How to get to Sardinia?
 

For early June, on Orbitz, to fly from JFK to Cagliari in Sardinia it is around $1050. To fly into Rome is about $800. Is it feasible (and cheaper) rent a car in Rome, drive to the ferry and take the car on the ferry to Sardinia?

I'm not sure you are planning to compare equivalent costs. For instance, if you fly directly into Sardinia, will you rent a car there? <BR><BR>I have to assume that you are trying to compare these two alternatives:<BR>(1) Fly into Rome; rent a car; drive to the ferry terminal at Civitavecchia; go to Cagliari by ferry (a 12 hour trip). Then you will use the car in Sardinia and will ferry it back to the mainland, which is all you can do if you have taken it to Sardinia.<BR>(2) Fly into Cagliari and rent a car while there. Never go to mainland Italy.<BR><BR>Thus the cost of the Rome option, in addition to the air fare, is the cost of round-trip ferry fares from Civitavecchia, cost of an extra day (at least) of a rental car to get to the ferry, and some probably cost of an overnight in Rome after returning and turning in the car. Those costs will probably total somewhere around $250 including the overnight in Rome. If you could avoid an overnight in Rome on your return, you could get by with about $150. <BR><BR>So is it worth it? It's a lot of trouble to save at most $100, and perhaps save nothing. You decide.

The cost of an unrestricted economy ticket from Rome to Cagliari is approximately 200 Euros roundtrip. There are cheaper flights available with an advance purchase. Alitalia has 13 flights daily in both directions. The flight takes 35 minutes airborne. The cheapest transportation is to take the daily overnight ferry from Civitavecchia to Cagliari. Both cabins and cheaper-still reclining seats are available. But it will take you more than one hour to reach Civitavecchia (you must transfer at Rome Trastevere Station), and the overnight is 13-14 hours! Of course, you are not restricted to Cagliari: you can also fly into Olbia or Alghero, or take the regular ferry or super-fast ferry from Civitavecchia to Olbia. Is Cagliari your first destination?

Here are a few options:<BR><BR>(1) Civitavecchia to Cagliari by overnight ferry: 14.5 hours daily except Friday and Sunday (on these two nights, the ferry stops at Arbatax and takes 16.75 hours to reach Cagliari). First Class cabins cost 65 Euros per person (double occupancy). Reclining chairs 35 Euros each.<BR><BR>(2) Civitavecchia to Olbia by fast ferry: daily at 8:30 a.m. in 4 hours. There is also a "regular" overnight ferry daily.<BR><BR>(3) Fiumicino to Golfo Aranci by fast ferry: daily at 8:00 a.m. in 4 hours beginning on June 21. First class reclining chair 56 Euros; Second class 40 Euros. (You reach Fiumicino dock by taxi from the airport)<BR><BR>For further information, see:<BR>www.tirrenia.it<BR><BR>As you can see, the airplane is really not a bad option.

Alitalia doesn't show flights from Rome to Olbia or Alghero. What airline do you fly?