How to get to Sicily from Italy
Exploring your options and all you need to know for an easy and stress-free start to your island holiday
Are you wondering how best to travel from Italy to Sicily? You can choose between plane, ferry, train, bus and car for your journey to the island. Each of these transportations has its advantages and disadvantages.
I flew to Sicily from mainland Italy and moved around in a rental car. But I studied the different options intensively before deciding on it.
Read on to find all the information and options for an easy and stress-free journey to Sicily from Italy main land.
Overview on how to get to Sicily from Italy
The Italian island of Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean. Sicily was once the land bridge between Africa and Europe. Today, only 3km (1,8mi) separate Italy’s largest region from the mainland at its narrowest point.
This strait is called the “Strait of Messina” (it. Stretto di Messina). The construction of a bridge in this area, between the Calabrian town of Villa San Giovanni and the Sicilian port city of Messina, has been under discussion for decades.
However, as there is currently no bridge between the island and the nearby mainland, and probably won’t be for some time, it is only possible to travel to Sicily by plane or ferry.
Getting to Sicily from Italy by plane
Depending on your location in Italy, the easiest and quickest way to get to Sicily is by plane. The island has two major international airports: Falcone e Borsellino Airport in Palermo on the northwest coast and Catania Fontanarossa Airport on the east coast.
There are two smaller, alternative airports on the island. Trapani Airport, a military airfield on the west coast of Sicily that is open to civilian air traffic, and Ragusa Comiso Airport, a former military airfield near Comiso in the southeast, around 95 kilometers southwest of Catania.
There is also a small airport on each of the northern islands of Pantelleria and Lampedusa, which belong to the Sicily region.
The 7 volcanic Aeolian Islands, located off the coast of Messina, have no airport and can only be reached by ferry from Milazzo and Messina, and from Palermo in the summer.
My Tip: When choosing flights and an airport, you should not only consider the flight price, but also your holiday plans. Sicily is a large island and the distances between the various highlights and sights are greater than you might think.
So if you are mainly planning to explore the west of the island, Palermo would be your ideal airport. If you want to spend more time in the east, you should book a flight to Catania.
My recommendation: Book a rental car in advance, with pick you up from the airport, for your entire vacation. If you don’t want to drive in Sicily, book yourself a private shuttle from the airport to avoid long waiting times or check with your hotel in advance whether pick-up is offered.
Falcone e Borsellino Airport in Palermo
The airport of the island’s capital Palermo (PMO) is located approx. 35km (21,7mi) west of the city. It is the second-largest airport in Sicily and the ideal starting point for anyone spending their vacation in the western part of the island.
There is a bus between the airport and the main train station in Palermo every 30 minutes between 6:30am and midnight, which takes just under an hour.
Price per person: € 5.80.
Below the Palermo airport, the Trinacria Express, a train on line A, runs every hour and takes passengers to the cities Central Station.
Alternatively, there are several car rental companies based in the arrivals hall or in the vicinity of the airport that pick up their guests by shuttle.
Completely stress-free and highly recommended if you arrive at the airport particularly early or late is a private shuttle ride into the city.
Catania Fontanarossa Airport
Catania Airport (CTA) on the east coast of Sicily is located just 5km (3,1mi) south of the city centre and the port of Catania. It is the perfect starting point for everyone coming to Sicily who mainly wants to explore the east of the island.
Sicily’s largest airport does not have its own train station, but buses run to the city center and Catania train station every 20 minutes between 5:00 a.m. and midnight. Cabs take about 15 minutes to the center of Catania and cost around € 25.00.
Approx. 200m from the arrival hall, in an adjacent building of the airport, are the counters of the various car rental companies. There are also various direct buses from here to Messina, Taormina, Ragusa, Cefalù, Enna, Agrigento and Syracuse.
Here again, if you are arriving late or pretty early, book yourself a private shuttle to Catania or a shuttle to Taormina, depending on where you have booked your accommodation.
I highly recommend that completely stress-free option, as you should not be wasting your precious time waiting on the airport.
Trapani-Birgi Airport
Trapani Airport (TPS) is located in the far west of Sicily, approx. 13km (8mi) north of Marsala and about 15km (9,3mi) south of Trapani, near the village of Birgi. This airport is mainly served by Ryanair.
The airport can be reached by public transport by train to Trapani and from there by bus on the “Trapani-Aeroporto Birgi” line.
Comiso Airport
Comiso Airport (CIY) lies in the southeast of Sicily, 7km (4,3mi) north of Comiso and about 1.5 hours from Syracuse and Catania. It is mainly served by Ryanair and ITA Airways.
If you choose this airport for your trip to Sicily, I strongly recommend that you book a rental car, otherwise it will be difficult to get away from there upon arrival.
Alternatively, the company Sicily Shuttle offers trips to the surrounding larger towns. A trip to Ragusa, for example, costs around € 45.00 for 2-4 people.
