- Booking is required all year round. You can only walk the PR trails managed by IFCN with a booked entry time in SIMplifica. This also applies to children and Madeira residents, who don’t pay.
- Prices for winter 2026/27: €4.50 per trail per person over 12. The whole of PR1 from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo costs €10.50, and just the section to Pedra Rija €4.50. As of 16 October 2026, IFCN had not announced any changes for 2027.
- Passes: €9 for one day, €22.50 for 3 days and €52.50 for 7 days, when you walk at least two trails. PR1 isn’t included in any pass. You don’t buy a pass separately: SIMplifica applies it automatically when all your trails are in one order. You can work out what you’ll pay in the calculator below.
- Winter means easier availability. On 16 October 2026 there were no tourist slots left for the next few days on PR1, PR6 and PR8, while for mid-December almost all of them were free. You can book up to 180 days ahead.
- Weather: in winter IFCN closes trails more often when there are weather warnings. Only then will you get a refund or a new date, and the request has to be sent to IFCN within 10 working days.
- On the trail you show the QR code from your ticket, so save it on your phone before you set off. Walking without paying can cost you €50–250 – in practice €50, payable on the spot.
Since 2026, walking Madeira’s official classified hiking trails requires an online booking in advance. There’s no ticket office at the trailhead and no paying the ranger – the only legal place to buy is the government portal Simplifica. The portal looks like a system from the last decade and can give you a headache on your first visit. It certainly gave me one. This guide takes you through the whole process step by step, so that once you’re there, all you have to think about is the trail.
📋 Quick cheat sheet
Prefer to hike with a guide? Guided levada and mountain walks on Madeira, many with hotel pickup. Compare routes, reviews and prices on GetYourGuide.
What is Simplifica?
Simplifica is the official digital portal of the Regional Government of Madeira – it handles everything from driving licences to social benefits. For visitors it has one specific use: buying tickets and booking time slots for the classified PR trails managed by IFCN (Instituto das Florestas e Conservação da Natureza – Madeira’s Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation).
The new system has been running since 1 January 2026. IFCN was already charging a €3 fee in 2025, but three things changed in 2026: a compulsory booked entry time, even for people who don’t pay; a higher fee (€4.50 per trail, €10.50 for the whole of PR1) with 1-, 3- and 7-day passes; and entry in 30-minute windows.
This lets IFCN control visitor numbers and raise money to maintain the trails.
The portal works in Portuguese and English – the interface switches to English if you change the language in the top right-hand corner.
Who has to buy a ticket?
Everyone over 12 who isn’t a Madeira resident buys a ticket.
Exempt from the fee:
- children up to and including 12 (carry a document showing the child’s age on the trail)
- people with a certified disability of 60% or more, plus one carer each (on showing the document)
- residents of the Autonomous Region of Madeira
Note the detail about residents: they’re exempt from the fee, but they still have to book time slots through the same portal. The system manages trail capacity whether or not you pay to get in. Residents and other exempt people can also register at the trailhead. Visitors who pay book and pay online only.
How much does a ticket cost?
€4.50 per person per trail is the standard rate for non-residents over 12. You can pay by credit or debit card.
If you’re walking several trails, SIMplifica applies a pass automatically: €9 for a day, €22.50 for 3 days or €52.50 for 7 days, when you walk at least two trails in that time. A pass doesn’t exempt you from booking an entry time for each trail. You can work out what you’ll pay in the calculator below.
How much will I pay for trails? Tickets or a pass
IFCN has three passes, but you don’t buy them like a ticket. You choose your trails and times in SIMplifica, and at the end of the order the system works out the cheapest option itself: single tickets or a pass. The calculator shows you that amount in advance and tells you whether it’s worth adding one more trail on the same day.
How much will I pay for trails? Tickets or a pass
Enter how many days you’ll be walking and how many paid trails a day, or pick specific trails. The calculator works out the cheapest combination of tickets and passes at IFCN prices.
The calculator needs JavaScript to be enabled.
