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Train Advice - Palermo Airport-Cefalù and Rome - Orvieto

Posted by (Vancouver, BC, Canada) on

Third try for our Best of Sicily tour and pre & post tour plans!! - March 2023.
We are flying Rome to Palermo, arriving 11:50, and going straight to Cefalù for two nights to relax a bit and recover from jet lag .
- does anyone have recent experience going this route? I have read that it is better and faster to take a bus from the airport to Palermo and then board the train there for Cefalù. Option #2 - board a train at the airport and head to Cefalù.

After our tour ends and we spend extra days in Ortigia, we will fly from Catania to Rome arriving at 12:50( Ita Air) on a Sunday and then take the train to Orvieto for three nights. Not sure what Ita Air's track record is for being on time - does anyone have experience here? I was going to take recent forum advice and purchase tickets on the trenitalia app when we land, but then realized I don't travel with a data plan (too expensive) and airport wifi wouldn't be secure for using credit card. So this means I will have to either book online before we go ( hard to predict which train, but hoping to make the 14:38 Leonardo which connects with the #592 intercity leaving Rome and arriving in Orvieto at 16:46) or book at a ticket machine when we land when we may be in a rush to make a connection. I was also advised when we were planning this trip in 2020 to allow 3-4 hours to make a train connection! If we land on time at 12:50 & have luggage to pick up that doesn't give a lot of time for error. The next two options leaving the airport don't arrive in Orvieto until 17:41 & 18:12. We have to walk some distance to our accommodation and we are 76 & 78 so see better in the daylight! Thus the concern about arriving after dark. So I am concerned that the Intercity's might sell out if I don't reserve but at the same time our schedule is a bit unpredictable to make a reservation. I thought the Leonardo Express ran every half hour at :08 & :38 , but looking at the March 26 schedule there is a two hour gap between 14:38 and 16:38 with regional trains running in-between ( some through Tiburtina) I do understand that I can't reserve Regional trains, only the Intercity. Any advice and experience would be helpful please, my brain cells are wearing out. Thank you.

Posted by
331 posts

My husband and I were just discussing the Pmo to Cefalu train vs bus transportation this morning, so I will be waiting to hear any information that may be offered. At the moment, we are thinking of just taking the train to omit any transferring (especially with jet lag). Especially since the time difference is only 15 minutes.

Posted by
3812 posts

March 26 schedule there is a two hour gap between 14:38 and 16:38

I have just checked on trenitalia.com , there is no gap between 14:38 and 16:38 on March 26. Are you using the official site to look up the schedules?

There is no reason for the intercity train you want to sell out. Anyway if You register on trenitalia.com at home and save a preferred method to pay, you won't have to digit the cc number while connected to the free wi-fi network at FCO.

Posted by
8142 posts

From FCO, except for infrequent departures to places outside of Rome, your choices are the Leonardo Express, or the FM1 Regional train. The regional train does not go to Termini, though it does wind up in Tiburtina. It is handy for stays in Trastevere, but very slow to get to Tiburtina.

My take would be that you just head to the station at FCO, catch the next express, get to Termini and take whatever train looks best to get to Orvieto, be it regional, intercity, or a fast train that makes the stop there. I think booking ahead means you leave buffers, guaranteeing a later arrival, where buying on the fly gives you flexibility. There is no real cost advantage to booking early, trains are frequent, and rarely sell out (They may sell out of advance tickets on the app, but tickets still available for purchase the day of)

For Palermo Airport to Cefalu, much the same. Comments about the bus may be outdated, they were working on the train line a couple years ago, so the bus was a better option, we were there in September 2021, and the train was fine.

Posted by
484 posts

I was in Sicily last April and took the bus from the airport to the train station and then the train to Cefalu. It was very easy and comfortable. We loved Cefalù. Its a good place to relax and recover from jetlag :-).

Posted by
82 posts

Thank you to all for your prompt replies.
Jeanine - I am not sure if you are aware, but if you do take the train from the airport you will have to make a transfer at the Palermo train station to the train going to Cefalù. Not a big deal but just wanted you to be aware.

Dario - I did do my search on the official site but I had searched schedules from the airport right to Orvieto and it only showed me the LE trains that connected with the trains going to Orvieto , hence the 2 hour gap. After reading your reply, I searched From the airport to Roma (all stations) and voila! It showed many more LE trains.So lots of options to get to Termini or Tiburtina but still the same ones to Orvieto. I am glad to hear the Intercity is not likely to sell out and thank you for the suggestion of saving the preferred method of payment, I hadn't thought of that.

Paul - We are going to take your advice and buy on the fly, avoiding the buffers and just hope for the best. Maybe I should buy those strap on head lamps in case we arrive after dark..... I am joking! Also, thank you , good to know the train worked well for you. I think we will train it right from the airport in Palermo.

Nadine - Thank you for your input about the bus. We are leaning towards taking the train from the airport, but always good to know that is a comfortable option. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed Cefalù. We will be there 2 nights, so 1 full day, but we can return to Palermo later in the afternoon on the second day giving us more time. I hope that will be enough to relax a bit. How was your weather in April? I am hoping March won't be too rainy or cool.
Thank you again everyone for taking the time to give me your thoughts. It was very helpful.
Lynne

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