You can take a train from mainland Italy to Sicily. more than 30 min) quite often (e.g. Our little train could be a bit dirty, and is maybe not heated in winter, but a ride is an excellent and cheap opportunity to get to know the region around Mount Etna. Get answers to your questions about Sicily, resources for planning small group travel, Recommendations day trips - staying in Trapani, Which beach should we go to in/nr Taormina. Explore Sicily by train and take in the stunning views of each city from the comfort of your seat. Away from the main coastal train routes, buses are generally the best way of getting around Sicily. Try Siculish for great pizza and excellent friendly service. Copyright 2023 Trainline.com Limited and its affiliated companies. You can get your refund from any ticket office. There are some instances when train routes and travel by train are acceptable. This is a great way to visit our magnificent Baroque wonders - and your childrenwon't complain too much about the ever so boring sightseeing because they will love the ride on this historical train with a steam engine. Your itinerary is doable via public transport. Answer 1 of 16: Hi, I will visit Sicily very soon. My husband and I are train lovers - slow, old, it doesnt matter. Tickets are only valid for a short time after stamping. Trains will transport you to certain places. These top road trips will take you to the heart of the country. 17 What is the prettiest . Much of the islands infrastructure presents challenges by way of steps, uneven sidewalks, too-small elevators (where they exist), and vehicles that cannot accommodate a wheelchair. Arrive in Venice from Innsbruck (7hr 30min) on the BB Nightjet night train. We were in a vagone letto deluxe - doppia cabine intera, compact but comfortable to sleep in. 4 nights here - ferry to Favignana island + bike hire to explore; and perhaps a tour to the salt flats (Not sure how to do this yet). Use our map and learn more about the main destinations of the regional trains operated by Trenitalia. 17 Is there a beach in Portofino? Photo credit: Anna Lurye. 15 Are trains in Sicily reliable? It's also useful to arrive at the station well in advance so as to coordinate any assistance needed getting on the train (accessibilityvaries widely across the Sicilian train network and trains). Answer 1 of 16: Hi, I will visit Sicily very soon. If you need a taxi, you can usually find one in taxi ranks at train and bus stations. For example, train seems quite a bit faster when traveling from Taormina to Siracusa (if I catch Intercity, even considering the less convenient location for the train stop) and Siracusa to Ragusa. are trains in sicily reliable types of brain stem tumors 2 bedroom apartment dorchester el salvador vs guatemala odds 27-inch monitor dimensions in pixels are trains in sicily reliable feel free to call us +91.33.26789234 youremail@yourdomain.com more. I will be traveling before June 20th, and I checked with the trenitalia website, so it seems like I will be OK! In rural areas services are sometimes linked to school hours and market opening times, which can mean leaving incredibly early or finding yourself stranded after mid-afternoon. I just came back home. Another reason for not hiring a car is that we drive on the other side of the road in Australia and its quite stressful making that change, never mind what the driving and parking might be like in Sicily. Read our Privacy Policy. Motorcycles, motorbikes, and scooters are usually available for rent from local agents in resort areas. But, I meant that with the exception of travel to Cefal on (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Etna (from Catania to Giarre . Discounts are often available on fast trains for advance purchases, same-day return, or for groups of three or more. Sicily train map. Campania Express: This tourist-oriented service runs four times a day between Naples and Pompei/Sorrento (March-Oct only). Though I would never have expected to see so few trains on my regional train trip, I was nevertheless happy to proceed with my journey by bus, hopping on and off at the various stops, happy to glimpse so many old train stations along the regional outskirts of Sicily. In addition, the airports have agents for the major car rental firms. The train takes you along the coastline for the first part of the journey so the scenery can be lovely. There are some instances when train routes and travel by train are acceptable. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187886-i343-k9498851-No_trains_Catania_Siracusa-Sicily.html. Otherwise, the schedule and travel time of trains do look more preferable for some of the routes I am planning. All rights reserved. There are some instances when train routes and travel by train are acceptable. Your train journey in Sicily cant be over without visiting Siracusa, Archimedess birthplace. Use our map and learn more about the main destinations of the regional trains operated by Trenitalia. https://italyjune2022.