Travelling To Genoa

Genoa is located in northwestern Italy, on the shore of the Ligurian Sea, and has a large harbour with the main railway station on its doorstep. You can get to Genoa by land, sea and air, as it is linked with the major cities of Italy, France and Switzerland by railway and highways. Alitalia and other carriers fly into the Genoa Cristoforo Colombo International Airport (Aeroporto Internazionale di Genova Cristoforo Colombo), located six kilometres west of the city centre, near the town of Sestri Ponente.

By car

The autostrada A12 Genoa-Rosignano runs southeast from Genoa and links up with the autostrada network for all northern and southern destinations. Rome is a 6-hour drive on the A12 to Genoa. From Milan, Genoa is 150kms on the A7 ‘Serravalle’ Genoa-Milan, or roughly 2 hours to the south. Nice is 2 hours 30 minutes through tunnels, west on the A10 Autostrada dei Fiori, which runs along the Italian Riviera from Ventimiglia to Albenga. Other important motorways are the A26 Voltri-Gravellona and the Genoa-Ventimiglia.

By rail

It is possible to travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving from London Waterloo Station and arriving at Paris Gare du Nord. Cross Paris by Métro to the Gare de Bercy. Travel from Paris to Milan overnight on the Stendhal. Travel from Milan to Genoa on the Cinque Terre or La Spezia by air-conditioned InterCity train.

By bus

The main bus station in Genoa is at Piazza Principe. Several bus lines provide connections between the city and towns along the Ligurian coast, along the French Riviera, and elsewhere in Italy. Diana Tours operates a bus service between Nice’s airport in France and Genoa.

By air

Cristoforo Colombo International Airport, situated six kilometres west of the city, provides domestic and international flights. Flights to Genoa Airport arrive from some major European cities and from all over the world via Milan Airport, which is about 150kms away. From Genoa Airport, all the main towns are connected by main roads and highways, while taxis and bus services are also available.

Genoa Airport offers bars and restaurants, which are mainly located in Departures. There is a bar and a pizzeria situated next to the gift shop in Departures, a self-service restaurant overlooking the runway on the second floor and a bar in Arrivals. There are information desks located throughout the terminal, where helpful staff can assist with baggage, lost property, tourist information and transportation timetables.

There are some quality shopping options at Genoa Airport including Giglio Bagnara, a boutique offering a range of Italian and international fashion brands, and the Genova Shop, with its newspapers, books, tobacco and Liguria souvenirs. There is also an airside duty-free outlet.

Money facilities at the airport include a bank, bureau de change and cash machines, while postal facilities are also available at Genoa Airport. Pubic telephones are located throughout the terminal on all three passenger levels and internet access is available in the Sala Genova lounge on the first floor.

Facilities for disabled passengers at Genoa Airport are very good, with pavement ramps where necessary, specially equipped toilets and adapted telephones as well as easy to operate elevators and assistance from porter staff on request.

By ferry

Some of the most important shipping and cruising companies have their South Europe branch in Genoa. You can get to Genoa by sea, with the regular ferry services connecting the city with Sardinia, Sicily, Corsica, Spain and Tunisia.

Grimaldi Lines has overnight ferries, similar to cruise ships. From Barcelona, the ferry takes 18 hours, while the ferry from Palermo in Sicily takes 20 hours. Tirrenia Navigazione ferries leave from various ports around the Mediterranean. The most popular route is a 13-hour trip via Sardinia.

Genoa Airport

Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport is situated just to the northwest of Genoa and is the gateway to the northwestern Liguria region. Jutting into the Gulf of Genoa, Genoa Airport accommodates the flow of some five million annual passengers and is served by numerous international and domestic airlines.

Genoa Airport has a single terminal that is spread over four floors and is designed to handle more passengers than current passenger figures. The Arrivals area is on the ground floor, along with Baggage Reclaim, while Departures is located on the first floor. There are shops and restaurants on the second floor and airport administration is situated on the third floor.

The modern terminal is well designed and it has excellent passenger facilities spread across the terminal’s four floors. Passenger facilities are available on the second floor, while administration is located on the top floor.

Genoa airport transportation

Genoa Airport is located just west of the city centre of Genoa and transportation to the city is provided by public buses and taxi cabs. The airport is directly connected to Italy’s motorway system via the A10, and passengers arriving at the airport can quickly access the city of Genoa, which is 12kms away. A quick, reliable bus service leaves the airport for the city centre every 30 minutes.