How to get to Sicily. How to get to Sicily: schedule of direct flights, ticket prices. From Naples and Salerno

There are many ways to get to Sicily: by plane, by train, by bus or by ferry.

The easiest and fastest way is to buy plane tickets. There are direct flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Sicily. You can also find inexpensive flights with transfers to major cities in Italy and Europe.

Since Sicily is an island, there are no full road and rail connections with the mainland. Therefore, the option by train and bus involves taking the train or bus by ferry across the Strait of Messina. Their only drawback is that the journey takes a long time, given the loading of the train onto the ferry.

Taking a ferry is also one of the popular ways to get to the island. Ferries depart daily for Sicily from major Italian port cities and from other countries: Tunisia and Malta. Large tourist cruise ships often make a stop in Sicily.

In our case, the most convenient was a direct flight on flight S7 from Moscow to Sicily. Tickets Moscow - Catania I bought it at a discounted price Aviasales 3 months before the trip. The price of a round-trip ticket for 1 adult was 12,500 rubles (including luggage). For a direct flight, this is a great price!

I suggest you consider all the options in detail and choose the most suitable one for you.

There are 6 operating airports in Sicily, including the small islands. Major international airports are located in Palermo(Falcone-Borsellino airport) and in Catania(Fontanarossa airport). Airport in Trapani(Vincenzo Florio Airport) serves domestic flights, some flights from Europe, and is also used for military purposes. Airports on outlying islands Lampedusa And Pantelleria accept domestic flights during high season. Small airport Comiso Located in the southeast of the island, it receives local and international RyanAir flights.

The main airport in Sicily is Palermo Falcone Borsellino Airport (PMO) located 35 km from the city of Palermo. The second name of the airport that is often found is Punta Raisi. The airport accepts flights from major airlines as well as low-cost airlines. RyanAir, easyJet, Vueling, Volotea etc. The airline operates direct flights from Russia to Palermo Victory. You can get from the airport to the city in half an hour. You can get to the center of Palermo by bus, train, taxi, order a transfer or rent a car. You can find out transfer prices at Intui.travel .
Official website of Palermo Airport: www.gesap.it

The second major airport in Sicily is Catania Fontanarossa Airport (CTA) is located 5 km from the center of Catania. Catania Airport receives regular flights from British Airways, Lufthansa, Alitalia, Air Malta, and flights from numerous low-cost companies. Direct flights from S7, Aeroflot, and Alitalia fly here from Russia. There are buses from Catania Airport to the city center, the journey takes 20 minutes.
Official website of Catania Airport: www.aeroporto.catania.it

Direct flights to Sicily

Airlines offer direct flights to Sicily Alitalia, S7, Aeroflot, Pobeda.

Regular direct flights S7 Moscow — Catania performed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Departure from Domodedovo airport at 08:00 am, arrival at 11:10 local time. Return flight as scheduled: departure from Catania at 12:05 local time and arrival in Moscow at 17:10. Travel time is 4 hours 10 minutes.

Direct flights Aeroflot Moscow — Catania performed on Saturdays. Departure from Sheremetyevo Airport is at 4:05 am according to schedule, arrival at 7:15 local time. Travel time is 4 hours 10 minutes. Return flights from Catania to Moscow operate on Fridays. Departure from Catania at 22:10 local time, arrival 03:05 the next morning. Travel time is 3 hours 55 minutes.

Please note ferry tickets from bus transfer to Catania. Such a ticket Malta - Catania includes a ferry from Valleta to Pozzalo and a subsequent bus transfer from the port of Pozzalo to Catania (2 hours). The total travel time will be 4 hours 15 minutes.

You can also travel from Malta by ferry. Grimaldi Lines to Catania. The only “but” is the ferry Valletta - Catania runs only once a week on Mondays at 4:00 am. Arrival at the port of Catania at 11:00. Travel time is 7 hours. Crossing along the route Catania - Valletta It also operates once a week on Sundays, departure at 17:15, arrival at 0:30. Travel time is 7 hours 15 minutes.

Ferries from Tunisia

A rather exotic way to get to Sicily is by ferry from Tunisia. It is also possible thanks to the ferry service Tunisia - Palermo . Company Grimaldi Lines operates 2 crossings to Sicily per week on Thursdays at 18:30 and Sundays at 3:00. Ferry route Palermo - Tunisia - on Tuesdays at 2:00 and Saturdays at 12:30. Travel time is 11 hours 30 minutes.