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-night-of-june-1-we-boarded.html, This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Add your recommended places to visit by browsing the website and pressing the icon. Some long-distance trains or airport transfers are usually guaranteed on weekdays and public holidays. To salvage the second leg of my trip, and since the trains were still running, I traveled to Syracuse and decided to take a short trip to the city of Noto, some 20 miles to the southwest, on a colorful and mostly empty one-wagon train. There are some instances when train routes and travel by train are acceptable. Buses are more reliable than trains, but there are some instances when trains are acceptable. Travel by EuroCity (EC) train direct to Milan from the Swiss cities of Bern (3hr), Geneva (4hr) and Zurich (3hr 30min). If youve already decided where and when to travel by train, its time for you to buy your Sicily train tickets. solved problems on partition function; used imported suv for sale in bangalore Menu Toggle. Thanks for your words of encouragement. Drive or bus from catania airport to modica . In our opinion few more significant lengthy journeys by train might be as readily available for this type of adventure in southern Italy and Sicily. Ortigia was fantastic, amazing ambience especially at night. I understand things do happen sometimes and I need to be prepared for it, but if trains experience substantial delays (e.g. 20 What is the best way to get to Sicily? This Sicily itinerary will show you exactly how to see the most amazing places on the island without a car. Check out this and many more places with a train to Siracusa. The locals thought we were mad - there are few rail options left in Croatia - but it was a lovely journey. Catania Centrale is one of the most important train stations in Sicily - about 12 million passengers pass through the station every year. Sicilys offshore islands are served by traghetti (ferries) and aliscafi (hydrofoils). Once youre happy with your choice, continue to choose your seat preference, On web, enter an email address to send your ticket confirmation to, along with the full name of each passenger youre booking tickets for (the name must match their IDs). Dont miss Palazzo dei Normanni, the residence of the Norman kings, whose interior is decorated with mosaics with naturalistic motifs, paintings and frescoes with mythological scenes. Trainslink major towns in Sicily. - 5 days in Palermo (day trips using trains or bus), then on to Enna (maybe bus for this leg); - Enna 2 nights, just for the sheer pleasure of the views. We share your enthusiasm for train travel. Making use of my rusty Italian, I found that buses had been scheduled as replacements on some of the routes on my list. Drivers can be aggressive and/or sloppy in their driving habits. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in Canada. Larger ferries to/from the mainland and the islands carry vehicles. But look closer: the change in Ficarazzi is at 10.35 am and then 40 minutes after that, you arrive in Acireale. Members who are extremely knowledgeable about this destination and answer travellers questions frequently. 16 | Fuel. The chief problem is that many of the stations are not actually in the centre of the town - or at least not near where you would want to stay. DAT flies to Lampedusa and Pantelleria in well under an hour from Sicilys main airports (ferries take anywhere from a little over two hours to seven hours for these trips). Operators include Liberty Lines and Siremar. Immediately after he told me this, the train screeched to a halt. What side of the street do you drive on in Sicily? The king of the Sicilian bakery is of course cannoli, deep-fried pastry tubes with ricotta cheese filling and pistachios, candied fruit or chocolate chips. Looking out from my balcony, I wondered if the rain was ever going to stop. To discover those that can be considered the ten most beautiful places in Sicily. For anyone travelling between Catania and Siracusa this summer, there is no train service. Important road rules when driving in Sicily include: Official taxis are white, metered, and expensive. Places in Sicily You Can Travel By Train. You don't have to worry too much about schedules, except on Sundays, because the trains along these routes are fairly frequent and reliable. Keeping all of the above points in mind, there are certain routes where it is quite easy to take the train in Sicily. Day 2: Monreale and Cefal - Two cool places to visit in Sicily by rental car. I will be traveling before June 20th, and I checked with the trenitalia website, so it seems like I will be OK! In smaller towns, bus tickets are often sold in bars or on the bus. Have you used the train app to make all these connections. And for one day it was exactly as Id imagined it to be: I slowly wound my way through breathtaking landscapes in an outmoded one-wagon train, the sun finally making its belated appearance. You should take out travel insurance with at least 1m or preferably 5m medical cover from a reliable insurer. are trains in sicily reliable. One rail route in Sicily that holds promise as a sightseeing journey and a step back in time is the Ragusa-Syracuse route, which takes approximately 2 hours one way. Yes, we could occasionally change to buses. Not wanting to lose another day to bad weather, I left my hotel the next morning, purchased the biggest umbrella I could find and hurried off to the railway station, operating under the wishful illusion that I could force my way through my itinerary. Catania to Siracusa - Bus or private transport. . I see many posts and websites saying that buses are usually more reliable (i.e. Trenitalia operates a train from Taormina-Giardini to Catania Centrale hourly. 