How to get to Palermo

How to get to Palermo from Rome

Honestly, just fly; it's both the fastest and the cheapest option (yes, way cheaper than the train—especially overnight trains).

• By plane: There are around 20 daily direct flights between Rome and Palermo—and, given that many no-frills airlines ply the route (easyJet, blu-express), fares can be as low as €40–€60, which is much less than the train (and ten times as fast). The flight only lasts one hour, but add 3 hours for airport transfers at either end plus the required check-in at the airport 60 minutes ahead of departure. 4 hr.
• By train: There are five trains daily from Rome to Palermo—most are direct but the fastest (ironically), which leaves at noon, requires a train change in Naples. 11–12 hr.
• By car: Palermo is 934km (580 miles) south of Rome. It is inadvisable to drive there: (unless this is but part of a larger road trip), however there are two ways to do it. The main choice: do you want the fastest route (a long drive interrupted by a short ferry ride from Calabria to Messina), or to spend less time driving but a longer time getting there (by taking a car ferry most of the way—though ferries are pretty slow)? Either way, keep in mind that waiting for, then boarding, then getting off either ferry is going to eat up an extra 1–2 hr. of travel time
  • (1) SLOWER, EASIER FERRY RIDE: Drive the A1 autostrada south to Naples (2.5 hr.), then take one of two daily overnight car ferries direct to Palermo as decribed in the "From Naples" section below (10–12 hr.) OR drive north to Rome's official port of Civitavecchia. (1 hr.) where you can catch one of three weekly overnight ferries to Palermo as described beow (12 hr.). Both end up taking roughly the same amount of time total; Civitavecchia has fewer options but is a bit easier in that the Naples option requires, well, that you drive in Naples. 14–15 hr.
  • (2) FASTER, MUCH LONGER DRIVE: Take the A3 Autostrada all the way to Reggio Calabria at the tip of Italy's boot shape (6.5 hr.), then the ferry to Messina (30–40 min.), then follow the coastal A20 autostrada west, which will eventually merge with the A19 continuing west to Palermo (2.5 hr.). 11–13 hr.
• By ferry (without a car): The closest ferry port to Rome is Civitavecchia, a one-hour (or slightly longer) train ride northwest of the city. From Civitavecchia, there are three ferries per week leaving at 7 or 8pm and arriving in Palermo at 7 or 8am the next morning (12 hr.). 14 hr.

How to get to Palermo from Naples

Honestly, just fly. It's by far the fastest option, and nearly the same price as the train.

• By plane: There are a handful of daily flights between Naples and Palermo, just on Altialia and Air One so fares are a bit higher than we'd like, around €135–€150 (though it's still eight times faster than the train). The flight only lasts one hour, but add 3 hours for airport transfers at either end plus the required check-in at the airport 60 minutes ahead of departure. 4 hr.
• By train: There are three trains daily from Naples to Palermo. 9–10 hr.
• By car: Palermo is 722km (449 miles) south of Naples. It is inadvisable to drive there (unless this is but part of a larger road trip), however there are two ways, both involving car ferries. (Keep in mind that waiting for, boarding, and getting off the ferry is going to eat up an extra 1–2 hr. of travel time.):
  • (1) Take one of two daily night ferries from Naples direct to Palermo as detailed below. 11–13 hr.
  • (2) Drive the A3 Autostrada south to Reggio Calabria at the tip of Italy's boot shape (4.5 hr.), hop the ferry to Messina (30–40 min.), then follow the coastal A20 autostrada west; eventually this it will merge with the A19 west to Palermo (2.5 hr.). 9 hr.
• By ferry: Two ferries from Naples leave daily around 8pm–8:30pm and arrive in Palermo early the next morning. The Tirrenia boat is 1:45 faster than the Grande Navi Veloce ferry. 10–12 hr.

How to get to Palermo from Messina

• By car: Palermo is 223km (139 miles) west of Messina. Just follow the coastal A20 autostrada west. Eventually, it will merge with the A19 west to continue into Palermo. You can't miss it: there are signs pointing to Palermo everywhere. 2–2.5 hr.
• By train: There are hourly trains (8 on Sunday) from Messina to Palermo. 3–4 hr.
• By bus: There are 5 SAIS buses daily (3 each on Saturday and Sunday) from Piazza della Repubblica 11 near the train station in Messina to Palermo's Piazza Cairoli. 2.5–3 hr.

