Siciliy - travel from Taormina to Siracusa via public transportation
 

We need to travel from Taormina to Siracusa on a Sunday. We won’t be renting a vehicle and would like to either use the train or the bus. We aren’t travelling until October, so info isn’t really available yet. To get some ideas though, I have been looking at schedules in May and June. Public transportation doesn’t sound too promising, unless I am missing something.

If I look on the Trentalia website, it doesn’t look as though there aren't any train to Siracusa until after 16:00. Does that sound correct for a Sunday?

For buses, I looked on the Interbus website. If I understand correctly, the journey takes over 3 hours because we’d have to travel to Catania airport first and change buses there. Is this our only option or is there something else I could look at?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Sunday is always a bad day for public transport in Europe, and Saturday afternoon is usually not great either. On the other hand, the lack of trains may be due to repair work that will be over by fall. I believe the bus always requires a change. The train is pretty slow, too, but at least the scenery is good.

Did you use Giardino/Naxos as your station Taormina station?

Thanks for the info. I hope the lack of trains is repair related - I will continue to watch.

Yes, the station was "Taormina - Giardino" Ibelieve). The name definitely referenced Giardino/Naxos. If I understand correctly, the train station for Taormina is down at beach level, not up in the town. Is that correct?

Yes, that's right. There is (or was) a bus, or you can take a taxi.

I'm probably way off base here, but I would encourage you to check the stations again -- "Taormina -- Giardino" COULD me that you want to include your trip FROM Taormina TO Giardina / Naxos -- which you probably don't want to include as you can get there by other means. Just a thought....

@kja - no, if you start typing Giardino, Trenitalia changes it to Taormina-Giardino.

Actually, doesn't seem to be an earlier train on a weekday either. In which case, the 16:36 train is probably the intercity from Rome, and there isn't a local. If you want to travel earlier it will have to be the bus.

@ thursdaysd -- thanks for checking!

Bus on Sundays:
Taormina dp every hr from 7.45 until 20.45 - Catania ar 1 1/4hr later.
Catania dp 9.30, 10.30, 12.30, 15.30, 16.30, 18.30 20.00
http://www.interbus.it/Orarietariffe...locArrivo=0%28[11&DataPartenza=26/04/2015

Thanks everyone!

I will continue to watch to see if there are any new options for trains in October. Our plan is to head to Siracusa in the mid to late morning if possible. If trains aren't an option, we'll take the long bus ride or consider a (expensive) private transfer.

I will also check with the owners of the apartments we are renting. I know some will do transfers for a charge.

There are actually 2 morning trains (coming both from Rome), Taormina dp 7.30 and 8.35 running on Sundays, but they don't accept passengers in Sicily.

As I recall, the buses are quite comfortable.