135 miles (3 hrs by car). A few years ago, we travelled from Split to Zagreb by train. The regional trains in Sicily are operated by Trenitalia, the main train company in Italy. So, we hope to spend 4 weeks in Sicily in September/October and to travel by train as much as possible. A delay of 10-15 minutes is acceptable. Children aged between 4 and 12 get a 50% discount. timely) than trains when traveling between cities in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Clockwise or counterclockwise Whats the best way to navigate Sicily? But I soon learned that I would only experience the charm of infrequent and slow train travel if I was willing to let go of my overly fastidious schedule. I know trains arent for everyone (although Im at a loss to understand why ). Perhaps hire a car in the countryside, or between towns, but whether you would hire a car would depend on your intended destinations, and the reliable public transport between towns, so if you don't intend to hire a car, then plan a route along reliable and frequent public transport. It's mostly regionale trains, so no need to purchase tickets in advance. Assuming that you are patient, have time, can live with the fact that trains and buses could be delayed or sometimes even cancelled, and that time tables serve only as a rough orientation to passengers and are hard to understand even for locals. My question is, how often do trains actually get. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-116345049', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cars because the railways are a bit limited in Sicily. Do not pass this up. Car ferries run constantly between the Italian mainland and Sicily. are trains in sicily reliablesardinia water temperature celsius. Welcome back, and thanks for reporting back Aki N. Trains are often delayed, some routes more than others. 80 regional, fast regional and Intercity trains operated by Trenitalia run daily between Catania and Messina (1h 20m), Siracusa (1h), Palermo (2h 50m) and other towns each day.. Catania Centrale is also well-connected to the underground. Compare services online, using services like Omio. Help! right Driving in Sicily is on the right. 105. rail operators. They can be late by 30 minutes every now and then, but longer delays (> 1 hour) is unusual. . - Train from Taormina all the way back to Rome - looking forward to this one, with the train going on the ferry and then along the coast. Thanks to the regional and Intercity trains operated by Trenitalia, you can easily reach not only Palermo but also Agrigento, Catania, Siracusa, the famous Gole dellAlcantara and much more! At least with a car you have somewhere to put your bags (albeit usually not recommended), but with a train you are more or less stuck with carrying it everywhere. We do not know if Castelvetrano is served by train service going everywhere. Train onto a ferry is definitely a unique experience. Not entirely sure what you mean by "there are some instances when trains are acceptable" though. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-116347964', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Palermo area and south from Messina to areas like Siracusa. At last I was able to resume my journey this time by train, according to a timetable. Theres no right or wrong way, but there are many factors to consider when determining your approach to navigating Sicily. 18 Is there a train from mainland Italy to Sicily? Sicily railways The Sicilian railway network is 1,369 km long and covers the nine provinces of the island, including the train connections between Palermo airport and the city centre. Everyone seems to hire a car, and all the advice seems to be against the use of public transport, especially trains. You don't have to worry too much about schedules, except on Sundays, because the trains along these routes are fairly frequent and reliable. The best way to find and compare tickets for trains, buses, carpools and planes. In general, for ease of travel, if you are using the trains for exploring the island you . 13 How reliable are trains in Sicily? I imagine having a car is faster, but are there other considerations we should be aware of that make taking buses preferable? We've shown you must-visit destinations, popular routes and how to book your train tickets online with us. 2 nights in Scicli will give us time to explore and soak up a bit of atmosphere. Do not feel an obligation to rent a car as those arrangements together with road and travel regulations can be a nuisance for the people not initiated for handling such a task in so much of Sicily. Simply take a train to Catania followed by an AST bus reaching the Sicilian volcano has never been so easy! In fact, it was a documentary about a train journey through (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Thanks so much for sharing your expertise, Vagabonda! Sundays can be a problem - particularly in the South East - as the service is severely restricted (or even non-existent). How to book your Sicily train tickets with us, Learn more about train travel in Sicily and Italy. Alternatively, Interbus operates a bus from Taormina - Via Luigi Pirandello to Catania via Archimede every 4 hours. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Avoid the temptation. We plan to start and end in Palermo. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu.
