sicily via rome (train/ferry/bus)
 

Next Fall, my wife and I are planning a trip to Sicily. We want fly into Rome and then taking public transportation to Sicily (train/ferry/bus). In Sicily, we want to move from city to city via public transportation (we traveled to San Francisco several times and used public transportation and it was very flexible). How good is public transit in Sicily? Will we be able to travel from city to city, and take local tours when we want to – similar to what can be done in the US? Any recommendations for Sicilian hotels/restaurants and local tours? Should we consult a travel agent?

My parents and I went to Sicily over Christmas. We had a rental car, but I was also observing other transportation options for my other relatives who may be interested to visit one day.

From what I see, public transportation between cities are poor in Sicily, except down the eastern coast Messina - Catania - Siracusa, or from Messina or Catania over to Palermo. Outside these corridors, trains are slow and buses infrequent.

Inside the main cities, most tourist sites are close to one another, so we mostly walk. Like around Palermo, Catania or Siracusa. The only tour groups I saw were Japanese groups. Didn't see any local tours, nor did I see any brochure at any of our hotels for local day tours (except for Mount Etna excursions, which there are plenty). Though I do think there may be day trips to Segesta and Selinunte from Palermo.

I think if you have the time, a trip can be done leisurely. But if you want to cover lots of places, you may find your public transportation quite limiting.

Anyways, my trip report is here:

fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=34921562

For emmalilly,

I suggest you flight directly to Sicily and from there rent a car.
Local connections (in Sicily) tend to be very limited and poor.

For hotels in Sicily I suggest you: http://www.italyvip.com

All the best

Hi Emma - The main bus companies running intercity services in Sicily are Interbus, Etna Trasporti and SAIS.

http://www.interbus.it/interbushtm/homepage.asp

http://www.etnatrasporti.it/

http://www.saistrasporti.it/

For train services go to:
www.trenitalia.com

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Hi Emmalilly,
I have been to Sicily four times and traveled all over the island with public transportation. Between buses, trains, and local tours, you can get to virtually all of the major attractions. You will only be limited from seeing some of the more remote towns in the interior, for which a car is necessary.
The train ride from Rome is very long, but very scenic along the coast. The train goes right on the ferry at Reggio to Messina so you don't have to get off. There are also overnight ferries from Naples to Palermo and Catania if you're looking for another option.
Places like Palermo, Taormina, Cefalu, Siracusa, Catania, Messina all offer tours to attractions such as Agrigento, Selinunte, Segesta, Piazza Armerina, the Aeolian Islands, Etna. You can get to some of these on your own by public transportation too. E.g., you can take the train from Palermo or Cefalu to Agrigento; train or bus from Taormina to Milazzo or Messina, then hydrofoil to the Aeolian Islands. I think you can find lots of information online without using a travel agent. Good luck.

Hello emmalilly,

Comparing San Francisco and Sicily for public transport is like comparing oranges and melas. One is a large urban area, the other the largest island in the Mediterranean. Having been to both, and been very happy with the public transport at each destination, here is my main impression--no matter where you go the locals will complain about their service.

You don't say how long you will be in Sicily. We got around exceedingly well by train, but you need to plan in advance so you don't have to back track. And much will depend on your personality. If you don't have the patience to wait for a bus at home, or you are unable to walk the ten minutes to pick up milk and bread but must drive, then Sicily will pose some challenges. If you have a calmer dispostion and see travel by public transport as an adventure rather than a chore, then you will have a wonderful time.

JQ

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions - they are a lot of help. We will keep investigating (based on your comments and suggestions.

We've always used public transportation in Sicily and had no problems and enjoyed the train rides very much. Go to trenitalia and book your seats there and you can get a ticketless reservation. I did this last year, we went from a small town near Palermo to Toarmina. The ride along the coast was spectacular!