Reggio to Salina
Dec 19th, 2003, 12:39 AM
#2
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Siremar runs ferries and hydrofoils from Milazzo; timetables for January are on www.siremar.it. To get from Reggio to Milazzo, you need to take a ferry to Messina, then a bus or train; the railway station for Milazzo is outside the town with a connecting bus service.
SNAV runs fast craft from Reggio to Salina. There is a schedule on www.snav.it, but I'm not sure if it's valid for January.
The weather in January is very unpredictable and the islands can be cut off for days by storms. The car ferries are much bigger than the fast craft and are thus more reliable.
SNAV runs fast craft from Reggio to Salina. There is a schedule on www.snav.it, but I'm not sure if it's valid for January.
The weather in January is very unpredictable and the islands can be cut off for days by storms. The car ferries are much bigger than the fast craft and are thus more reliable.
Dec 19th, 2003, 06:37 AM
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The schedules posted on the SNAV website are for the summer season. During winter (when the hydrofoils are particularly subject to cancellation due to inclement weather), there is ONE DAILY DIRECT hydrofoil from Reggio to Lipari, via Messina. Ideally, you would take this hydrofoil and connect in Lipari to S.M. Salina. If hydrofoils are not operating because of bad weather, you may have to take a ferry across the straits to Messina, then the GIUNTABUS "rapid" bus service to Milazzo (50 minutes, frequent buses, drop off by the docks), then a SIREMAR car ferry to Lipari and Salina (www.siremar.it). The car ferries depart from Milazzo to Salina only in the mornings (at 7:00 daily except Saturday and at 9:00 daily except Sunday). They take three hours, as they stop in Vulcano and Lipari on the way. Hence, you may need to spend the night in Milazzo. I recommend the Hotel La Bussola, very close to the hydrofoil and ferry docks. Also, being January, even the ferries won't operate in very rough seas.
Dec 19th, 2003, 06:54 AM
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Between Messina and Milazzo, the GIUNTABUS "rapid" bus service is better than taking the train because the bus drops off right in front of the docks in Milazzo, whereas the train station is 2 kilometers and a local bus or taxi ride distant. Giuntabus runs 14 buses Monday through Saturday between 6 am and 6 pm. On Sunday, service is very spotty, and the train is more frequent. With light luggage, you could walk to the Giuntabus depot on Via Terranova from the Messina Marittima station, where the large train ferries dock.
www.giuntabus.biz
www.giuntabus.biz
Dec 19th, 2003, 07:32 AM
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Inclement weather can really throw things out of whack! Several days ago, the SIREMAR car ferry from Porto Empedocle to Lampedusa was marooned several hundred yards from the dock in Lampedusa because of rough seas. The bad weather made docking dangerous, so the ship simply waited off shore. After 118 hours at sea, and 97 hungry, angry and sea-sick passengers ready to mutiny, the Coast Guard had to take them ashore (the crossing normally takes 8 hours). This story got front page coverage on most Italian newspapers, as well as TV newstime.
Dec 26th, 2003, 07:26 AM
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I found the SNAV schedules between Reggio and Salina from last year. Current schedules should be nearly identical. The daily DIRECT hydrofoil departs Reggio at 13:25 and arrives at S.M. Salina at 16:00, and 15 minutes later at Salina-Rinella. The craft makes very brief stops at Messina, Vulcano and Lipari (ar 15:30). One way fare is about 25 Euros.
If bad weather does not cancel this service (and bear in mind that hydrofoil services are often cancelled in winter), this is clearly the BEST way to reach Salina from Reggio. Otherwise, you need to connect in Milazzo, as is noted in the postings above.
Also bear in mind that car ferries are sometimes also cancelled owing to very rough seas. Today, I read that the island of Lampedusa (off of Sicily's southern coast) has been cut off for five days: no ferry service.
The schedule noted above is valid from October 1 through May 31. (From June 1 through September 30, there are several MORE hydrfoils daily from Reggio and Messina to the Aeolian Islands.)
If bad weather does not cancel this service (and bear in mind that hydrofoil services are often cancelled in winter), this is clearly the BEST way to reach Salina from Reggio. Otherwise, you need to connect in Milazzo, as is noted in the postings above.
Also bear in mind that car ferries are sometimes also cancelled owing to very rough seas. Today, I read that the island of Lampedusa (off of Sicily's southern coast) has been cut off for five days: no ferry service.
The schedule noted above is valid from October 1 through May 31. (From June 1 through September 30, there are several MORE hydrfoils daily from Reggio and Messina to the Aeolian Islands.)
