What is more comfortable/safer/less expensive/quicker: the overnight ferry from Naples to Palermo, or the overnight express from Rome to Palermo? <BR><BR>I'll be there end of April to mid-May? Is it already pretty crowded that time of year?

The train fare with a berth in a 4-berth couchette is 63 euros, and with a sleeper in a 3-berth sleeper is about 90 euros. Does the boat still sail ? Tirrenia, http://www.gruppotirrenia.it/tirreni.../mainframe.htm, used to sail overnight, but I think do so no longer.<BR><BR>Sorry<BR><BR>Ben Haines, London<BR><BR>

Both Tirrenia and SNAV still run overnight from Napoli to Palermo every night (www.tirrenia.it and www.snav.it). Tirrenia's ships are about three years old and 30,000 tons, while SNAV's are a similar size but older. Both have restaurants, cabins with shower and toilet, etc, and will be much more comfortable than the night train. Fares will depend on the standard of accommodation you want.

Thank you Ben and Geoff! Do any ferries go to Messina? If I go to Liapri first, can I go right from there to Messina, or do I have to backtrack to Naples?<BR><BR>So the ferry's more comfortable? I wanted to just leave right out of Rome w/o going to Naples; guess there's no way to avoid Naples.

Siremar has an overnight car ferry three times per week from Naples to Lipari taking 12.5 hours. I have taken it and it is extremely scenic, though the sleeping cabins are very, very basic. www.siremar.it<BR>There is a daily car ferry from Salerno to Messina, although most people would take the train. From Lipari to Messina, there is a daily hydrofoil direct (www.snav.it), and frequent ferries and hydrofoils to Milazzo, with connecting bus service to Messina.