DREM releases transport statistics for 2025
The Regional Directorate of Statistics of Madeira (DREM) publishes today data relating to the 4th quarter of 2025 for the different modes of transport in the Autonomous Region of Madeira (ARM), as well as the full-year figures for 2025.
Land transport – Increases across all indicators compared to 2024
According to data compiled by the Regional Directorate of Statistics of Madeira (DREM), bus passenger transport services recorded, in 2025, a total of 26.5 million passengers. Urban lines carried 17.3 million passengers, whilst 9.2 million were recorded on interurban lines. In the 4th quarter of 2025, the number of passengers was 7.0 million: 4.6 million on urban lines and 2.4 million on interurban lines.
In 2025, approximately 1 500.2 thousand tickets were sold to users of the Region's cable cars (+2.8% compared to 2024), of which 92.0% were for adults, 6.5% for children and the remaining 1.6% for other types of users (e.g. farmers, residents, students, etc.). In the same period, total revenue amounted to 20.9 million euros, corresponding to a growth of 15.3% compared to the previous year. It should be highlighted that, in the 4th quarter of 2025, more pronounced year-on-year increases were recorded in tickets sold (+4.1% compared to the same quarter of the previous year), as well as in revenue (+15.7%).
In turn, the Registers of the Region recorded, in the 4th quarter of 2025, the transfer of ownership of 4 345 used motor vehicles, of which 84.4% were passenger vehicles and 12.3% light commercial vehicles. A total of 141 cargo vehicles were also registered, approximately 3.2% of the total. Compared to the 4th quarter of 2024, the number of registrations increased by 726, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 20.1%. With regard to 2025 as a whole, 16 664 transfer registrations of used motor vehicles were recorded, representing a change of +11.6% compared to 2024.
According to information collected, still preliminary, by ACAP – Associação Automóvel de Portugal, from the Institute of Registries and Notaries, in 2025, a total of 6 653 new vehicles acquired by residents in the ARM were registered, representing an increase of 5.8% compared to the same period of 2024. Between October and December 2025, the acquisition of 1 540 vehicles was recorded, representing an increase of 37 vehicles (+2.5%) compared to the same quarter of 2024. It should be noted that this variable corresponds to vehicle acquisitions made by entities residing in the ARM, including those made by car rental companies, and not to sales by automobile dealerships operating in the Region.
Provisional data provided by the Madeira Regional Command of the Public Security Police (PSP) show that, in 2025, 4 051 road accidents involving police intervention were recorded, representing an increase of 5.5% compared to the previous year. The number of casualties totalled 1 370 persons (131 more than in 2024), of whom 1 282 were recorded as slightly injured, 75 as seriously injured and 13 as fatalities.
Air transport – Passenger movement at the ARM airports continued to grow
The ARM airports recorded, in the 4th quarter of 2025, a passenger movement of around 1 296.5 thousand, representing a positive year-on-year change of 7.4%. This growth was sustained by Madeira Airport (+7.8%), as Porto Santo Airport recorded a year-on-year change in the opposite direction (-3.1%). In cumulative terms, passenger movement at the ARM airports grew at both airports (+11.8% compared to 2024), with increases of +12.2% at Madeira Airport and +3.6% at Porto Santo Airport.
In 2025, the occupancy of aircraft handled at the ARM airports stood at around 85.2%, with Madeira Airport reaching 85.5% and Porto Santo Airport 79.3%. In the same period of 2024, the occupancy of aircraft was higher across both the ARM airports (86.6%) and at Madeira Airport (87.1%). At Porto Santo Airport, however, the occupancy of aircraft in 2024 was lower (78.4%).
With regard to air cargo, a decrease of 11.2% was observed at the ARM airports in the 4th quarter of the year under analysis compared to the same quarter of 2024. Across both ARM airports, unloaded goods increased by 9.3% year-on-year, whilst loaded goods decreased by 66.4%. In cumulative terms, a similar trend was observed compared to 2024 (+13.3% in unloaded goods; -57.9% in loaded goods).
Maritime transport – Movement of goods at ports on the rise
In the field of maritime transport, 331 cruise ships entered the ARM ports in 2025, almost half of which in the 4th quarter (147). Compared to 2024, 15 more ships called at the Region's ports. The number of transit passengers (729 765) grew by +1.8% compared to 2024. In the 4th quarter of 2025, the number of passengers (326 270) recorded a year-on-year decrease of 1.4%.
In 2025, the Port of Funchal received 728 212 transit passengers, the vast majority (89.2%) of whom were European. The predominant nationalities were German (38.6% of the total; +15.8% compared to 2024), British (37.8%; -10.7%), Italian (2.0%; +15.1%), Spanish (1.7%; +56.1%) and Austrian (1.3%; +25.8%). It should also be noted that passengers from the American continent in transit at the Port of Funchal (9.8% of the total) decreased by 8.2% compared to 2024. The nationalities contributing most to this decrease were American (6.4% of the total; -16.8% compared to 2024) and Canadian (1.5%; -14.2% compared to 2024).
Preliminary data indicate that, in the 4th quarter of 2025, the number of passengers on the Madeira–Porto Santo line (85.0 thousand) decreased by 4.0% year-on-year. In cumulative terms for 2025, this indicator stood at 404.6 thousand, a value slightly below that observed in the previous year (-0.2%).
Also on a preliminary basis, the change in the movement of goods at the ARM ports in the reference quarter was broadly positive compared to the same period of 2024 (+7.2%). Contributing to this change was the increase observed in the unloading (+7.9% compared to the 4th quarter of 2024) as well as in the loading (+1.8%) of goods. In cumulative terms, the change was also positive (+3.5% compared to 2024), with unloaded goods increasing (+4.0%) and loaded goods decreasing slightly (-0.8%).
In 2025, 2 448 recreational vessels entered the Region's marinas, with 5 504 crew members and passengers, representing decreases of 4.1% and 6.5%, respectively, compared to 2024. In the 4th quarter of 2025, these two indicators corresponded, respectively, to 638 vessels (-36.0% compared to the same period of 2024) and 1 690 crew members and passengers (-27.1% compared to the 4th quarter of 2024).
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