The ferry route in brief
Porto Santo Line’s Lobo Marinho links Funchal’s south harbour with Porto Santo’s south harbour in about 2 hours 15 minutes each way. It carries foot passengers and vehicles. A day trip is practical on a date with a morning departure from Funchal and a later return, but not every date has that pattern.
Official timetable and travel rules checked on 24 October 2026. The examples below show why the specific date matters; they are scheduled departures, not live operating or seat-availability guarantees.
Porto Santo Line: journey and boarding FAQCurrent timetable examples: October and November 2026
On 24 October 2026, the published timetable lists Funchal → Porto Santo at 08:00 and Porto Santo → Funchal at 19:00. On 26–29 October, it lists 08:00 outward and 18:00 back. On 30 October, the outward departure is 19:00 and the return is 22:30: that is not a useful beach-day schedule.
Check the month and exact date in both columns. FNC/PXO means Funchal to Porto Santo; PXO/FNC means Porto Santo to Funchal. Do not mistake the return departure time for the arrival time in Funchal. The operator states that its timetable may change.
Official October 2026 timetableDo not assume daily service in the quieter months
The published November 2026 timetable shows no sailings in either direction on 10, 17 and 24 November. It lists only a 19:00 outward departure on 13, 20 and 27 November, with 22:30 returns. Those late outward sailings are not a substitute for the morning trip if you want a day on the island.
Other November dates have morning departures, and some have additional sailings. Use the current monthly timetable and booking results for your actual pair of journeys; neither a summer pattern nor a one-day-cruise advertisement establishes the winter service.
Official November 2026 timetableOutward: Funchal to Porto Santo
Go to the passenger boarding terminal for Lobo Marinho in Funchal’s south harbour, using the operator’s boarding-point map. Do not navigate only to a Porto Santo Line sales office on Avenida do Mar: buying a ticket and boarding the ship are different stops.
Foot passengers must be at the passenger terminal with a valid ticket no later than 30 minutes before departure. Vehicle passengers must reach the garage/car-deck one hour before departure. Allow additional time to reach the harbour and carry identification. Only the driver boards through the vehicle deck; the other occupants follow the passenger-boarding instructions.
Operator maps for both boarding pointsArrival: harbour to Vila Baleira or your hotel
Decide the onward transfer before buying: a basic ferry ticket is not the same as a package that includes transport on the island. Porto Santo Line’s one-day product has transfer options; accommodation packages and independent hotel arrangements may differ. Compare the actual inclusions instead of assuming the boat arrives beside Fontinha beach.
For a beach-and-town day, Vila Baleira and Fontinha are a simpler target than several scattered island stops. For an overnight stay, decide whether the arrival transfer goes directly to your accommodation or into town.
Plan a Porto Santo day or overnightReturn: Porto Santo to Funchal
Book the return as deliberately as the outward trip. Work backwards from the Porto Santo departure, allowing the harbour journey and the same boarding deadline: at least 30 minutes for foot passengers or one hour with a vehicle. If you buy a transfer package, follow its earlier pickup time rather than treating the ship’s departure as the meeting time.
The advertised crossing duration is sea time. Disembarkation and the onward journey in Funchal come afterwards, so avoid a tight same-day airport connection. A weather-related disruption can affect the return as well as the outward sailing; leaving a buffer night on Madeira before a critical flight is the more cautious arrangement.
Operator boarding deadlines and crossing durationTicket prices: compare the complete journey
Prices vary by season, passenger category, class, length of stay and any vehicle or hotel package. Compare the total for both directions and any transfer, then check the applicable fuel surcharge. The operator’s homepage promotion retrieved at this check was explicitly limited to qualifying Madeira residents and excluded the fuel surcharge; it is not a general visitor fare.
This guide does not quote that promotion as the tourist price. Buy through the official site for the actual passengers and dates. Porto Santo Line says online tickets are sold, not held as unpaid reservations, and describes them as non-refundable; review the current fare terms before payment.
Official operator site and dated offersChildren, access needs and a car
Children aged four or under still require a ticket even when travel is free. The FAQ lists reduced fares for ages five to eleven. Enter every passenger rather than assuming a small child can simply accompany an adult ticket.
Passengers needing mobility or other specified assistance should contact the carrier before purchasing and at least 48 hours ahead; the FAQ gives one-hour boarding for assisted lift access. If taking a hire car, get the rental company’s permission as well as a vehicle ferry ticket. A space on the ship does not establish permission under your rental agreement.
Operator child fares, assistance and vehicle rulesBook the date, not a generic daily departure
Open the operator’s timetable, select the relevant month and compare both direction columns. Then use its booking flow to confirm the journeys, passenger categories, vehicle if needed, total and terms. Retain the ticket and recheck operator messages before leaving for the port.
If the outward sailing is late, the return is unavailable or the usable island time is too short, choose another date or stay overnight. Do not build a hotel booking around a ferry pattern from a different month.
Open the official timetables and booking site