Segesta (Sicily) bus schedules

Posted by GAC (Los Angeles) on 10/20/09 08:40 AM

I would be remiss to overlook Segesta having separately posted bus schedule information for Selinunte.

Most seasoned travellers will acknowledge that Segesta is one of the absolute glories of Sicily, to be ranked on a par (or nearly so) with Agrigento, Siracusa and Paestum. A half-day trip to Segesta is very highly recommended, even for the hurried tourist.

Fortunately, Segesta is even easier to reach by public transportation than Selinunte, since there is direct bus service from both Trapani and Palermo which allows tourists to see both the Greek Temple and the Greek Theatre without needing to rent a car or to take a much more expensive day tour.

The best connections are out of Trapani, daily and year-round. Tarantola Bus Lines has buses from Trapani's bus depot to Segesta at 8:00, 10:00 and 14:00, arriving 50 minutes and 39 kilometers later directly in front of the main gate of the Archeological Park. Return buses are at 13:10 and 16:10. I have taken this bus and can recommend it.

HINT: Take the 10:00 bus and return at 13:10 to allow sufficient time to see both the temple and the theatre. The afternoon combination cuts things a bit short.

There is also a bus service out of Palermo, although is not daily year-round. From April 1 through October 31, Tarantola Bus Lines departs from Palermo's Piazza Giulio Cesare (central train station) at 7:50 from Monday through Saturday, arriving at Segesta at 9:10. This bus also picks up in Piazza Politeama at 8:00. The return bus leaves Segesta at 11:50, arriving back in Palermo at 13:10. Distance travelled is about 85 kilometers.

NOTE: There is bus service also on Sundays from April 1 through October 31, but with different schedules which result in a six-hour layover at Segesta (too long for most people).
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Posted by GAC OP

Los Angeles

10/20/09 08:40 AM

425 posts

From November 1 through March 31, the morning bus operates on MONDAYS only. On other days (except Sundays), there is an afternoon bus from Palermo at 14:00, but this allows only a 50-minute stop at Segesta, not nearly enough time to see both the temple and the theatre (but enough time to see the temple).

NOTE: There is also very spotty train service from Palermo to the Segesta station, which is 1500 meters from the main entrance to the site, but return schedules can be very problematic. The Tarantola bus is much, much preferred.

NOTE: You'll see from the Tarantola website that there are also daily bus services to Segesta from Scopello and Castellammare del Golfo, from June 15 through September 15 (although these are of lesser interest to most foreigners).

PREVIEW OF SEGESTA: If you want to get a good preview of Segesta, watch portions of Lina Wertmuller's film "Blood Feud" (1978) with Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni and Giancarlo Giannini. Parts of the movie are filmed in and around the theatre at Segesta, and you'll get a wonderful panorama of the countryside below. As in most Wertmuller films, expect to be assaulted by a triple overdose of emotions: political, sexual and retributive. Part black comedy, part travelogue, and part farce, it's a film worth watching.

NOTE: There are periodic representations of Greek Drama in Segesta's theatre. Check with the Palermo tourist board for further information, as well as the charter bus service (from Palermo) to and from the site on performance evenings.

FOR TRAVELLERS WITH A CAR: Segesta is often paired with Selinunte, Scopello, San Vito Lo Capo and/or Erice for visits on a single day.