Ferries between the Azores islands: how Atlânticoline works

Island-hopping by sea is one of the best ways to feel how close some of the Azores really are. Inter-island ferries are run by Atlânticoline, the regional public company based in Horta on Faial, which carries both passengers and vehicles. The catch: the boats do not link the whole archipelago, so it pays to know where the network actually goes before you plan around it.

Where the ferries go

The ferry network lives in the central and western groups. Atlânticoline's ports are Horta (Faial), Madalena and Cais do Pico (Pico), Velas and Calheta (São Jorge), Praia (Graciosa), Angra do Heroísmo and Praia da Vitória (Terceira), Santa Cruz das Flores (Flores) and Vila Nova do Corvo (Corvo). There is no ferry port on São Miguel or Santa Maria, so to reach the eastern islands, or to get from São Miguel to the central group, you fly.

• The Triângulo — Faial, Pico and São Jorge sit close together and form the busiest part of the network. The short hop between Horta and Madalena makes a day on Pico easy from Faial, and the other way round.
• Flores and Corvo — a small boat links Santa Cruz das Flores with Vila Nova do Corvo, the easiest way to visit Corvo for the day.
• Terceira and Graciosa — linked to the Triângulo by seasonal summer sailings.

Year-round links and summer extras

When we checked the official timetable in October 2026, three lines were running into the winter: Horta–Madalena, Horta–Pico–Velas, and Flores–Corvo. In the summer season the network grows, with extra lines from the Triângulo to Praia da Graciosa and Praia da Vitória, a line via Calheta to Angra do Heroísmo, and more sailings between Pico and São Jorge. Lines, days and dates change from season to season, so always plan from the live timetable rather than from an older blog or forum post.

Booking tickets and taking a car

You can book online, by phone through the contact centre, or at the ticket offices in the maritime terminals; there are also shops in Horta and at Portas do Mar in Ponta Delgada (where to buy). In summer, and on the small Flores–Corvo boat, booking ahead is wise. Fares are on the official site.

The larger ferries carry cars. To ship one you give the vehicle's registration details, and a passenger travelling with it has to be booked on the same date (vehicle conditions). If it is a rental car, check with the rental company first that it may go on a ferry. The Flores–Corvo boat is passenger-only.

On the day: boarding, luggage and the sea

Bring your ticket and an identity document — both are checked at boarding. Atlânticoline sets boarding cut-offs before departure for foot passengers, earlier ones for vehicles, and the earliest for unaccompanied luggage; the exact times and the free luggage allowance are on the boarding and luggage page. Passengers travelling with children and those with reduced mobility board first, and wheelchair assistance should be requested at least 24 hours ahead (reduced mobility).

This is the open Atlantic. Wind and swell regularly change or cancel sailings, in any season but more often outside summer. Atlânticoline publishes every change as a numbered notice on its releases page.

Ferry or plane?

Within the Triângulo and between Flores and Corvo, the ferry is usually the most practical choice and often the most scenic. For longer jumps between island groups, and for anything involving São Miguel, Santa Maria or Terceira outside the summer lines, plan on a flight with SATA Air Açores instead.