How to get to Palermo from Taormina

• By car: Palermo is 270km (168 miles) west of Taormina. There are actually two choices: the slighly longer (but slightly faster) coastal route, and the more scenic interior route.
  • For the faster coastal route, Take the coastal A18 autostrada—or, more scenically but slowly, its parallel, the SS114 highway—north to Messina (35–45 min.). From Messina, follow the coastal A20 autostrada (highway) west to Palermo (a bit over 2 hr.). 2.5–3 hr.
  • For the more scenic interior route, take the A18 autostrada south toward Catania (35 min.). At the outskirts of Catania, get on the A19 headed west toward Enna; just past Enna, the A19 will turn to head north through the Madonie Mountains (80–90 min.). It reaches the coast near Termini Imerese where it merges with the A20 and turns west to Palermo (35 min.).3 hr.
• By train: There are nine daily trains (3-4 on Sundays) from Taormina to Palermo, all of them with a train change in Messina. 4–5 hr.

How to get to Palermo from Cefalù

• By car: Palermo is 67km (42 miles) west of Cefalù. Just follow the coastal A20 autostrada west; in a short while it will merge with the A19 west. You can't miss it: there are signs pointing to Palermo everywhere. 45 min.
• By train: There are 18 trains daily (9 on Sunday) from Cefalù to Palermo. 45–75 min.

How to get to Palermo from Catania

Oddly, there are way more buses that trains—and the bus is faster.

• By car: Palermo is 208km (129 miles) northwest of Catania. Take the A19 headed west toward Enna; just past Enna, the A19 will turn to head north through the Madonie Mountains (80–90 min.). It reaches the coast near Termini Imerese where it merges with the A20 and turns west to Palermo (35 min.). to Palermo. 2 hr.
• By train: There is one direct train daily (on Sunday, two with changes in Messina) from Catania to Palermo. 3–5 hr.
• By bus: There are hourly SAIS buses (10 on Sundays) from in front of the Catania train station (Via Libertà at Via Archimede), stopping at the Catania airport, and heading to Palermo (first stopping at Via Oreto 385, then ending at Piazza Cairoli by the train station). 2.5–3 hr.

How to get to Palermo from Agrigento

• By car: Palermo is 127km (79 miles) north of Agrigento. From Agrigento, follow the SS189 north to Manganaro where you pick up the SS121, also headed north. Follow this all the way to Sicily's northern coast at Vilabate, an eastern suburb of Palermo, where you hop on the A19 (briefly) west to the Palermo Centro exit. 2 hr.
• By train: There are 9 trains daily (4 on Sunday) from Agrigento to Palermo. 2 hr.
• By bus: There are two bus companies plying the Palermo-Agrigento route (plus another connecting Agrigento to the Palermo airport). Cuffaro (www.cuffaro.info) runs 9 weekday buses (6 on Saturdays, 3 on Sundays) from Agrigento to Via Paolo Balsalmo (just east of the train station) in Palermo. Fratelli Camilleri Argento & Lattuca (www.camilleriargentoelattuca.it) run 5 buses daily (2 on Sunday) from Agrigento to Via R. Gregorio 38 (also just east of the station) in Palermo. SAL (www.autolineesal.it) runs 4 buses daily (3 on weekends) from Agrigento to the Palermo airport. 2 hr.

How to get to Palermo from Trapani

For once, the bus is the better option if you are using public transport.

• By car: Palermo is 111km (69 miles) east of Trapani. From Trapani, take Via Pepoli Agostino Conte (aka the SS113) east out of town to the Raccordo Autostradale link highway past the airport to the A29 dir. austostrada east. Near Alcamo, this will link up with the main A29 which you can follow all the way to Palermo. 1.5 hr.
• By train: There are only four direct trains daily (another 5 with train changes; 3–5 trains on Sunday) from Trapani to Palermo. 2.5–3 hr.
• By bus: Segesta lines, (tel. +39-091-616-7919), runs 1–4 buses per hour (roughly hourly on Sundays) from Via Amm. Staiti 13 by the port in Trapani to Palermo at Piazza Cairoli, just east of the train station. 2 hr.