that fit your car’s size if you decide to rent a small car.

Make sure you filter by car type when checking the availability on Discover Cars.

Tips for renting a car in Madeira

Here are the most useful tips when renting a car in Madeira.

1. License to rent a car

Madeira requires a standard driver’s license in order to be able to rent a car. For Europeans, your home driver license is enough, but for foreigners, an International driving permit is necessary.

2. Credit Card required

Most rental car companies will require a credit card in order to hold a charge for the insurance. This can only be avoided if you purchase full coverage insurance. If not, provide the company with your credit card and they will charge you the amount. If nothing happens to the car while you’re renting it, the amount will be unblocked from your card.

There are some companies that do not require deposit as long as you rent with full insurance, like Madpoint or Funchal Easy.

3. Rent in advance

Plus, if you’re planning to visit Madeira in the summer or Christmas, you should rent in advance anyway. These periods. there’s a high possibility that you won’t find a car if you look for it the day before you reach the island or you will end up paying a huge chunk for it.

As soon as you know your dates, we strongly suggest to rent you car on sites like Discover cars.

4. Fuel translations

When renting they will tell you what fuel you need you use, and in case you forget, there is normally a sticker on your tank

● Petrol is called, Gasolina. Also called 95 or 98.
● Diesel is called gasoleo

5. Choosing the best rental company

Some things to consider when choosing your rental car company are the following. First of all, look for companies that have the types of cars you’re looking for. If your preference matches with a company, then check the mileage limits. Some companies can have daily or weekly mileage limits. You should go for those companies that have no mileage limits.

The next thing you’ll be checking is cancellation fees. Some companies let you cancel for free while others need you to pay. Choose what’s best for you. Last but not least, make sure that the pickup location is something convenient for you and the company.

Last, check for the insurance that they are offering, the coverage and the excess. There are many option with little or no deposit required at all.

6. Visiting Porto Santo

If you want to visit the nearby island Porto Santo, you should be aware of the rental car company’s policy. Many companies don’t allow taking the car to another island or charge you extra for it. Usually, the best option you got is to leave the car in Madeira and rent another one on the other island.

7. Check for damages

Right when you get the car, start checking for scratches or other problems. Everything that is visible both on the outside and the inside. If you find anything take photos for proof. This way, nobody can accuse you of damaging the car while you had it and charge you extra for it.
We always take a quick video of the exterior of the vehicle so we can always go back to check if the scratch was there.

8. Tank Conditions

When renting the car, make sure that the amount of fuel in the car is written down and documented, as you will be required to return the car with the same amount of fuel. When dropping off the car, the rental company will check the fuel level, and if you have returned it with less fuel than when you rented it, they may charge you for the difference.

There are a many gas stations in Madeira so you won’t have any trouble finding places to fill up the tank.

Visiting the beautiful island of Madeira requires a car in order to have the best experience. If you don’t have your own vehicle, you can rent one. In this article, we gave you some of the best tips about renting a car in Madeira and we hope this really helped.