Total–
Prices from Portaria n.º 801/2025 as amended by Portaria n.º 48/2026 and from the fee table in SIMplifica, checked on 16 October 2026: trail €4.50, the whole of PR1 €10.50, PR1 to Pedra Rija €4.50, passes €9 (1 day), €22.50 (3 days) and €52.50 (7 days) for two or more trails. No pass covers PR1. You don’t buy a pass separately: SIMplifica applies the cheapest option itself when all your trails are in one order. The calculator assumes the 3- and 7-day passes cover consecutive days. Madeira residents and people with a disability of 60% or more (with one carer) don’t pay either. Trails closed on 16 October 2026 (PR7, PR20, PR27, PR28 and PR3 on Porto Santo) aren’t on the list.
- The 1-day pass (€9) pays off from 3 trails in one day, e.g. PR6, PR6.1 and PR6.3 in Rabaçal. With 2 trails it costs the same as 2 tickets.
- The 3-day pass (€22.50) pays off when you walk 2 trails a day for 3 days in a row (instead of €27). With 3 trails in one day, the 1-day pass is usually better.
- The 7-day pass (€52.50) pays off with 2 trails a day for a whole week (instead of €63).
- PR1 (€10.50 for the whole trail or €4.50 to Pedra Rija) is always paid separately, whatever pass you have.
- A pass doesn’t mean free entry. You still book a separate entry time for every trail (IFCN FAQ, point 2.3).
Which trails need booking?
Booking is compulsory on all official classified PR trails managed by IFCN. Only four PR trails, not managed by IFCN, need no booking or fee: PR3 Vereda do Burro, PR3.1 Caminho Real do Monte and PR4 Levada do Barreiro (Funchal municipality) and PR23 Levada da Azenha (Caniço parish). Closed trails can’t be booked (on 16 October 2026: PR7, PR20, PR27, PR28 and PR3 on Porto Santo).
The most popular trails: what they cost and how fast they sell out
Prices come from Portaria n.º 48/2026 and the fee table in SIMplifica. Availability is a reading from SIMplifica’s public preview on 16 October 2026 (evening) for visitors, i.e. people who don’t live in Madeira. The numbers change from hour to hour, but they show well which trails you need to book earliest. The times in the table are the first and last entry windows.
| Trail | Price and availability (preview on 16 October 2026) |
|---|---|
| PR1 Pico do Areeiro → Pico Ruivo PR1 guide | €10.50 (includes the descent via PR1.1 or PR1.2), not included in passes. Entry 7:00–16:30. For 16–18 October almost nothing left for visitors. For 12–18 December almost everything free; the 7:00 slots go first. |
| PR1 to Pedra Rija only (the “Stairway to Heaven”) Pico do Arieiro | €4.50, not included in passes. Entry 8:00–17:30. Mornings sold out for 16–19 October. On Friday and Saturday there were hardly any places; on Sunday and Monday there were some from about 11:30. |
| PR1.2 Achada do Teixeira → Pico Ruivo | €4.50, included in passes. Entry 8:00–17:30. For 16–17 October almost full until 11:00, free in the afternoon. |
| PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes PR6 guide | €4.50. Entry 8:00–16:00. For 16–18 October almost all slots taken; on Monday 19 October places only from 14:00. For 12–18 December almost everything free. |
| PR6.1 Levada do Risco | €4.50, booked separately from PR6. Entry 8:00–17:00. There are usually places. |
| PR8 Ponta de São Lourenço PR8 guide | €4.50. Entry 8:00–16:30. For 16–18 October all slots taken, on 19 October free only from 15:00. For 13–17 December almost everything free. Restoration works with detours since 30 September 2026. |
| PR9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde | €4.50. Entry only 8:00–14:00. Apart from the first window there are usually plenty of places. |
| PR11 Vereda dos Balcões | €4.50. Entry 8:00–17:30. Hardest to get a place between 9:00 and 11:00; the rest of the day is mostly free. |
| PR18 Levada do Rei PR18 guide | €4.50. Entry 8:00–16:00. For 16–19 October almost all slots free. |
| PR3, PR3.1, PR4 and PR23 | €0. They’re managed by Funchal municipality and Caniço parish, so they’re not in SIMplifica and don’t need booking. |
I compare the distance, time and difficulty of the most popular levadas in my round-up of the most beautiful levada walks in Madeira.
No car? Book a fixed-price transfer from Funchal, e.g. to Porto Moniz, São Vicente, Calheta or the airport, in advance with Kiwitaxi.
