We have a flight to Geneva leaving CTA at 9:00 AM. I booked a hotel in Catania for our last night in Sicily but would rather spend that night in Ortigia. Too thin a margin for the bus. Recommendation for private transfer? How early should we arrive? I have read that CTA can be chaotic and slow-moving. This will be on a Tuesday morning, so I also wonder about rush hour traffic. My brain says spend the last night in Catania to avoid worry but we only have one night now in Ortigia and I sure would like to make that two nights.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7258 posts
At the time you’d need to travel to the airport, traffic wouldn't be a problem. However, Ortigia is an hour drive from the airport, while downtown Catania is only a couple miles. I understand why you’d want to stay on Ortigia, but, I’m not certain why you’d want to take a chance of something going wrong driving that distance and possibly missing your flight. If your transportation is late or doesn’t show up at all, you’ve missed your flight. Arrive at the airport 2 hours early.
Posted by
11651 posts
We used Sicily Life for our transfers:
First Ortigia to Taormina where we spent two nights then a transfer from Taormina to CTA. Reliable.
Or ask your hotel to book one for you.
Posted by
New Orleans
1224 posts
Sister and I stayed in Ortigia for several nights in April, and then flew out of Catania (to FCO) in late morning. We had decided to take the shuttle from the Siracusa train/bus station, but the taxi driver who picked us up at our Ortigia hotel (to take us to the bus station) said that he would take us to the airport for - it was either 40 or 50 euros. I just don't recall right now. We figured it was worth the some 15 euros/per person for the convenience. Likely your Ortigia hotel would be able to negotiate such a transfer to CTA for you. Once we arrived at CTA, we discovered that Alitalia airlines would not permit us to check in until two hours before flight time. Likely if you leave your Ortigia hotel at 6:00 am or so, you will do fine getting to the airport and having plenty of time there. Also: It seemed to be a CTA - or an Alitalia/CTA thing - but we were not able to check in on-line or by Alitalia phone app. We had to do so at the CTA airport. Finally: We did not find the CTA airport particularly difficult to navigate, or chaotic. True, there are not a lot of sit-down eating places at which to while away the time, but there are several....