Public transport in skiing. Buses in Sicily Intercity transport within Sicily

Good afternoon travelers! Please provide up-to-date information for the summer of 2013 on the following issue. In the second half of August we will be in Sicily, in Catania. We want to visit Etna (we won’t have a car, so we’re considering public transport.) What’s the best way to organize a trip, how to get there and what to focus on?! Is it worth taking a tour and how much will it cost? Thank you in advance.

Please help me get from Catania to Kyiv on a budget, I have 100 euros for everything. Is this real? Are there any options with transfers? I would be very grateful for your help. Date 06/01/2015 - 06/08/2015. Thank you:))

Hi all. We need advice from experienced people. In February we arrive and depart at 15.00 to Catania (family with a 5 year old child). Then two full days and the same half of the last as in the first. The goal is to take a walk, absorb the atmosphere of cities and villages, perhaps stay in an old house with a view of Etna or flowers/vineyards, the sea... Then go for a walk to see the cities, chips, Etna, if appropriate at this time. Renting a car is not a question. Please advise whether the dream is real in winter...

I’m going to Sicily (Catania and Palermo) on my own. I would like to get to know the island more. Is there a tour desk in these cities that conducts excursions in Russian and, if so, where is it located? And are there sightseeing double-decker buses in these cities that conduct city tours using an audio guide? Thank you very much!

I’ll write in more detail) We took tickets to Sicily. We arrive on September 4 and go straight to Giardini Naxos (the hotel has already been booked from September 4 to 14), then we are thinking of moving to Catania and staying there until departure (September 20). There are several questions: 1. From which of the two cities is it more convenient to travel by public transport?

2. In which area of ​​Catania is it better to book a hotel, maybe closer to the bus or train station? I will be glad for any recommendations!)

Perhaps one of the most convenient and efficient types of transport is buses. Bus transport allows you to get cheaply and quickly to any place on the island.

Intercity transport from mainland Italy to Sicily

Intercity flights in Sicily are provided by the following transport companies:

Remember: if you bought a ticket, for example, for a Salemi bus, it will not be valid on S.A.I.S buses. How to distinguish buses of one company from another? As a rule, the name of the carrier company is written on the bus. Plus the buses differ from each other in color.

Where to buy tickets for intercity flights

Intercity tickets can be purchased:

  • At the offices of carrier companies. Addresses can be found by following the links: SAIS and Salemi
  • At kiosks selling newspapers
  • Rarely on the bus itself
  • At ticket offices at train stations and airports

Intercity bus routes often pass through the international airports of Catania and Palermo. So if you need to get to the airport, keep this in mind.

What is the advantage of a bus over a train? When crossing from the mainland to Sicily, you must take a ferry. The train cars must first be uncoupled, loaded onto the ferry, and then recoupled. The entire bus is loaded onto the ferry, which saves a lot of time.

There is no need to pay anything for the ferry crossing; it is already included in the price of the bus ticket. Travel time by ferry is about 20 minutes. As the ferry moves, fantastically beautiful views open up that can be photographed.

Buses from Rome to Sicily

Do buses go from Rome to Sicily? Yes, sure. Flights are operated by S.A.I.S and Salemi. As a rule, they leave their point of departure in the evening and arrive at their destination early in the morning.

Rome-Palermo

Bus schedules and prices Rome-Catania

Company SAIS Travel time: 21:00-7:30 Price 41 ,50 EUR
Company Salemi Travel time: 18:45-5:50 Price 43 ,00 EUR
Company Salemi Travel time: 19:45-7:15 Price 43 ,00 EUR
Company Salemi Travel time: 20:00-6:30 Price 43 ,00 EUR

Bus schedules and prices Catania-Rome

Company SAIS Travel time: 19:30-6:00 Price 41 ,50 EUR
Company Salemi Travel time: 19:45-6:15 Price 48 ,00 EUR
Company Salemi Travel time: 19:40-6:30 Price 48 ,00 EUR
Company Salemi Travel time: 21:00-8:30 Price 48 ,00 EUR

Buses from Naples to Sicily

Most buses traveling to Sicily from the mainland pass through Naples. Moreover, the cost of a ticket from Naples is lower than just the price of a ferry. Therefore, a bus from Naples is profitable!

