Italy to Sardinia in 4 hours for as little as 20 Euros
Aug 26th, 2004, 01:30 PM
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Italy to Sardinia in 4 hours for as little as 20 Euros
Did you know that you can travel from Italy to Sardinia in 4 hours for as little as 20 Euros? That's right. Here's how:
1. Between Civitavecchia and Olbia, on Tirrenia Lines "Mezzo Veloce" "Scorpio" or "Aries" super-fast car ferries, daily from June 1 to September 12, with departures at 8:30 and 14:00 in both directions.
2. Between Fiumicino (near the Rome airport) and Golfo Aranci, on Tirrenia Lines "Mezzo Veloce" "Capricorn", daily from June 11 to September 12, departing at 9:00 towards Golfo Aranci and at 14:00 return.
3. On both routes, promotional fare of 20.66 Euros in 2nd class, or 36.14 Euros in 1st class, but ONLY on certain specified departure days classified as "low season" on the Tirrenia Lines official website (shown in green). Fares are higher on other days.
4. Travel time in both directions is 4 hours.
Ships carry 1,800 passengers in reclining 2nd class seats (1,250) and deeply reclining 1st class seats with leg rests (550), at a speed of 43 knots. Garage accommodates 480 automobiles. Ships displace 11,350 tons, are 145.6 meters (478 feet) in length and 22.0 meters (72 feet) in width. These are reported to be the largest and fastest car ferries in the Mediterranean.
Amenities include 2 snack bars and lounges, but no cabins, restaurant, cafeteria or movie theatre, as on the traditional ferries.
The traditional ferry takes 7-8 hours for the same journey.
www.tirrenia.it
1. Between Civitavecchia and Olbia, on Tirrenia Lines "Mezzo Veloce" "Scorpio" or "Aries" super-fast car ferries, daily from June 1 to September 12, with departures at 8:30 and 14:00 in both directions.
2. Between Fiumicino (near the Rome airport) and Golfo Aranci, on Tirrenia Lines "Mezzo Veloce" "Capricorn", daily from June 11 to September 12, departing at 9:00 towards Golfo Aranci and at 14:00 return.
3. On both routes, promotional fare of 20.66 Euros in 2nd class, or 36.14 Euros in 1st class, but ONLY on certain specified departure days classified as "low season" on the Tirrenia Lines official website (shown in green). Fares are higher on other days.
4. Travel time in both directions is 4 hours.
Ships carry 1,800 passengers in reclining 2nd class seats (1,250) and deeply reclining 1st class seats with leg rests (550), at a speed of 43 knots. Garage accommodates 480 automobiles. Ships displace 11,350 tons, are 145.6 meters (478 feet) in length and 22.0 meters (72 feet) in width. These are reported to be the largest and fastest car ferries in the Mediterranean.
Amenities include 2 snack bars and lounges, but no cabins, restaurant, cafeteria or movie theatre, as on the traditional ferries.
The traditional ferry takes 7-8 hours for the same journey.
www.tirrenia.it
Aug 27th, 2004, 12:57 PM
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CORRECTION: "Scorpio" "Aries" and "Capricorn" are the largest passenger/car ferries with a top speed of 43 knots.
Obviously, there are car ferries over 50,000 tons in displacement, but none that travel at this speed! There are also hydrofoils which can do better than 43 knots, but not with cars and not at 11,350 tons displacement.
So, these Tirrenia Lines "mezzi veloci" (appropriately called the "Jupiter" class, as Jupiter (or Zeus, in Greek) was the King of the Gods) are indeed the Speed King of the maritime highway between the Italian mainland and Sardinia.
The ships are about 5 years old and operate only from June through mid-September, only on two routes to Olbia.
Obviously, there are car ferries over 50,000 tons in displacement, but none that travel at this speed! There are also hydrofoils which can do better than 43 knots, but not with cars and not at 11,350 tons displacement.
So, these Tirrenia Lines "mezzi veloci" (appropriately called the "Jupiter" class, as Jupiter (or Zeus, in Greek) was the King of the Gods) are indeed the Speed King of the maritime highway between the Italian mainland and Sardinia.
The ships are about 5 years old and operate only from June through mid-September, only on two routes to Olbia.
Sep 10th, 2004, 07:20 AM
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Sunday Sept. 12 is the last day you can travel to Sardinia from the Italian mainland in 4 hours, for 20 Euros, on Tirrenia Line's "Mezzo Veloce". These services will start up again in June 2005.
But don't fret, fellow Fodorites, because there are two other operators which employ fast craft to Sardinia and which continue to operate into early October:
1. Civitavecchia to Olbia on MOBY LINES:
Service from April 1 to October 3. Travel time 4 hrs. 45 minutes. Fares as low as Euro 31.50, including port taxes, for a reclining seat. Huge, brand new ships, Moby Wonder and Moby Freedom, 36,000 tons, length 180 metres (590 feet), width 27 metres (88.5 feet), 2200 passengers, 700 vehicles, 300 cabins, 29 knots, full food and beverage service, and entertainment.
(FYI Moby Lines also operates between Livorno and Olbia year round except in February, with traditional ferries.)
2. Livorno to Golfo Aranci on SARDINIA FERRIES:
Service from April 6 to October 9. Travel time 5 hours. Fares as low as Euro 23.65, including port taxes, for a reclining seat. Smallish ship "Sardinia Express", built in 1996, length 103 metres (338 feet), 535 passengers, 150 vehicles, only reclining seats, 37 knots, bar and cafeteria.