Registering on the Simplifica portal
A SIMplifica account isn’t compulsory, but it’s handy if you book several times. If you want one, set it up a few days before you fly to avoid any stress.
Go to simplifica.madeira.gov.pt and click Register in the top right-hand corner.
The registration form asks for:
- Full Name – your first name and surname
- Email address or phone number – your e-mail address or phone number with the country code
- Password – at least 10 characters, with upper- and lower-case letters, numbers and a special character
- Password confirmation – the same password again
Tick the “I authorize the collection” consent box and click Following. A verification code will be sent to your e-mail or phone – enter it on the next screen.
A word of warning: I had trouble registering myself – the verification code never arrived. So it’s worth stressing that you don’t need an account to buy a ticket.
Buying a ticket on Simplifica step by step
Go to simplifica.madeira.gov.pt/services/78-82-259 (this is the address IFCN gives).
Step 1 – choose the service
On the screen, choose the service “Payment of Fees for Access to Classified Hiking Trails” (in Portuguese “Pagamento de Taxas para acesso aos Percursos Pedestres Classificados”, in the Ticketing / Bilhética category). You can also go straight to simplifica.madeira.gov.pt/services/78-82-259.
Step 2 – choose the trail, date and time
On the next screen, choose the trail and date right at the bottom of the page. The system shows entry windows every 30 minutes within the fixed hours for that trail (e.g. PR6 8:00–16:00, the whole of PR1 7:00–16:30, PR9 only 8:00–14:00). Windows that are full are marked in red. Hover over a window to see what percentage of places is left for “Não residentes”, i.e. visitors. For PR1, choose the right option: “Pico Ruivo (sentido único)” for the whole trail or “até ao Miradouro da Pedra Rija” for the short section. You choose one window per booking.
Step 3 – participant details
On this screen, first enter your e-mail address (if you’re logged in, it should fill in automatically) and tick the box accepting responsibility for your behaviour on the trail.
For the question “Request Tax Identification Number (NIF) for invoicing”, tick “No” unless you need an invoice with a Portuguese tax number.
Then go to the Non-residents section and enter the number of participants:
- Visitor >12 years – people over 12
- Visitor (<= 12 years old) – children up to 12 (enter the number of children – booking required, ticket free)
- People with a disability rating higher than 60% – people with a disability of ≥60%
The Residents section is only for people who live in Madeira – skip it.
Click Following.
Step 4 – confirm the booking
The system shows the trail you’ve chosen for you to confirm:
If everything is correct, click Following.
Step 5 – more bookings
If you’re walking several trails, add them all here to one order. The system only applies a 1-, 3- or 7-day pass at the end of the order – you can’t buy one separately.
The system asks whether you want to book more tickets (e.g. for another trail on the same day or on other days):
- If yes – YES, and you repeat the process.
- If not – NO, and you move on.
At this point it’s worth clicking Summary and downloading the PDF with the details you’ve entered (trail dates and entry times) – it makes planning easier.
Step 6 – summary and payment
The screen shows an order summary with the payment deadline and the amount:
Click Pay, then choose Cartão de crédito/débito:
Then enter your card details.
Pay straight away: an unpaid booking lapses. If you later get an e-mail saying your booking was cancelled “due to inactivity or non-payment”, but you already have your tickets and invoice, it usually refers to an earlier, unfinished attempt. Compare the reference numbers.
Step 7 – tickets and the QR code
Once you’ve paid, the tickets are sent to your e-mail. They also appear on the page for you to download. You can print them or keep them on your phone.
Your ticket has a QR code – that’s what IFCN inspectors scan on the trail or at the entrance. Having it on your phone screen or as a downloaded offline file is enough.
The Madeira government hands out bookmarks with a QR code that takes you straight to the booking page at the airport, the port, tourist information points and car hire offices (DNoticias, 13 May 2026). Don’t treat that as a back-up plan: the code won’t open a window that’s sold out.
Ticket checks
Tickets are spot-checked by the forest police (Corpo de Polícia Florestal), on the trail or at the entrance. From the beginning of April to mid-May 2026 they checked 5538 people and issued 43 fines of €50, payable on the spot (DNoticias, 13 May 2026). Under the regulations, walking without paying or refusing to show a ticket can cost €50–250, and when you’re checked you have to pay a deposit equal to the minimum fine, either on the spot or within 48 hours (DLR n.º 2/2025/M). Entering a closed trail can cost €250–2500.
