There once was a bus to Baía D’Abra
That operated undercover
We searched all over town
Up streets and then twice down
For signs of that elusive blighter

One-one-three’s the number of the beast
Departing Funchal and heading east
From which stop no one knows
For no map or sign shows
Now the bus company has since ceased

‘Follow me’ in all caps says SIGA
For progress has come to Madeira
We’re connecting the dots
To the tourist hotspots
Even though that day gets no nearer

For 3 days we tried to pin down where we should catch this bus from. No official source of information was of any use. Sure, there’s plenty online, but it’s all contradictory or outdated. Apparently the old SAM/CAM bus station has been closed. Except that’s where we ended up catching it from!

Or you could catch it from the correct one out of a dozen bus stops along the seafront … but it has no livery, no signage at all and definitely not a route number or a timetable. Just a perspex shelter that you can figure out is the right one with some Google Maps investigative searching and finding just the right forum comment.

You see the bus companies in Madeira are in limbo – a year ago they were merged to create an integrated entity that would create a cohesive service across the island. Millions of euros have been spent. The net result? Some buses have a new logo that already looks dated, but no longer can you buy prepaid tickets – you have to pay in cash each time – and forget about finding any information on interurban buses.

I’m sure the day after we leave the new system will roll into place and be a success. But for now this limerick sums it up for me.