What’s the best way to get from Naples to Palermo? The only flight possibilities seem to be Ryanair, EasyJet , Volotea and ITA, but their reviews are all awful. Trains and buses all seem pretty iffy, too. . .
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8171 posts
If you read reviews on every transport company, you will end up staying at home.
I have flown Ryanair and Easyjet a number of times, never with an issue.
Just be aware, most are budget airlines, no frills, cheap price, but as long as you follow the rules.
Like I said, I fly Ryanair on occasion, I just get the "Plus" bundle, which gets you airport check-in, an assigned seat, and a 20 kilo checked bag. It cost more than the base price, but the base price will not work for you with the typical luggage...that is where people who complain go wrong. They think they can bring on any size bag, get stopped, wind up paying a high fee.
Posted by
Irving
3312 posts
There’s an overnight train where you can rent a cabin to sleep. It’s a bumpy ride so you won’t get the best night’s sleep but I managed.
Posted by
seattle
2147 posts
Took to day train from Naples to Palermo in November. Knowing it would be a long ride we prepared ahead and brought sandwiches and snacks. It turned out to be quite scenic and we thoroughly enjoyed the train/ferry transfer. We arrived around 7 pm and found the area around the train station to be overall safe feeling. We also considered taking a ferry but did not want to worry about rough seas. I would take the train again. That said, we have also flown ITA with no problems.
Posted by
Monterey County, CA (formerly Verbania Italy-Lago Maggiore)
1647 posts
There are overnight ferries from Naples to Palermo, you can reserve a cabin. Was not very expensive, but we ended up cancelling due to COVID in 2020. After an overnight train from Milan to Salzburg, you couldn’t pay me to do that again.
Posted by
Washington DC
28352 posts
In 2015 I spent a miserable, 100% sleepless night in a couchette car on the night train between Rome and Palermo. I am prepared to accept that a sleeper berth would have been more comfortable (and a great deal more expensive), but it's not a risk I would take after having to fight to get back on a normal sleep schedule after sleeping through much of my arrival day in Catania.
I haven't taken the ferry to Sicily, but I've taken night ferries at least four times in Europe (including one in Croatia and one in Greece), and I had no trouble at all sleeping.
Posted by
6 posts
We just book Naples to Palermo on Ryanair, cheap get the Plus for luggage for mid March 2025.. I will post again when we complete our trip.