Ferries companies Grandi Navi Veloci from Tunisia to Palermo they also go once a week on Saturdays at 23:00. Travel time is 9 hours 30 minutes. Crossing along the route Palermo - Tunisia also available on Saturdays at 11:00, arrival at 20:00. Travel time is 10 hours.

You can also travel by car on the ferry. When purchasing tickets, indicate that you are traveling with a car. There is a separate fee for ferry transportation of a car. All instructions will be explained to you on how to enter the ferry, where to park and how to exit upon arrival.

See all ferries to Sicily, find out the price and book tickets at Direct Ferries . This is the most convenient Russian-language service for selecting ferries. You can compare prices and buy immediately on the website. The price is the same as on the official websites of ferry companies, but everything is in Russian and intuitively clear. I use it myself because nothing more convenient has yet been invented.

How to get to Sicily by train

Sicily can be reached by train. There is a train connection between mainland Italy and the island of Sicily. On the official site Trentitalia you can find out train routes, schedules and prices. Tickets can be purchased on the website or at the station ticket office. Please pay attention to transfers along the selected route. There is a night train Rome - Catania no transfers. Price from 69 euros, travel time 11 hours 10 minutes.

At Reggio Calabria (a station on the mainland), the train is loaded onto a ferry equipped with special rails. He takes a ferry to the port of Messina. Already in Sicily in Messina they are reconnected and sent further to their destinations.

Official website of Italian railways: www.trenitalia.com

A similar trip from the mainland to the island can be made by bus. Bus operators offer routes to Sicily from Rome, Naples and Bari. Tickets can be purchased at the offices of the carrier company or at ticket offices at bus stations.

Flights to Sicily are operated by transport companies S.A.I.S. , Salemi , Interbus , Baltour . They usually depart in the evening and arrive at their destination early in the morning. Travel time is about 12 hours. Ticket price Rome-Palermo from 36 euros one way. Ticket price Rome-Catania from 41 euros one way. You can also buy tickets in the opposite direction.

The bus makes stops along the route. In Villa San Giovanni or Reggio Calabria it is loaded onto a ferry. The crossing to Sicily takes about half an hour. There is no need to pay for the ferry crossing; it is already included in the price of the bus ticket. While traveling on the ferry you can enjoy sea views. Crossing by ferry is like a small journey within a journey.

I hope that this article will help you decide which way to get to the beautiful island of Sicily. I wish you a great trip to Italy!

Sicily is an island and administrative region of Italy, popular among tourists from many countries around the world.

There you can indulge in a relaxing holiday on the seashore, or you can tickle your nerves by taking a walk to the very foot of the frightening volcano Etna.

A trip to a fabulous island can turn into a real exciting adventure, because it costs nothing to feel like the hero of an old Italian film about the mafia, when everything around is shrouded in a corresponding mysterious atmosphere.

You can get there by plane and through the seaport.

Airport in Sicily

There are two main airports on the island: in the cities of Palermo and Catania.

Large air terminal – Palermo Falcone Borsellino Airport

It was built in the 60s of the 20th century and got its name in honor of two fighters against the Sicilian mafia.
You can get from the city center to the airport in half an hour.

Flights are operated mainly by budget companies. You can view the flight schedule on the airport website.

The distance between Palermo and the airport is 35 km. Getting there is easy: you can rent a car, take a bus, train, use the services of private individuals or taxis. A train trip is the cheapest - about 4.5 euros.

Private transport is the most expensive - about 80 euros. Taxi services are a little cheaper - 30-40 euros. The bus to and from the airport leaves every half hour and costs 5 euros.

If you rent a car, then from the airport to Palermo you will need to take the A29 highway.

From the airport to Palermo train station you can take the train Trinacria Express.

On the ground floor of the airport building there is an information kiosk where you can get any information regarding departure and arrival times, flight schedules, luggage, etc. The kiosk is open from 6.00 to 00.00.

There is a security service on the second floor where you can report any lost items.

The largest and busiest airport in Sicily is Fontanarossa.

It is named after the Italian composer Vincenzo Bellini and is located 5 km from Catania. It is served by major airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, as well as small low-cost carriers.

