Sicily Travel Information
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Getting Around Sicily
Buses
Buses on Siciliy serve both the towns and cities as well as the smallest of villages and tend to be more expensive than trains. The main carrier is SAIS (Italian speakers visit www.saisautolinee.it). They mainly serve the larger towns, so you may need to transfer to a local bus to get to a smaller town or village.
Buy tickets onboard or in the larger cities at the bus terminal (which will also confirm your seat).
If using the local bus system within a city you must pre-buy your ticket before boarding and validate it on the bus.
Taxis
Taxis are available but tend to be expensive. All taxis are metered, but as with elsewhere in Italy there are additional tariffs at night. Again, as with elsewhere in Italy taxis rarely stop if hailed – they are almost always pre-booked. Note that the meter starts as the driver leaves his office.
Car Hire
Hiring a self-drive rental car in Sicily is very feasible and an excellent way of seeing the island, allowing you to explore at will.
Parking is always a problem so use a car for inter-city transport and take local public transport inside the town. Fines for parking violations are high and strictly enforced and it’s not uncommon for vehicles to be towed away if parked illegally.
You must be at least 21 to rent a car; most rental companies ask those under 23 to pay by credit card.
Expressways are free, but highways operate with a toll: upon entering a toll highway you are issued a ticket, which is returned with payment upon exiting the highway.
Headlights are mandatory when driving on all roads outside city limits, whilst using a mobile phone while driving is illegal. Italian traffic police have the ability to charge on-the-spot fines (penalties for drink-driving are especially severe).
Drivers that wear glasses should have a spare in the car at all times.
Italian law requires all occupants to wear seat belts.
Children under the age of 12 cannot travel in the front passenger seat of a car unless a special child restraint is used. Children under the age of 4 cannot travel at all unless in a special child restraint.
A visibility vest is compulsory – check your hire car comes with one; two warning triangle should be carried at all times – check this too.
Speed limits are:
Motorway (if wet) - 130 km/h (110 km/h)
Dual carriage way (if wet) - 110 km/h (90 km/h)
Open road (if wet) - 90km/h (80 km/h)
In town and villages (if wet) - 50 km/h (50 km/h)
Driving
Drive on the right.
Trains
Most of Sicily excepting remote towns and villages are well served by train; all of the large cities in Sicily are on the rail network and fares are reasonable.
The train operator is Ferrovie dello Stato; see also www.tranitalia.com . Choosing to buy a Trenitalia Pass will let you choose the days you wish to travel within a two-month period. For couples opt for the even cheaper Trenitalia Pass Saver.
There are two main classes of train in Sicily. The first is the InterCity (IC) trains which are modern, air conditioned and provide a fast service. Slower trains are either classed as Diretto, Espresso or Interregionale and tend to be stopping services. Avoid trains during weekends and holidays as they tend to be crowded.
Boats
Italy has a highly developed network of ferries and hydrofoils operated by numerous private companies. Sicily is connected by large car ferries with mainland ports such Naples as well as offshore islands. Fares are reasonable but booking is essential on longer journeys. Service frequencies are much reduced outside of the main spring to late summer season, and some services cease altogether.