Train or bus in Sicily

Posted by Laurie Ann (Chicago, IL, USA) on 10/26/23 05:33 PM

We are planning our trip to Sicily for next May. We will need public transportation from Catania to Siracusa and then from Agrigento to Palermo.

It appears there is both train and bus options. Any considerations for choosing one or the other for those segments? Reliability? Comfort? Cleanliness? Scenery? Traffic? Easiest access to and from our lodging? Easiest or cheapest way to buy tickets?

In Catania we are staying in area just SW of the city center. Our hotel is about 2 km from the train and bus stations. It appears the Catania bus and train stations are very near each other but on either side of a highway. In Siracusa we are staying in the center of Ortigia. Then pick up our rental car a few days later at Avis there.

In Agrigento we will drop our rental car off at Avis in the city. In Palermo we are staying at an Airbnb in the area between the train station and the city center. It appears the Palermo bus and train stations are right next to each other.

We are active and don't mind a good walk even with luggage.

Posted by acraven

Washington DC

10/26/23 06:45 PM

27138 posts

I spent 17 or 18 days in Sicily in 2015. I had no issues with the reliability of either trains or buses. It was considerably more difficult to discover the bus schedules at that time, however. Maybe it's easier now.

I'd normally choose based on schedule. On the occasions when I traveled with luggage by bus, I appreciated being able to roll my suitcase right up to the baggage bay and just lift it about 1 foot off the ground--much easier than boarding a train and trying to find a place to stow a larger-than-carryon bag.

I believe Catania still lacks a centralized bus station with ticket windows. The buses may all depart from the same spot on Via Archimede, not far from Catania Centrale train station, but I think tickets must still be purchased at off-site offices for the various bus companies. They are quite near the bus lot, but not right at it, so it's important to scope out locations ahead of time and allow a bit of extra time.

I don't remember the bus-station situation in Siracusa or Palermo.

Posted by Kim

Paris

10/26/23 07:25 PM

9592 posts

I remember taking buses in Siracusa from right next to the train station.

But it's been something like the same number of years since acraven was there that I was there too

Posted by S J

Western Canada

10/26/23 08:22 PM

3123 posts

Hi,
We were in Sicily in April.
We took the train from Palermo to Agrigento and back for a day trip.
I think it took about two hours…we just bought the tickets as we went, didn’t prebook.
It was fine.
If you get the Trenitalia app, I believe you can buy tickets on it with your phone.
There are ticket machines at most stations.

No idea about Catania as we didn’t go there.

In Siracusa, the “bus station” is just a couple of bus stops and a bench on the road behind the train station.
We had arrived from Palermo on the InterBus.
We walked to our accommodation in Ortigia from there, with luggage, in about 12 minutes.
I’m slow as I have tricky knees.
The road is flat, but the sidewalks are poorly maintained and are tripping hazards.
We were just into Ortigia, over the bridge; so if you are in the middle or farther along, it will take longer.
I could not find any local buses for Ortigia, and never saw one in Siracusa either, though I was assured they were there!
We just walked everywhere.

The bus station is directly beside the Centrale train station in Palermo, sort of tucked in.
It’s a proper bus station, with a ticket office and signposted bus bays .

Posted by Laurie Ann OP

Chicago, IL, USA

10/26/23 09:02 PM

397 posts

Many thanks! I found the trenialita app. And the interbus app for the Catania/Siracusa route. But I think a different bus company serves the Agrigento-Palermo route and it does not have app that I can find. I sure we will figure it out. And the difference not a big deal for a 1 or 2 hour trip.