Train/Bus Travel in Apulia

The towns along the cast are east by train. The hill towns could be ore difficult. I highly recommend a rental car.

It depends on how much time you have. We did that region on a three-week trip, all by public transportation, and it was fine. You just have to plan carefully and feel that the traveling is part of the fun. I got the most concise help on trains and buses in the region from the back of the Lonely Planet guide to Puglia & Basilicata.

No idea how good it would be in Puglia, but Google Maps was noticeably much better with bus and train information on our 2021 trip in Umbria and Rome than on previous trips --- told us where to wait for the bus, when it was supposed to arrive, and when the next bus was. On the bus or train, we followed along on Google Maps so we would know where to get off. Try a sample journey and see what it looks like.

Also, check out Flixbus and get their app --- we've only taken a Flixbus Rome to Siena and back, but it was a good experience. It looks like they operate in Puglia.

Janet,

Thanks for the input. Planning is both my passion and a curse, that's why I'm asking because I'm planning now for next September. I 'll check out your Lonely Plannet suggestion.

nancys8,

Thanks for the Google Maps suggestion.

In looking into a future potential trip plan, I found that the Omio.com web site seemed very helpful for exploring regional and local train and bus options between many towns in Puglia (whereas it was not as useful for some other parts of Europe). If you put in your origin and destination points, it gives you schedules, transfers, total travel times and prices for trains and/or bus.

CD in DC,

Thanks

For Matera to Naples, there is a dedicated train/bus combo you can book on Trenitalia, so you need not worry about the schedules lining up (at least not so much). You change from one to the other in Salerno, and you can only book the bus in combination with a Frecce train. We had tickets for that for our planned trip in March 2020, but never had a change to take it.

I will try to find the information and come back.

Thanks Lola,

The Matera --> Naples leg was the one that concerned me the most.

Matera to Naples

When you buy a through ticket on the same (official) site your connection is always protected.

Since you are Going from Matera to Naples, in case of bus delays you'd just take a later train getting a free seat reservation at the counter at Salerno station. In Salerno They could have the dedicated booths for Freccia trains by the tracks, to avoid lines at the counter.

In the opposite direction the bus would wait for a delayed train as long as possible, it's reserved to train passengers and they'd rather wait than running half empty.

Lecce to Matera,

Via Bari? Wouldn't you take two trains? Trenitalia from Lecce to Bari and then the little FAL train from Bari to Matera?

OK, I checked on Trenitalia. It appears that right now, there is one run a day, with a FrecciaLink bus departing Matera at 10:30 and arriving in Salerno at 13:34. The connecting FrecciaRossa train departs to Napoli Centrale at 13:54, arriving at 14:28. So you have 20 minutes for the connection. The combination ticket is 38,90.

Lola,

Thank you for the info. That looks like a great connection, even if schedules change slightly next year.