Catania Airport is one of the first in Sicily - it was built back in 1924.

Flight schedules can be found on the Catania Airport website. About 5 million people pass through the airport every year.

One day the airport had to be closed due to the eruption of Mount Etna, which is located nearby.

In 2007, a new terminal opened at the airport.

The transport infrastructure near the airport is well developed. You can get to Palermo via the A19 highway, and to Syracuse via the A45 highway. There are also regular bus services from the airport to Catania train station (route 457, ticket costs approximately 1 euro).

Small airports in Sicily

There are 3 more airports on the islands belonging to Sicily. The third largest airport is Vincenzo Florio in Trepany. It also serves as the headquarters of NATO. The airport serves 400 thousand people annually.

Two other small airports are located on the islands of Pantelleria and Lampedusa. They are operated by the Italian airline Alitalia and small private companies.

How to get to Sicily from Moscow?

The flight from Moscow to Sicily will take approximately 4 hours 30 minutes.

You can get to Sicily by flights of Fly Meridiana, Aeroflot or Alitalia, which regularly depart from Moscow to Italian airports. You will need to make a transfer in Rome, Venice or Milan, and from there take an internal flight, lasting about an hour and a half, to the island.

In the summer, additional charter flights often open up, allowing you to fly non-stop to Catania and Palermo, so you need to keep an eye on the schedule. For example, Wind Jet airline operates several flights from Moscow to Sicily every summer. Once a week, Blu-express airlines provide the opportunity to get to Palermo from Moscow on a direct flight.

You can also choose any other region of Italy as a transfer point, at the same time expanding your tourist horizons. And from there you can get to Sicily on one of the low-cost flights operated by air carriers at Trapani Airport. This will allow you to save a lot on tickets.

To Sicily by train

Sicily can also be reached by rail. To do this, you first need to take a train to Milan, Naples or Rome and change to a train going to Sicily.

In Reggio Calabria, the train is loaded onto a ferry equipped with special rails. The train travel time to Messina is approximately 11 hours.

Traveling by car

Getting to Sicily by car is quite expensive

If you choose a car trip to Italy, you need to immediately prepare for the fact that it will not be cheap at all.

A liter of gasoline in Italy costs almost 2 euros, a liter of diesel fuel about 1.7-1.8 euros. Most motorways in Italy, including those in Sicily, are toll roads.

Currently, air transport remains the most convenient and popular among tourists trying to get to the island.

Air travel allows you to save time and money, as well as get to Sicily directly or get by with just one transfer.

By car

Traveling by car would be quite expensive, so we immediately discarded this method. Almost the entire highway to Sicily is a toll highway, plus, if you don’t come there with your own car, you will need to rent a car. There are no problems with car rental in Milan; there are showrooms in almost every quarter. The largest cities in Sicily are Catania. The route starts along the A1 toll motorway and the E35 motorway; you can read more about toll motorways.

Motorway A1

Of course, you can be stingy and drive along the free highway, but you will quickly regret it, sometimes it’s simply not possible to drive along it. Italians also drive cars very interestingly; when I first found myself on the road in Italy, my hair almost stood up (although it didn’t), they really like to drive both night and day. You can read about how to drive a car in Italy. From Milan to Naples you will need to pay about 56 euros (this price is set for 776 kilometers to Naples, along the A1 motorway, the price is calculated per kilometer), the roads here are gorgeous, you can’t even describe them, they are smooth. Having reached Villa San Giovanni, then you need to take a ferry (ticket is 3-4 euros, plus a car ticket from 3-8 euros) you can see a ticket to Messina. There is a motorway from the Strait of Messina to Catania, the road is ideal, the price for travel will be about 4 euros. This trip will take about 16 hours. Also, on the road you won’t have any problems with gas stations, snack bars, and rest areas; there are plenty of them here.

By plane

Probably the easiest way to get to Sicily is by plane. Firstly, it saves a lot of time, and secondly, you don’t have to cross the Strait of Messina. From Malpensa Airport you can fly to Palermo and Catania; this route is served by two airlines:

• Meridiana

There is only one flight to Palermo at 05:40, on Mondays. There is one flight to Catania at 17:50, on Saturdays.

