How do I get to the airport in Italy?
♫ Friday, July 1st, 2011Unless somebody is meeting you at the airport, you’ll have three choices: bus, train (in Palermo), taxi or rental car. The Palermo airport is about a thirty minute drive from the city; the Catania airport is about twenty minutes from Catania. Buses depart about every thirty minutes until around 10:00 PM, and are less frequent after that hour. Departures from Catania airport are less frequent generally, but there’s usually a departure every forty-five or sixty minutes during the day. Fares are about €6.00. Trains depart for Palermo from that city’s airport once every hour between around 6 AM and midnight, stopping at the Notarbartolo and central train stations in Palermo. The Palermo buses stop in the city at Via Lazio and then Piazza Ruggero Settimo (Politeama Theatre) before proceeding to the central train station; the Catania buses go near the city center, but not necessarily through it, before proceeding to the large piazza near the train station, which itself is not very far from the center of town. From Catania’s airport there are also buses for Taormina.
From either airport, fixed fares for taxi travel to the center of town are less than €50.00, though Catania’s airport is much nearer the city. Rates vary, with evening fares being slightly higher than the daytime ones. To avoid misunderstandings and possible price gouging, ask to know the fare price before entering the taxi.
Car rental agencies are located at both airports. Reservations are suggested, especially during the busy summer months. Most of the airport car rental services have branches in the cities as well. Please note that most available automobiles have manual, rather than automatic, transmissions.