Can I buy a ticket on the spot?
Officially – no. Since 2026, IFCN has made no provision for cash payment on the trail. All bookings and payments are meant to go through Simplifica.
According to the IFCN FAQ, booking and payment are online only, and IFCN offices don’t sell tickets. There’s no official information about a ticket office or kiosk at any trail. You can buy a ticket on your phone even on the same day, as long as there are places left, but many trailheads have no signal.
When should I book?
You can book up to 180 days ahead. In mid-October 2026 there were almost no visitor slots left for the next 3–4 days on PR1, PR6 and PR8, while for mid-December almost everything was free. In winter, booking a few days ahead is usually enough. The exception is the dawn slots on PR1 (windows from 7:00), which go first.
Booking on the same day is possible if there are places left, but there’s no point counting on that for PR8 or PR6 at midday on a Saturday.
IFCN tolerates about 15 minutes’ lateness, and a bit more if you’re walking several trails in one day. If you’re later than that, you lose the fee, and entry in the next window isn’t guaranteed.
In winter, check the forecast and the IFCN notices the day before. When there are weather warnings, IFCN can close all trails at once (as it did on 1 January and 19 March 2026), and snow closes the roads to Pico do Areeiro, Achada do Teixeira and Paul da Serra (3 March 2026). You’ll find the current situation on the trail status page.
What if the trail closes after I’ve bought a ticket?
The only guaranteed refund is when IFCN closes a trail for safety or maintenance reasons – then you can move your booking to another date (if there are places) or apply for a full refund. If you cancel for personal reasons, there’s no refund.
You send the request by e-mail to IFCN (helpdesk.ifcn@madeira.gov.pt) within 10 working days of the booking date. Attach your tickets and invoice plus the new date and time or, for a refund, your IBAN and SWIFT/BIC, the account holder’s name and address. A new date will be for the same trail, within a year. The SIMplifica helpline doesn’t handle changes or refunds. Rain, illness or a cancelled flight don’t entitle you to a refund if the trail is open.
The alternative: a tour with a certified guide
Certified tour operators with RNAVT/RNAAT licences and an IFCN agreement book places in bulk and pay €3 instead of €4.50. On PR1, since its reopening, the difference is bigger: €7 with an operator vs €10.50 on your own. If you’re planning a harder trail with a guide anyway, you don’t have to wrestle with Simplifica yourself – the operator takes care of it. €3 and €7 are the fees the operator pays IFCN. The price of the tour itself is, of course, higher.
I’ve compared tours with hotel pick-up – by jeep, to the levadas and to Pico do Arieiro – in my guide to tours and excursions in Madeira.
Technical problems – contacting Simplifica
The portal can be slow, especially at peak times. If something isn’t working or you have a problem with your booking, contact the helpdesk on working days between 9:00 and 18:00:
Phone (free): 800 29 90 90 (from abroad: +351 800 29 90 90)
E-mail: 800299090@madeira.gov.pt
WhatsApp: +351 926 155 465
Available on working days, 9:00–18:00
Trail tickets: frequently asked questions
Do I have to book trails in Madeira in winter too?
Yes. Booking and fees have applied all year round since 1 January 2026. Winter is quieter, though: on 16 October 2026 almost all slots on PR1, PR6 and PR8 for mid-December were free, while for the next few days of October they had already run out. SIMplifica lets you book up to 180 days ahead.
How much does it cost to walk to Pico Ruivo on the PR1 trail?
The whole of PR1 from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo costs €10.50. The price includes the descent via PR1.1 to Ilha or PR1.2 to Achada do Teixeira. Beyond the Miradouro da Pedra Rija, traffic is one-way, so you can’t come back the same way. Just the section to Pedra Rija and back costs €4.50, but that ticket doesn’t let you go any further and you can’t swap it for the full one. The shorter climb from Achada do Teixeira (PR1.2) is €4.50. PR1 isn’t included in the passes.
Is a 1-, 3- or 7-day pass worth it?
