Travelling To Palermo

The island of Sicily is situated on the southern tip of Italy, three miles from the mainland across the Straits of Messina. Palermo is on the northwest of the island and is accessible by road, rail and air.

By car

There are three motorways (autostrade) linking Palermo with the rest of Sicily. Those coming from mainland Italy will have to get a ferry to Messina, 145 miles from the city via highway A20. The other most popular route into the city is via the A19 from Catania. You can link to the A19 from Taormina via the A18 and from Siracusa via the state highway 114. There are two main highways that link Palermo, SS113 from the east and Trapani, and SS121 from Catania and Enna in the west. The traffic in Palermo can often be heavy and slightly chaotic, and many people chose to leave their car in a car park and visit the city itself on foot or by public transport.

By rail

Palermo has good rail links with the rest of Sicily and the Italian mainland. There are connections to all major destinations in Sicily such as; Taormina; Siracusa; Catania and Trapani. There are seven trains a day from Rome to Sicily and the journey takes around 11 hours. From Naples itself, visitors tend to take the ferry, although there are five trains daily and the journey takes about 9 hours.

By bus

It is possible to take a bus from Rome to Palermo, but the journey is dull and it is the least comfortable means of travelling to the city. There are daily buses in the morning and evening from Romes Tiburtina Station and the journey takes about 12 hours.

For shorter trips around the island, bus travel is a more viable option and there are connections to all the major places of interest. The bus stations in Palermo are adjacent to the train station on via Balsamo and bus travel around Sicily is inexpensive.

By air

Palermos Borsellino Airport has connections to all major Italian cities as well as some European cities including Amsterdam, Barcelona and London among others with low cost airlines such as Ryan Air. Flying time is around 1 hour to Rome and 3 hours to London. The airport is 20 miles west of Palermo on the A29 and there are shuttle buses to the city every 30 minutes as well as a train to the city every hour.

Facilities at the airport include a self-service restaurant and a number of bars; two VIP lounges; a chapel; and a baby care room. The airport is wheelchair accessible.

By ferry

It is convenient and easy to travel to Palermo by boat and there are two companies offering daily connections. From Genoa and Livorno, the journey takes around 19 to 20 hours; from Rome 12 hours and from Naples around 10 hours. The service can vary depending on the weather conditions, so it is always worth checking sailing conditions in advance even if you have already booked your ticket.

Taxis

Taxis are available from the airport to the city and the fare is moderately expensive. Taxi ranks are located around the city at most of the main squares and stations, and taxis can be hailed on the street or booked by phone. Most hotels will be able to assist you in making arrangements for hiring a taxi.