Traveling to Sicily by car and ferry
Getting to Sicily by ferry may be another travel option but normally not the cheapest one.
The shortest ferry connection from mainland Italy to Sicily is from Villa San Giovanni, near Reggio di Calabria on the southern tip of Calabria, to Messina. Alternatively, there are ferries from Naples, Livorno or Genua.
Keep in mind that your further away from Sicily you are taking the ferry, the longer and more expensive gets the trip.
The main ferry line are Grimaldi Lines, GNV (Grandi Navi Veloci) and Liberty Lines but I recommend comparing all possible connections and not booking them directly.
1. From Genoa (near Cinque Terre) to Palermo
- Duration: About 20-21 hours
- Cost: €50-€100 per person for a seat; for a standard car, the price starts at around €150-€200, varying by season and demand.
- Frequency: Daily departures
2. From Livorno to Palermo
- Duration: Around 19 hours
- Cost: Starts at about €80 per person; for a standard car, expect to pay from €100-€150, depending on the service and time of booking.
- Frequency: Several departures per week
3. From Civitavecchia (near Rome) to Palermo
- Duration: About 14-15 hours
- Cost: Around €50-€80 per person for a seat; for a standard car, prices generally range from €90 to €160.
- Frequency: Daily departures
4. From Naples (near the Amalfi Coast) to Palermo
- Duration: About 10-12 hours
- Cost: €40-€60 for a seat; a standard car can cost between €80-€120.
- Frequency: Daily departures
5. From Reggio Calabria to Messina
- Duration: About 30 minutes
- Cost: €2-€3 per foot passenger; for a standard car, the price is around €15-€20.
- Frequency: Very frequent, multiple times per hour
6. From Villa San Giovanni to Messina
- Duration: About 20 minutes
- Cost: Approximately €2.50 for a pedestrian; for a standard vehicle, it’s around €40.
- Frequency: Nearly continuous throughout the day, every 20-40 minutes.
Traveling to Sicily by Train
To reach Sicily by train from mainland Italy, you can use the train-ferry service. First, you will have to get from your departure point in Italy to Villa San Giovanni or Reggio Calabria, in the southern tip of the Italian mainland.
At Villa San Giovanni, trains are loaded onto specialized ferries that transport the entire train across the Strait of Messina to Sicily. This unique experience allows passengers to remain on the train while it is transported on the ferry.
If you’re traveling from Reggio Calabria, you may need to switch to a train that is compatible with the ferry crossing or use the passenger ferry to cross over and catch another train in Messina.
Once the train reaches Messina, it is offloaded, and you can continue your journey to your final destination within Sicily.
My Tip: You can book tickets through the Trenitalia website or at train stations. I recommend to buy your ticket in advance, especially during peak travel seasons. If you buy a train ticket for a destination on Sicily the ferry crossing is already included in the train journey and price.
Getting to Sicily from Italy by bus
One of the cheapest ways to get from Italy to Sicily is by bus. But it is most likely as well the most long travel journey to the island. With Flixbus you will be able to get to Messina (or other major cities in Sicily) from all bigger cities.
Travel time for example from Naples is between 7- 8 hours with an unbeatable price of just above €20.00. The price for the ferry is already included. If you are looking for the cheapest option to get to Sicily from Italy, you should definitely consider Flixbus.
My Tip: Flixbus is as well a cheap option to travel between the cities in Sicily if you do not have a car at your diposal.
Getting around in Sicily
Sicily is big! The beautiful island has a total of 1150km (715mi) of coastline. The two largest cities on the island, Palermo and Catania, are 230km (143mi) apart.
There are “only” four highways on Sicily that connect the largest cities and the highlights Sicily is known for. The A18 highway from Messina to Catania and the A20 from Messina to Palermo are toll roads.
The A19 highway from Palermo via Enna to Catania and the A29 highway from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo are toll-free.
There are no highways in the entire south of Sicily. Travel time from one destination to the other does therefore take longer than in the north.
To make the most of your vacation time in Sicily, I recommend renting a car or taking various guided tours to discover the beauty of the island due to its size.
By public transport you will only be able to travel between the major cities, like from Palermo to Cefalu.
Good to know: Driving in Sicily is different. Traffic signs, speed limits and even traffic lights are more like recommendations. There is tailgating, speeding and overtaking in impossible situations. Don’t insist on your rights as a driver, but adapt as best you can. Then driving in Sicily will be fun!
Conclusion
How to get to Sicily from Italy? The quickest way is by plane. Palermo and Catania airports are the most logical choices for travelers, offering excellent connectivity and ease of access.
Whether you opt for public transportation or prefer the flexibility of a rental car, these airports provide convenient options for both arriving in and departing from the region.
If you want to see and discover a lot of the island and make excursions to places like Taormina, Cefalu and Mount Etna, I definitely recommend booking a rental car right from the airport and using it for the entire duration of your stay.