The 1-day pass (€9) pays off from 3 trails in one day. The 3-day pass (€22.50) pays off with 2 trails a day for 3 days in a row, and the 7-day pass (€52.50) with 2 trails a day for a week. With one trail a day, a pass isn’t worth it. PR1 is always paid separately. You can work out your own plan in the calculator in this guide.
How do I buy a trail pass in SIMplifica?
You don’t buy it separately. Add all the trails you’re walking to one order (after each trail the system asks whether you want to book another). At the end, SIMplifica works out the cheapest option itself: single tickets or a pass. A pass doesn’t exempt you from booking an entry time for each trail.
Do children pay for trails in Madeira?
Children up to and including 12 don’t pay, including those from outside Madeira. You do have to add them to the booking, though (the “Visitor (<= 12 years old)” field), and carry a document showing the child’s age on the trail.
Which trails in Madeira are free?
According to the IFCN list of 2 October 2026, the trails outside the fee system are PR3 Vereda do Burro, PR3.1 Caminho Real do Monte, PR4 Levada do Barreiro (Funchal municipality) and PR23 Levada da Azenha (Caniço parish). You also don’t pay for paths that aren’t official PR trails, but IFCN doesn’t maintain or recommend them.
Can I buy a ticket at the trailhead?
Don’t count on it. According to the IFCN FAQ, booking and payment are online only, in SIMplifica, and IFCN offices don’t sell tickets. You can buy a ticket on your phone even on the same day, but only if there are places left.
What if I’m late for my entry time?
IFCN tolerates about 15 minutes before or after your chosen time, and a bit more if you’re walking several trails in one day. Being later than that means losing the fee: the rules don’t guarantee entry in the next window.
Will I get a refund if it rains or my flight is cancelled?
No. A refund or a new date is only available if IFCN officially closes the trail, e.g. because of a weather warning. In that case, write to helpdesk.ifcn@madeira.gov.pt within 10 working days and attach your tickets, invoice and, for a refund, your IBAN and SWIFT/BIC, the account holder’s name and address. A new date will be for the same trail. The SIMplifica helpline doesn’t deal with refunds.
What is the fine for walking a trail without a ticket?
From €50 to €250 for an individual. When you’re checked, you have to pay a deposit equal to the minimum fine, either on the spot or within 48 hours. From the beginning of April to mid-May 2026, the forest police issued 43 such fines of €50, payable on the spot. Entering a closed trail can cost from €250 to €2500.
Do I need a ticket if I only walk part of a trail?
Yes. The fee applies however long you’re on the trail and however far you walk. That’s why even a short walk along the “Stairway to Heaven” from Pico do Areeiro to Pedra Rija needs a €4.50 ticket. Without a ticket you can only go up to the viewing terrace by the summit.
Sources I used (14)
- IFCN – FAQ on fees and booking (EN) and the PT version, updated 2 June 2026
- IFCN – list of classified trails and who manages them, updated 2 October 2026
- IFCN – trail notices, updated 14 September 2026
- Portaria n.º 801/2025 of 10 December 2025 and Portaria n.º 48/2026 of 13 February 2026 – IFCN fees
- Decreto Legislativo Regional n.º 24/2022/M and DLR n.º 2/2025/M (art. 102) – fines
- SIMplifica – classified trail fees: fee table and public availability preview, read on 16 October 2026
- DNoticias, 13 May 2026 – checks and fines; DNoticias, 1 January 2026 and 19 March 2026 – trail closures in bad weather; 3 March 2026 – snow and road closures on Pico do Areeiro
- My own experience – registering and buying tickets on Simplifica, March 2026
- +351 926 155 465 (wa.me)
To the trailhead by car: many trailheads, such as Pico do Arieiro or Fanal Forest, can’t be reached by public transport. Compare car hire prices at Madeira Airport (FNC) on DiscoverCars.
⚠️ Important: madeira-planner.com is an independent guide I run as a hobby, where I share my own experience and what I’ve learnt during my stays in Madeira. I’m not a licensed mountain guide – everything here is for information and inspiration only.
Before every hike, check the current trail status on the official website of IFCN (Madeira’s Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation), check the weather forecast and be honest about your fitness. Conditions in the mountains can change fast – if you have no mountain trekking experience or are planning more demanding routes, consider hiring a qualified guide.
When you head out on the trails, you do so at your own risk. Your safety depends on the decisions you make.
