Goodbye Crowds: Madeira Introduces Time-Slots for All PR Hiking Trails.
The time slot system is designed to apply to all visitors, including those on guided tours.
Here is a breakdown of how it will affect tours:
- Applies to Everyone: The goal of the system is to manage the total number of people on the trails at any given moment, regardless of whether they are independent hikers or part of a group. The rule is for “all visits to official walking trails and natural-area routes.”
- Tour Operator Responsibility: Tour operators will be responsible for booking and securing the time slots for their clients. The SIMplifica platform has a specific section for tourist companies to purchase vouchers or tickets in advance for their groups.
- Visitor Limits: The time slots have a limit on the number of visitors allowed. This means that if a tour group wants to enter at 9:00 AM, the tour operator must ensure that the entire group’s reservation fits within the available capacity for that specific time.
In essence, whether you book a guided Levada walk or hike independently, that specific time slot reservation will be mandatory from January 2026 for all official PR trails. Your tour company will simply handle the booking process for you.
This is a significant change designed to manage the flow of visitors and protect the trails. Starting in January 2026, the system will work as follows:
📅 Reservation Requirement.
- All Official Trails: Visits to all official walking trails (PR trails) and natural-area routes will require a pre-booked, online time-slot reservation.
- Purpose: The primary goal is to manage the daily flow of people more evenly, preventing overcrowding, reducing traffic pressure, and minimizing stress on sensitive natural areas like the UNESCO-listed Laurissilva forest.
💻 How to Reserve
- Platform: All reservations will be made through the government’s digital platform, SIMplifica.
- Time Slots: The system will operate like booking a museum visit, where you select a specific entry time.
- Visitor Limits: Each time slot will have a limit on the number of visitors allowed. If a slot is full, you will need to choose another time.
- Upcoming Tools: The Institute for Forests and Nature Conservation (IFCN) plans to introduce an app and update its website to help visitors check available time slots and plan their routes.
💰 Fees and Exclusions
- Fee: There is already an existing €3 fee for non-residents (aged 12 and over) for all of the official PR trails, which was expaned to all walking routes. The fee is for maintenance and conservation.
- Residents: Residents of the Autonomous Region of Madeira are exempt from paying the fee, although they are still encouraged to use the scheduled system.
- Proof: You may face a fine (reportedly starting at €250) if you are found on a regulated PR trail without proof of a valid reservation/payment.
In short, for your 2026 trip, you will need to:
- Check which PR trail you want to hike.
- Go to the SIMplifica platform (or the new app/website).
- Choose a time slot for your visit.
- Pay the €3 fee (if you are a non-resident over 12) to secure your reservation.
Official Trail Reservation Link
The official portal for payment and reservations for the Classified Walking Routes (PR trails) is the government-managed SIMplifica website.
- SIMplifica Portal Link: Pagamento de Taxas para Percursos Pedestres Classificados – Geral
On this page, look for the option to pay the fee and reserve your entry time slot.
Im really not sure how this is all going to be put in place in such a short time , and expect some fees to rise, Cabo Girão has already been confirmed to rise to 5.00 euros in 2026. A disgrace in my eyes, as the place has never seen any maintenance, or improvement since payment began.