Meridiana airline plane

• EasyJet

By train

Italy has a very developed railway network, you can read more about it, you can also find out how to save on a ticket or what trains there are in Italy and much more. From the main train station in Milan there is one direct train to Palermo and three with transfers. The direct train leaves at 20:10 and arrives in Palermo at 16:39. Other flights can be viewed on the carrier's official website. Trains serving this route are Intercity and Frecciarossa.

Train Frecciarossa

Trains arrive at the main train station in Palermo.

Ticket price

Ticket prices range from 49 euros to 120 euros.

Buying a ticket

You can buy a ticket from a machine, at the ticket office, or on the carrier’s official website.

By bus

We chose to travel by bus. There are buses to Palermo and Catania from Lampugnano bus station and Metro Rogerdo. This route is operated by Eurolines.

Eurolines bus.

We decided to get to Palermo, on the first bus at 13:45, the second bus leaves at 20:45, there are only two trips. We drove for quite a long time, about a day. Along the way we passed the most beautiful cities, such landscapes are hard to describe. The bus is very comfortable, air conditioning in the cabin is a big plus in this heat. You can also take a bus from Lampugnano and Metro Rogerdo stations that goes to Catania. There are only two flights to get there at 13:45 every day and at 20:45 there are not every day. The bus turned out to be the best option for us, and it is also cheaper than other types of transport, except for the plane.

Ticket price

The cost of a ticket to Palermo and Catania is 80 euros.

Buying a ticket

Tickets can be purchased at the box office or from specially equipped machines. The machines are quite easy to use if you know Italian. We booked the ticket on the official carrier’s website

You can get to Sicily by plane, train, bus and ferry. Inside the island you can travel by train, bus and car.

Airplane

You can get from Moscow to Sicily by charter flights (usually only in the summer and on the May holidays) or regular flights.

Regular flights from Aeroflot or AlItalia can reach Rome, Venice or Milan, from where domestic airlines fly to Palermo or Catania.

International airports in Sicily are in Palermo (Falcone and Borsellino Airport) and Catania (Vincenzo Bellini Airport).

Train

In Italy, the national railway company Ferrovie dello Stato transports passengers. Most of the island's railway track is standard European gauge (1,435 mm). An exception is the narrow-gauge (950 mm gauge) Ferrovia Circumetnea railway (literally “Railway around Etna”).

When traveling around mainland Italy, it is logical to use train transport to get to Sicily. Trains depart regularly from Naples and Rome to Sicily. In addition, special night trains with sleeping cars run to Sicily. They are very convenient, since most of the journey is made at night, including loading cars onto the ferry for crossing the Strait of Messina, which takes about 35 minutes. The cost of the crossing is included in the price of the train ticket.

Currently in Sicily there are direct train connections between the following cities:

• Messina - Palermo
• Messina - Catania - Syracuse
• Palermo - Agrigento
• Palermo - Falcone Borsellino Airport
• Palermo (Piraineto) - Trapani
• Alcamo - Trapani
• Catania - Agrigento
• Catania - Gela
• Syracuse - Caltanissetta
• Agrigento - Caltanissetta

All information about train schedules throughout Italy (including Sicily) and ticket prices can be found on the website www.trenitalia.com.

Tickets can be purchased at station ticket offices immediately before the train departs. The cost of a ticket depends on the destination, the type of train and the type of ticket. The cheapest tickets will be tickets without numbered seats, the most expensive (often more expensive than air tickets) will be tickets to sleeping cars.

Don't forget to validate your ticket in the special yellow composters on the platform.

Bus

To travel around Sicily, you should still give preference to buses. The fact is that the railway track on the island is laid along the sea coast around the perimeter. Therefore, to get by train, for example, from Palermo to Syracuse, you will have to travel a long way along the entire coast along the route: Palermo - Messina - Catania - Syracuse, while you can travel directly by bus or car, taking a shortcut along the interior of the island.

By bus you can get quickly and inexpensively to almost anywhere on the island. There are both city and intercity buses in Sicily. Typically, city buses are painted orange, while intercity buses are painted blue, white or red.

Urban routes throughout Sicily are served by the transport company AST. Bus tickets can be purchased at newsstands or transport company offices. The ticket is valid for 2 hours and must be validated upon entering the bus in a special machine located at the first door next to the driver. Passengers with an expired or unvalidated ticket pay a fine of 50 euros.

The main intercity bus services in Sicily are carried out by the following transport companies: AST, Interbus, Etna, S.A.I.S. .

