A new SIGA bus route will connect Funchal to the Cristo Rei area of Caniço starting next Monday, November 9. Route 560 is designed to serve a part of Santa Cruz municipality that has seen fast residential and tourist growth. According to the official statement, the goal is to improve accessibility and mobility for people living there.
Route 560 Begins Monday With Eight Daily Trips
The new line starts running on Monday, November 9. On weekdays during the school term, it will make eight trips a day in each direction, with services guaranteed both ways.
Service Drops to Seven Trips During School Holidays
Outside term time, the schedule eases back a little. The route will run seven times a day on weekdays during school holidays, still covering both directions.
Weekends and Holidays See Just Two Return Trips
On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, route 560 is scaled down further. It will make just two trips a day in each direction on those days.
| Day type | Trips per day |
|---|---|
| Weekdays, school term | 8 |
| Weekdays, school holidays | 7 |
| Saturdays, Sundays, holidays | 2 |
Bus Links Funchal's Old Town to Café Jardim in Caniço
The route starts near the cable car station in Funchal's Zona Velha, the Old Town. From there it runs along Rua Brigadeiro Oudinot and Campo da Barca, then joins the Via Rápida to the Garajau exit. It continues along Estrada do Garajau and Estrada do Cristo Rei, ending near Café Jardim, close to Quinta Splendida.
Some Trips Extend to Reis Magos and Edifício Ventura
A number of the route's runs will go further, continuing to Reis Magos. Those extended trips also cover the Picos area and the Edifício Ventura building.
New Line Comes From This Year's Addendum With Operator CAM
Route 560 was created through an addendum to the public road passenger transport concession contract. The addendum was signed this year between the Regional Government, through the Secretariat for Equipment and Infrastructure, and operator CAM. As part of the process, the regional transport authority IMT, IP-RAM worked with the operator to review and adapt the wider network, which made the new connection possible. The government says the new line responds to mobility needs identified in that part of Santa Cruz municipality.
Addendum Also Increases Aerobus Runs to the Airport
The same contract addendum covers other changes to Madeira and Porto Santo's public transport network. It increases the number of Aerobus trips, which connect Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport to Funchal. It also reinforces service on the Machico-Santa Cruz-Funchal route, and improves school transport links in the municipalities of Santana and Porto Santo. With these measures, the Regional Government says it wants public transport to keep pace with rising demand.
Timetables and stops for route 560 are published on SIGA's information channels, at siga.madeira.gov.pt/horarios/6005. For a wider look at how Madeira's bus network works, see our earlier guide to getting around by bus.
Source: dnoticias.pt
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