Transport
Slow railways (Palermo–Catania about three hours, being upgraded), intercity buses often faster, Catania metro and Circumetnea (FCE). Airports of Catania (the busiest), Palermo, Trapani, Comiso, Lampedusa and Pantelleria. Strait ferries, overnight ships to Naples, Civitavecchia, Genoa, Livorno and Salerno; hydrofoils to the minor islands.
Sections: Arrival · Airports · Trains · Buses · Car & licence · Cycling · Accessibility
Rail and buses
The Sicilian rail network is largely single-track and slow: Palermo–Catania takes about three hours (a new line is being built with PNRR funds to cut it to two), Palermo–Messina and Messina–Catania–Syracuse are the main corridors; Palermo–Trapani via Milo has been closed for years. Day and night Intercity trains Rome–Palermo and Rome–Syracuse cross the Strait on train ferries. Catania has a metro and the narrow-gauge Ferrovia Circumetnea (FCE) circling Etna to Riposto; Palermo has its rail link line, the airport connection and a tram; Messina a tram. For many trips the intercity buses (SAIS, Interbus, AST, Segesta, Etna Trasporti) are faster and more frequent than trains: Palermo–Catania by bus takes under three hours.
Airports
Catania Fontanarossa (SAC) is the island's busiest airport and among the leading Italian airports by passengers, with flights across Europe; Palermo Falcone e Borsellino (GESAP) is second, linked to the city by train; Trapani Birgi and Comiso serve low-cost carriers; Lampedusa and Pantelleria are linked to Palermo and Catania (and in summer other cities) by territorial-continuity flights at regulated fares for residents. Etna eruptions close Catania for hours or days a few times a year.
Sea and roads
The Strait is crossed between Villa San Giovanni and Messina with Caronte & Tourist and Bluferries (about twenty minutes, continuous departures, also for cars and lorries) and with Blu Jet hydrofoils from Reggio Calabria. Overnight ships link Palermo with Naples (GNV, Grimaldi), Civitavecchia and Genoa (GNV), Livorno and Salerno (Grimaldi), Catania with Salerno (Grimaldi) and Messina with Salerno (Caronte & Tourist); Trapani and Palermo have links with Tunis and Cagliari. The minor islands are served by Siremar ferries (Caronte & Tourist group) and Liberty Lines hydrofoils: Aeolian Islands from Milazzo, Egadi from Trapani, Ustica from Palermo, Pantelleria and Lampedusa from Trapani and Porto Empedocle, with reduced frequencies and weather cancellations in winter. The A18 Messina–Catania and A20 Messina–Palermo motorways are tolled; the A19 Palermo–Catania and A29 Palermo–Mazara are free but with frequent roadworks.
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Reviewed: 10/20/2026 · by piero.avolio · rev. 1 · Period: → 2027-04-30
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