I am looking for advice on how to get from Rome to Palermo. Take the train south to Naples and then take the ferry? take the train further south (Reggio Calabria )and then the ferry --- is that train trip worthwhile? Take a ferry from closer to Rome?

I would be interested in any information on costs, availability and length of time the train trips are or your ideas on what is wothwhile to do. If the scenery from Rome down to the southern tip is stunning and there is something there that I really shouldn't miss, it would be great to know that. If it is better to just get as quickly and cheaply as possible to spend the limited time I have in and around Palermo, then that would be good to know as well.

Thank you!

There is a thread about Rome to Palermo (or maybe Palermo to Rome) on the message board at

www.slowtrav.com

GAC, the guru on publiic transportation in Italy, enumerates the various possibilities. He does not, however, go into the scenic attractions that may or may not be en route.

Personally, I use the discount airlines - AirOne and Windjet - to get from Rome to Sicily and back. A 15-hour train journey holds no appeal for me whatever.

You can check train schedules and fares on www.trenitalia.com. The whole journey takes ten hours or more. Trains cross by ferry from Villa San Giovanni to Messina, then continue for another three hours along the north coast of Sicily to Palermo. The trains go on the ferry, so you don't need to change trains. Unless you want to break the journey en-route, I'd suggest travelling overnight. There are through sleeping cars, but the overnight ships have much better accommodation. There are services from Civitavecchia, the nearest port to Roma (www.gnv.it), and from Napoli (www.tirrenia.it or www.snav.it).

I couldn't find the thread on slowtrav.com even though I did a search.

It sounds like an option may be to take the train and then ferry down and then fly back.

Although if you are suggesting overnighting on the train then I wonder what the point would be in taking it since we really wouldn't be seeing anything anyway and perhaps it would make more sense just to fly both ways if the train trip just isn't that worthwhile?

Thanks for your

http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums/a...85/m/555109678

We took the overnight train from Rome to Palermo. You don't even have to get off the train, as Geoff indicated, they put the whole train on the ferry at the Straits of Messina. We paid extra to have our own sleeping compartment and brought some wine and cheese on board. We had a great time! We also drove a car on one occasion from Rome to Taormina and the scenery is not very impressive as I remember.

1. The cheapest transportation option is taking the thru train from Rome to Palermo for as little as 15 Euros for a pivoting first or second class seat on one of the two daylight Intercity Plus (ICplus) trains, or spending as little as 45 Euros for a bunk in a two-compartment sleeping compartment on one of the night trains (EXP or ICN). You can check schedules and fares (including the advance purchase promotional "Freedom to Travel" fare) at www.trenitalia.com
It's 11-12 hours by thru train to Palermo. The scenery south of Agropoli to Villa San Giovanni is nice, but not fantastic. Ditto the scenery between Messina and Palermo. If you take the night train from Rome, the stretch along the northern Sicilian coastline is usually by day. If you take the EARLY MORNING ICplus train, the trip is entirely by day. I've posted extensively about the train to Sicily in slowtravel.com My screen name is "GAC"

2. The fastest option is to fly. Actual flight time is about 40 minutes. Both Air One and Windjet have fares as low as 45-65 Euros one way. Alitalia is usually more expensive. The airporter bus from the Palermo airport to downtown Palermo costs 5 Euros each way and takes 1 hour.

3. The most luxurious (and expensive) option is to take the GNV overnight car ferry from Civitavecchia: 12 hours in a very nice twin cabin. Note that GNV has modest discounts for round-trip travel. You can also use the cruise ship as your hotel while staying in Palermo. It takes about one hour to train between Rome and Civitavecchia. www.gnv.it