Travelling To Corsica

Naturally, arrivals in Corsica, a Mediterranean island near Sardinia, not far from the Italian coast, are limited to entry and exit by airplane or ferry. Car ferries are also available, usually as an overnight journey, for those who wish to drive on and off the island.

By air

Corsica has four airports: Ajaccio and Bastia handle most of the island’s air traffic, while Calvi and Figari are smaller airports that handle the rest of the island’s flights. Air service to the island is limited to Air France and its Corsican subsidiary CCM Airlines, but travellers can fly on a number of major and low-cost carriers to Sardinia and then take the ferry from there. All airports are located within a few kilometres of urban centres and getting into town is easy using road transport options, which are available from the terminal.

By ferry

More than half of all visitors to Corsica arrive by boat on both passenger and car ferries from Italy and France. SNCM’s Ferryterranée handles most of the travel to Corsica from Marseille, Nice and Toulon. Corsica Ferries also offers travel from Nice. Ticket costs vary with the seasons, with the lowest rates available from October to May. Fares can triple in July and August, when advance reservation is a must for all ferry journeys; berths and car spaces can be completely booked up by early February.

Nearest to Italy, Bastia handles about two-thirds of the island's maritime traffic, with the bulk of the remaining ferry traffic arriving at Ajaccio. Other ports on the island include Calvi, Ile-Rousse, Bonifacio and Propriano.

Taking a hydrofoil, the fastest trip is Nice to Calvi, which take less than 3 hours, while the Nice to Ajaccio journey takes 4 hours. On normal ferries, the Nice to Bastia trip takes six hours and it takes 12 hours from Marseille to Porto Vecchio.

Four ferries run week per week from Marseilles to Ajaccio and Bastia, and there is one weekly trip to L'Île Rousse and Propriano. Four other ferries run per week from Toulon to Ajaccio, Bastia and Propriano, with many more services sailing from Nice to Ajaccio and Bastia. The Nice to Calvi or L'Île Rousse trips run five times a week.

Corsica airports

Corsica has four airports that connect it with the mainland, with direct service from most major French cities including Bordeaux, Paris, Lyon, Nice and Marseille. The main operators are Air France and its subsidiary, CCM Airlines. The Campo dell Oro Airport in Ajaccio is the largest airport and handles the most flights, followed by Bastia’s Poretta Airport. The other airports are Calvi and Figari.

Corsica air transportation

Campo dell Oro Airport (AJA) is about 15 minutes from the city centre by car. Air France is the largest carrier the airport serves. Many major car rental companies are represented at the airport. A taxi stand is situated outside the terminal and shuttle buses depart at 50-minute intervals.

Bastia Poretta Airport (BIA) is located 12 miles south of Bastia. Taxi stands are available outside the terminal and car rental service is available from several major companies. A bus shuttle also runs to Bastia, with a 30 minute travel time.

Each airport lies near the centre of its urban namesake, with none being more than 10 miles away. Taxi and shuttle bus services are available from each terminal, while several major car rental companies as well as local ones operate from each airport.