Get to Catania
Catania is easily reachable by any means of transport – fitting any traveller's budget – from all over the world.
By Plane
Catania Fontanarossa International Airport is perfectly located in the outskirts of the city: a bus service (AMT ALIBUS - toll free number: 800 018696) provides the best connection - every 20 minutes, from 5.00 am to midnight – between the airport and the City Centre and/or the railway station and vice versa, at metropolitan bus fares.
Taxis for and from the airport are always available on site, or at the following numbers:
Radiotaxi Ph. +39 095 330966
Night Service Ph. +39 095 386794
Moreover, there are several suburban bus lines offering connections between small towns and villages of the Catania area and the airport.
Siciliy's other main airport, Palermo Punta Raisi, isn't actually the best choice to reach Catania by plane: it takes about 3 hours (and a 210-km drive) to get from Palermo to Catania, first on the A20 highway and then on the A18 one.
By Train
Catania is perfectly connected with the rest of Sicily and with the biggest Italian cities by train, too, thanks to the deluxe Eurostar trains to the more common - but very efficient – Espresso, normally departing from Milan, Turin and Rome and passing through Naples and the Amalfi Riviera.
Catania Railway Station - www.trenitalia.it
Piazza Giovanni XXIII - Catania - Ph. +39 095 532226
Call Center Ph. 892021
Switchboard Ph. +39 095 532710
Ticket Office Ph. +39 095 532227
By Ship
Want to reach Catania by sea? From Northern Europe and Italy, comfortable Tirrenia ships leave the Genoa port and reach Palermo in about 17/18 hours. But there are also frequent ferries from Naples to Milazzo (about two-hours drive to Catania), and even a daily one from Ravenna (on the Northern Adriatic coast) directly to Catania. Speedboats and catamarans from Malta to Catania are also available on a daily basis.
Catania Port Via Dusmet - Ph. +39 095 535888 / 536031
Harbour Office Via Dusmet - Ph. +39 095 531667 - fax +39 095 533962
AMT Alibus service from the port to the airport every 20 minutes.
By Car
Both Sicily and Catania can be reached by car form the main Italian cities through an exhaustive highways' network (green road signs). From Northern Italy, you can drive along the highway A1 through Naples to Salerno; from Salerno (Amalfi Riviera and Capri area) take the A3 highway (free of charge) towards Reggio Calabria. Exit at VILLA S.GIOVANNI-SICILIA to get to the harbour where very frequent ferries connect the mainland to Sicily (namely to the city of Messina), 24 hours a day. From Messina, take the A18 highway to Catania: an hour drive and you'll arrive there. If you come from Palermo, take the A20 highway to Messina, then the A18 highway to Catania and the CATANIA exit.