How to get to Messina: complete transport guide

How to get to Messina by plane

Messina does not have its own airport. The nearest airports are:

**Catania-Fontanarossa (CTA)**: about 95 km (1h15 by car). Sicily's largest airport, with domestic and international flights from all major airlines. From Catania, SAIS or Giuntabus to Messina (1h30-2h)
**Reggio Calabria (REG)**: about 15 km as the crow flies, on the other side of the Strait. Small airport with flights to Rome and Milan. From Reggio, ferry or hydrofoil to Messina (20-40 minutes)
**Palermo-Falcone Borsellino (PMO)**: about 230 km (2h30 by car or 3h by train). Useful for those also visiting western Sicily
**Lamezia Terme (SUF)**: about 180 km, reachable via the A2 motorway and ferry

The Reggio Calabria + ferry option is often the quickest if flights are available.

How to get to Messina by train

**Messina Centrale** is the main station, located near the port and city centre. A unique feature: trains from the mainland are loaded onto **FS ferries** that cross the Strait of Messina (about 20 minutes sailing). The train is split into sections, crosses the Strait and is reassembled in Messina.

Connections:

**Rome**: Intercity and Intercity Night (about 7-8 hours, direct train with Strait crossing)
**Naples**: Intercity (about 5-6 hours)
**Catania**: regional and Intercity (1h30-2h)
**Palermo**: regional and Intercity (2h30-3h)
**Syracuse**: regional with change at Catania (2h30-3h)

The station is steps from the waterfront and centre. Trains also depart from here for Taormina (40 min) and Cefalu (2h).

How to get to Messina by car

To reach Messina by car from the mainland you must cross the Strait:

**From Villa San Giovanni (Calabria)**: **Caronte & Tourist** and **Blu Jet** ferries (20-minute crossing, departures every 20 minutes, about 40-50 euros one way for car + passenger). Villa San Giovanni is reached via the A2 from Salerno/Naples (440 km, 4h30)
**From Reggio Calabria**: ferries to Messina centre

In Sicily the main motorways are:

**A18 Messina-Catania**: the eastern coast (95 km, 1h)
**A20 Messina-Palermo**: the Tyrrhenian coast (230 km, 2h30)
**Messina ring road**: connects motorway junctions and districts

Parking in the city:

**Parcheggio Cavallotti** (centre, near Piazza Cairoli)
**Port car park** (ferry area)
**La Farina car park** (southern area)
**Blue lines**: 1-1.50 euros/hour in the centre

How to get to Messina by ferry

The Strait of Messina is easily crossed by:

**Caronte & Tourist**: vehicle and passenger ferries, Villa San Giovanni-Messina (20 min, very frequent departures, including at night)
**Blu Jet (FS group)**: fast passenger-only hydrofoils, Villa San Giovanni/Reggio Calabria-Messina (20 min)
**Liberty Lines**: hydrofoils Reggio Calabria-Messina

Ferry terminals are near the railway station and city centre. The crossing is a scenic experience with views of Etna and the Calabrian coast.

How to get to Messina by bus

The bus station is near the **Central Station** and port. Operators include:

**SAIS Autolinee**: Catania (1h30), Palermo (3h), Rome (8-9h)
**Giuntabus**: Catania airport (1h30)
**FlixBus**: connections to major Italian cities (with Strait crossing)
**AST (Azienda Siciliana Trasporti)**: regional network for Taormina, Tindari, the Nebrodi mountains
**Interbus**: Syracuse, Ragusa, Noto

Buses to Catania airport run very frequently and are a convenient connection.

Getting from the arrival point to the centre

Urban public transport is run by **ATM Messina**. The network includes urban buses and the **tram** (a line connecting the centre to the southern districts, passing the station and university). A single ticket costs 1.50 euros (90 minutes).

From the Central Station / ferry terminal:

**Piazza del Duomo**: 10-minute walk
**Via Garibaldi** (promenade and shopping): 5-minute walk
**Orion Fountain and Cathedral**: 10-minute walk
**Montalto Sanctuary**: 30-minute walk (uphill) or bus

Messina stretches along the coast and the centre is easily walkable. The waterfront offers a splendid view of the Strait and Calabria.

Practical tips

If you arrive from the mainland, the ferry from Villa San Giovanni is the most common way. In summer, queues can be long at weekends: leave early or on weekdays. The passenger-only hydrofoil from Reggio Calabria is very fast and convenient if you do not have a car. From Messina you can easily reach Taormina (40 min by train), the Aeolian Islands (Liberty Lines hydrofoils from the port, 1h30 to Lipari), Tindari (1h by car) and Mount Etna (via Catania). The astronomical clock of the Cathedral, with its animations at noon, is an unmissable stop.

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