Bus schedules and prices Naples-Palermo

Bus schedules and prices Naples-Catania

Buses from Bari to Sicily

And finally, the bus schedule from the pearl of southern Italy - Bari to Palermo and Catania

Bus schedules and prices Bari-Palermo

Bus schedules and prices Bari-Catania

Company SAIS Travel time: 21:35-6:15 Price 35 ,00 EUR

Bus schedules and prices Catania-Bari

Company SAIS Travel time: 21:00-6:25 Price 35 ,00 EUR

Intercity transport within Sicily

There are many buses running around the island: both city routes and intercity ones. You can distinguish them by their color: city buses are orange, while intercity buses can be white, red or blue. Transportation is carried out by Interbus Sicilia, SAIS, AST, Etna Transporti and Guintabus.





Where can you buy tickets for intercity flights?

  • Offices of carrier companies. Office addresses can be viewed via the following links: Interbus and Etna, SAIS, AST
  • Kiosks selling newspapers
  • From the bus driver (sometimes this is not possible)
  • At the tourism office

Important: the ticket is valid only on the day it was purchased; it cannot be used on another day. The ticket must be presented upon boarding the bus if you purchased it in advance.

Where do the buses depart from?

As a rule, buses depart from the railway stations of cities in Sicily. Many buses still stop at the international airports of Catania Fontarossa and Palermo.

Buses Sicilia Interbus

Routes from Catania Fontarossa airport or from Catania city(via D'Amico 187) at:

Departure from Enna(Terminal Bus Viale Diaz bus station)

Transport links on the island of Sicily are quite well developed. You can use both train and bus. You just have to take into account that the bus service is more developed, but to get to some beautiful places you will need a car. Learn more about how to rent a car in Sicily.

Domestic rail service

As mentioned earlier, buses in Sicily are more in demand, however, railways also have their popularity. In some cases it takes a little longer, since the railway runs along the coast and connects mainly large cities, such as Messina. However, smaller towns are also connected by rail. These trains are very tiny and can perhaps be considered a local attraction. Today you can go by train to Messina, Ragusa, Agrigento.

More detailed information about railway services on the island can be found on the website www.trenitalia.com, see the schedule and purchase tickets there. Step-by-step instructions on how to buy train tickets are described. Tickets can also be purchased at the ticket office at the station, immediately before the train departs, or from special machines. Having chosen the language (there is no Russian), follow the inscriptions. In general, this procedure is not complicated. But if difficulties still arise, you can always ask for help. The local people are very friendly and ready to help. The ticket price depends on the distance and type of train. Read more about train types. Before the trip, you must validate your ticket at special yellow booths located on the platforms.

The state railways own the metro. Palermo is the only city on the island that has a metro. Although this is not quite a metro, but more like our electric trains. The first metro line was opened in May 1990; at that time there were only 6 stations. Today there are 3 lines and 24 stations in Palermo. One of which connects the city with the airport. You can purchase metro tickets at the ticket office at each stop.

Domestic bus service

Buses in Sicily provide an opportunity to quickly and inexpensively get to almost any locality. You can get around the city by city buses. They are usually orange in color and have a number. To travel to another city, there are intercity buses - usually blue, white or red. These buses do not have numbers. The route is indicated on the board. The bus itself has the carrier's inscription. Therefore, knowing this information, you can easily find your way around the station. Bus stops are usually grouped by carrier.

Urban routes in Sicily are operated by AST. Bus stops are usually unremarkable; they are simply marked with a sign. "Fermata"(stop). Nearby, as a rule, there is a sign with the schedule of this route. Tickets can be purchased at newsstands or Tabaccheria, or at the offices of transport companies.

At a stop, you need to slow down the bus by raising your hand, otherwise it will simply pass by. Doors for entry and exit are most often marked with appropriate signs. Before entering the bus, the ticket must be validated in a special machine, which is located at the first door next to the driver. From this time, the ticket is valid for two hours or less/more (indicated on the ticket). Passengers with an unvalidated or expired ticket may face a fine of €50. To exit the bus, you need to press a special button, which will signal the driver.

By car around the island

If you intend to travel around Sicily by car, you need to become a little familiar with some basic rules. This is described in detail. It is better to think over the route in advance, because if you enter the highway by mistake, you will not be able to get off right away; you will have to go to the nearest exit. Special resources will help you create a route, for example, these: https://www.viamichelin.it , https://www.tuttocitta.it. Websites in Italian and English. With the latter, you can immediately track traffic jams and generally assess the traffic situation.

 

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