Europe · #5 in Portugal
Dialysis in Madeira (Funchal), Portugal
Travelling to Madeira (Funchal) and need holiday dialysis while you're there? Below are 2 dialysis centers in and near Madeira (Funchal). Tell us your dates and we'll confirm availability and book your sessions.
Dialysis centers in Madeira (Funchal)
Centers we've identified in or near Madeira (Funchal). Confirm availability and details directly — Dialysis Go verifies and books your session as part of arranging your visit.
Get travel medical insurance before you go
Dialysis abroad only works if you're covered for it. Check each policy's wording on pre-existing conditions before you rely on it.
NephroCare Funchal
Rua 5 de Outubro 118, 9000-216 Funchal
Tel: +351 291 709 350
Highest-rated hotel nearby: The Reserve - within Savoy Palace — 9.7/10 (71 reviews), 1.7 km from central Funchal
Hemodialysis unit, Av. Luís de Camões
Avenida Luís de Camões 57, 9004-514 Funchal
Tel: +351 291 705 663
Highest-rated hotel nearby: The Reserve - within Savoy Palace — 9.7/10 (71 reviews), ~1.5 km away
Planning dialysis in Madeira (Funchal)
- Centers listed
- 2
- Typical cost per session
- $110–$220 (if paying privately)
- Peak season
- Year-round, busiest at Christmas–New Year and Easter
- Nearest airport
- Madeira (FNC)
- Language
- Portuguese
Costs are indicative ranges for Portugal, not quotes. Estimate your whole trip.
Who pays for dialysis in Madeira (Funchal)?
- EU/EEA and Swiss residents: a valid EHIC covers dialysis at public units in Portugal, and at private units contracted to the national health system, on the same terms as local patients. The session still has to be arranged with the unit before you travel.
- UK residents: the UK GHIC (or a UK EHIC that hasn't expired) works the same way for state-provided dialysis. Ask the unit to confirm it accepts GHIC when you book.
- Everyone else, or at a private unit outside the public system: you pay per session and claim back through your travel insurance or home insurer where your policy allows.
- US Medicare patients: Original Medicare generally does not pay for dialysis outside the US. Some Medicare Advantage and private plans include limited cover abroad, so check yours before you go.
When to book
Book 6–8 weeks ahead, or 3 months ahead for summer in the Algarve, which takes a lot of visiting patients. Peak season in Madeira (Funchal): Year-round, busiest at Christmas–New Year and Easter.
Emergency numbers in Madeira (Funchal)
In an emergency, call 112 for an ambulance. Tell the operator you're on dialysis and which unit treats you, and keep your access details and medication list with you.
112Ambulance, police and fire- SNS 24 health line (non-emergency)
- 808 24 24 24
112 is free and works from any mobile or landline across the EU, including foreign phones on roaming.
What the unit in Madeira (Funchal) will ask for
- Your current dialysis prescription (dialyser, dry weight, access, anticoagulation).
- Blood results from the last 4–6 weeks, including virology (hepatitis B and C, HIV).
- Records from your last few sessions and a current medication list.
- A referral or fit-to-travel letter from your nephrologist.
- An MRSA screen and recent ECG, if the unit asks for them.
Each unit has its own list — read the full travel guide or check entry requirements for Portugal.
Wheelchair rental in Madeira (Funchal)
Long days, dialysis fatigue and unfamiliar streets add up. Renting a wheelchair or mobility scooter for your stay in Madeira (Funchal) saves your energy for the things you came to do.
- Book a few weeks ahead in peak season and ask for delivery to your hotel, so the chair is waiting when you arrive.
- Tell the supplier your weight, seat width and how you'll use it — a lightweight folding chair for taxis, or a power chair or scooter for longer distances.
- Ask your airline for free wheelchair assistance at both airports when you book your flight; it's separate from renting a chair for your stay.
- Check the dialysis unit and your hotel have step-free access, and whether the unit can lend a chair between the entrance and your station.
Things to do in Madeira (Funchal) around dialysis
Most people feel tired after a session, so keep treatment days light and save the big outings for days off. Effort ratings are a rough guide — you know your own energy best.
On session days
Easy
Funchal old town (Zona Velha)
Painted doors along Rua de Santa Maria, cafés and the waterfront. It's mostly flat.
Easy
Mercado dos Lavradores
The covered farmers' market, full of exotic fruit and flowers, a short walk from the old town.
Moderate
Cable car to Monte
About 15 minutes up to Monte for the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, which is hilly. You can come down by cable car or the famous wicker toboggans.
On free days
Moderate
A short levada walk
The island's irrigation channels have flat paths through the forest. Pick a short, well-known one; some have steep drops or tunnels.
Easy
Cabo Girão skywalk
A glass platform on a sea cliff about 580 m high, a short drive from Funchal.
Easy
Pico do Arieiro
Drive almost to the top (about 1,818 m) for views over the clouds. The hike to Pico Ruivo beyond is strenuous.
Tips for Madeira (Funchal) on dialysis
- Funchal is very hilly, so use taxis between sights rather than walking up from the seafront.
- Christmas–New Year and Easter are the busiest times, so book sessions well ahead.
Tickets and tours for Madeira (Funchal): Tiqets · KKday · Welcome Pickups Sightseeing. Timed tickets make it easier to plan around your sessions. More on sightseeing with dialysis.
Dialysis in Madeira (Funchal): common questions
- Is there a dialysis center in Madeira (Funchal)?
- Yes. We list 2 dialysis centers in and near Madeira (Funchal): NephroCare Funchal and Hemodialysis unit, Av. Luís de Camões.
- How much does holiday dialysis cost in Madeira (Funchal)?
- If you're paying privately, expect roughly $110–$220 per haemodialysis session in Portugal. The clinic sets the exact price, and we confirm it with you before anything is booked.
- Can I use my EHIC or GHIC for dialysis in Madeira (Funchal)?
- Yes, at public units and at private units contracted to the national health system, as long as you arrange the sessions with the unit before you travel. Everyone else, or at a private unit outside the public system: you pay per session and claim back through your travel insurance or home insurer where your policy allows.
- How far ahead should I book dialysis in Madeira (Funchal)?
- Book 6–8 weeks ahead, or 3 months ahead for summer in the Algarve, which takes a lot of visiting patients. Peak season in Madeira (Funchal) is year-round, busiest at Christmas–New Year and Easter.
- What can I do in Madeira (Funchal) on a dialysis day?
- Keep treatment days short and low-effort — for example Funchal old town (Zona Velha), Mercado dos Lavradores and Cable car to Monte. Save bigger outings like A short levada walk and Cabo Girão skywalk for days without a session.
- Which airport is closest to Madeira (Funchal)?
- Madeira (FNC). Try to book your first session within a day or two of landing so you don't go too long between treatments.
- What is the emergency number in Madeira (Funchal)?
- Call 112 for an ambulance in Madeira (Funchal) (ambulance, police and fire). Tell the operator you're on dialysis and keep your access details and medication list with you.
- Can I rent a wheelchair in Madeira (Funchal)?
- Yes — mobility equipment suppliers in and around Madeira (Funchal) rent manual wheelchairs, power chairs and scooters by the day or week, and many deliver to your hotel. Book ahead in peak season, and ask your airline separately for free wheelchair assistance at the airport.
Lisbon, Porto and a strong cluster of clinics across the Algarve. Holiday dialysis across Portugal.