Funchal Cable Car

The Funchal Cable Car is an aerial transport line using individual cabins to move passengers from downtown to the elevated Monte neighborhood. The route follows a single cable across the city's landscape, supported by steel pylons that span the hillside.

The line opened around 2000 as a replacement for an older rail-based transport that had served the route since the late 1800s. This newer system continued a long tradition of connecting the lower and upper parts of the city.

The cable car links downtown to Monte, a residential area where visitors encounter historic churches and well-maintained botanical spaces. Locals and tourists use this route as a natural gathering point between two distinct neighborhoods.

Cabins operate on a continuous loop system, allowing passengers to board and exit easily at either station when the cabin stops. Morning visits tend to offer fewer crowds and clearer views compared to afternoon and evening times.

The cabins hang from a single cable, offering unobstructed views across the city without interference from support structures blocking the sightlines. This open perspective makes it easy for visitors and photographers to capture the roofline and ocean in all directions.