(FYI Sardinia Express also runs between Civitavecchia and Golfo Aranci from April 2 to October 10, with both fast and traditional ferries. Additional service out of Livorno, complementing the service by fast ferry noted above, is year round, but with traditional ferries.)
www.mobylines.it
www.sardiniaferries.com
(FYI Sardinia Ferries aka Corsica Ferries also operates traditional and fast ferries between Corsica and Livorno, Savona, Nice and Toulon, as well as across the Straits of Bonifacio.)
So, you can still travel cheaply to Sardinia from the Italian mainland in less than 5 hours, even during the autumn and spring seasons.
But don't fret, fellow Fodorites, because there are two other operators which employ fast craft to Sardinia and which continue to operate into early October:
1. Civitavecchia to Olbia on MOBY LINES:
Service from April 1 to October 3. Travel time 4 hrs. 45 minutes. Fares as low as Euro 31.50, including port taxes, for a reclining seat. Huge, brand new ships, Moby Wonder and Moby Freedom, 36,000 tons, length 180 metres (590 feet), width 27 metres (88.5 feet), 2200 passengers, 700 vehicles, 300 cabins, 29 knots, full food and beverage service, and entertainment.
(FYI Moby Lines also operates between Livorno and Olbia year round except in February, with traditional ferries.)
2. Livorno to Golfo Aranci on SARDINIA FERRIES:
Service from April 6 to October 9. Travel time 5 hours. Fares as low as Euro 23.65, including port taxes, for a reclining seat. Smallish ship "Sardinia Express", built in 1996, length 103 metres (338 feet), 535 passengers, 150 vehicles, only reclining seats, 37 knots, bar and cafeteria.
(FYI Sardinia Express also runs between Civitavecchia and Golfo Aranci from April 2 to October 10, with both fast and traditional ferries. Additional service out of Livorno, complementing the service by fast ferry noted above, is year round, but with traditional ferries.)
www.mobylines.it
www.sardiniaferries.com
(FYI Sardinia Ferries aka Corsica Ferries also operates traditional and fast ferries between Corsica and Livorno, Savona, Nice and Toulon, as well as across the Straits of Bonifacio.)
So, you can still travel cheaply to Sardinia from the Italian mainland in less than 5 hours, even during the autumn and spring seasons.
Sep 10th, 2004, 08:18 AM
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Hi GAC. It seems like you know a lot about Sardinia. I was hoping you can help me with my decisions. My friends and I have decide to go to Sardinia. Where in Sardinia do you think is the best place to go. There are going to be 5 women on this trip. We like the beach and the night life as well. Please also recommend some nice hotels, preferable close to the sea. Thank you in advance.
Sep 10th, 2004, 09:06 AM
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Let me make two suggestions:
First, please start a new thread with your inquiry, so as not to introduce extraneous material in this posting which is strictly about fast transportation from the Italian mainland to Sardinia.
Second, please be more specific in your inquiry: when are you planning to go, for what length of time, what is your hotel budget, how many different places (or only one), do you prefer urban or rural settings, etc.
First, please start a new thread with your inquiry, so as not to introduce extraneous material in this posting which is strictly about fast transportation from the Italian mainland to Sardinia.
Second, please be more specific in your inquiry: when are you planning to go, for what length of time, what is your hotel budget, how many different places (or only one), do you prefer urban or rural settings, etc.
Oct 21st, 2004, 12:36 PM
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Well, fellow Fodorites, in case you were dying to know, now that the FAST ferries from the Italian mainland to Sardinia have returned to port to hibernate until next spring, the quickest passage currently available (for the entire winter period) is from Piombino (Tuscan Coast) to Olbia, on the Linea dei Golfi ferries - Lloyd Sardegna Compagnia di Navigazione.
Departing four or five times weekly at 10:00 a.m., the ship docks in Olbia at 16:30. There is also a night departure on certain days.
Linea dei Golfi also runs ferries from Livorno to Olbia and from Livorno to Cagliari.
One way passage (for the daylight run from Piombino) as low at 18 Euros plus port taxes of 2.15 Euros.
Twin ships Golfo Aranci and Golfo degli Aranci are brand-new: they measure 186 metres (610 feet) in length, travel at 24 knots, accommodate 190 cars, 130 campers, and 1000 passengers (of which 400 in cabins with facilities). On board are a cafeteria, two bars with satellite TV, a children's play area, videogames, shop and solarium.
The FAST ferries operated by Moby Lines and Sardinia Ferries will return to Sardinia in the April, Tirrenia Lines in June!!!!
www.lineadeigolfi.it
Departing four or five times weekly at 10:00 a.m., the ship docks in Olbia at 16:30. There is also a night departure on certain days.
Linea dei Golfi also runs ferries from Livorno to Olbia and from Livorno to Cagliari.
One way passage (for the daylight run from Piombino) as low at 18 Euros plus port taxes of 2.15 Euros.
Twin ships Golfo Aranci and Golfo degli Aranci are brand-new: they measure 186 metres (610 feet) in length, travel at 24 knots, accommodate 190 cars, 130 campers, and 1000 passengers (of which 400 in cabins with facilities). On board are a cafeteria, two bars with satellite TV, a children's play area, videogames, shop and solarium.
The FAST ferries operated by Moby Lines and Sardinia Ferries will return to Sardinia in the April, Tirrenia Lines in June!!!!
www.lineadeigolfi.it