Tickets for intercity buses can be purchased at newsstands, at the offices of transport companies, or directly from the bus driver. Intercity bus stations in the main cities of Sicily are usually located next to the railway stations. Many intercity bus routes also pass through the airports of Catania and Palermo.

There is a regular bus service between Naples and Sicily. Buses depart around the clock. They can come from different cities in Italy, but their path, one way or another, runs through Naples. A bus ticket to Sicily costs much less than, for example, a ferry, and the bus travel time is less than a train. After all, it takes a lot of time to unhook the train cars in front of the ferry, and then couple them again. The bus just drives onto the ferry. During the crossing, passengers can get out and admire the views. The crossing lasts 15-20 minutes. The cost of the crossing is already included in the cost of the bus ticket.

Ferries

The most important ports of Sicily are located in its largest cities - Messina, Palermo, Trapani and Catania. Messina is in a special position in this series, because only 5 kilometers separate it from the coast of mainland Italy. Messina has regular ferry connections to the mainland: ferries depart almost every half hour.

Auto

If you intend to travel around Sicily by car, you need to learn some information. Sicily has both toll and free roads. Paid ones are usually shorter and more convenient. The price depends on the length of the route. The speed limit on motorways is 130 km/h, on main roads (Strada Statale, SS№) - 110 km/h, on other roads outside cities - 90 km/h, in populated areas - up to 50 km/h.

The permissible alcohol content in the driver's blood is 0.8 ppm. The penalties for driving while intoxicated are very high, including jail time. The use of traffic signals is prohibited in areas marked "Zona di silenzio". Parking in the wrong place may result in the vehicle being towed to a penalty area.

Sicily is not just a part of Italy and not just an island, it is a whole world where everyone will find something special, unique and inimitable. Some people go to Sicily to see the active volcano Etna, some are attracted by the artifacts of ancient civilizations, others are attracted by the beautiful Sicilian beaches and picturesque views. However, we will not dwell for long on the topic of local beauties and attractions. This article has a different purpose and was written to clarify a number of organizational issues regarding independent travel. How to organize a trip to Sicily on your own? Where to begin? What to look for when planning a trip? We will try to answer these and other important questions further.

How to get to Sicily on your own

The fastest way to get to Sicily, as you might guess, is air transport . Fortunately, you can fly from Russia with Alitalia airlines (to Catania or Palermo - directly or with a transfer) and S7 Airlines (to Catania). In addition, there are many flights of other airlines also flying from Russia to Sicily with connections in different European cities. Another option is to fly from Russia to one of the major Italian cities (say, Milan or Rome) and from there go to Sicily, thus combining a trip to this wonderful island with a visit to other regions of Italy. Moreover, in addition to the already mentioned airports of Catania and Palermo, it is worth paying attention to Trapani and Comiso, where, in addition to all other airlines, Ryanair flies. By the way, you can search for air tickets to Sicily (and not only), and you can find additional information about air travel between Russia and Italy in the article “To Italy by plane”.

Continuing the topic, you can also refer to our travel routes around Sicily. Here, the transport issue is considered from a different point of view: the emphasis is on how to get around Sicily and which parts of the island are worth visiting, that is, where exactly to go in Sicily.

How and where to book a hotel in Sicily

There is absolutely nothing difficult about booking a hotel in Sicily, as in most countries in the world. There are plenty of relevant services for searching and booking hotels. As a starting point, it makes sense to use the “Hotels in Sicily” section, where you can find and compare price offers from many booking sites. Generally speaking, it is not so important which website to book a hotel on. The main thing is to decide on the place where you would like to stay and the budget for accommodation. From this point of view, we recommend that you pay attention to these articles dedicated to areas and hotels in various cities of Sicily.

Visa issue

Of course, in order to visit Sicily, you need to obtain a Schengen visa. As a matter of fact, having a hotel reservation and return tickets is one of the conditions for obtaining a visa to Italy. The visa issue is discussed in detail - there is no point in repeating it, since Sicily in this regard is no different from the rest of Italy.

In conclusion, we note once again that Sicily is multifaceted and therefore a variety of combinations of beach, cultural, educational, medical, extreme and other types of tourism are possible here. Ultimately, you will have to decide and choose on your own, but we hope that the considerations outlined above will be useful to you in this.