Palermo Airport is situated approximately 35 km west of the city centre and is the main gateway for travel to northern and western Sicily.

The cheapest way to get to Palermo is by bus via 6 eur, whilst the fastest Genio Express trains cover the journey to the main station in 34 to 36 minutes.

After 1.05 am, your only options are a taxi or a pre-booked transfer.

• Best transport to the historic centre: bus
• Fastest transport: Genio Express train
• Cheapest transport: a bus ticket bought online for 6 eur
• Night-time transport: bus until 1.05 am, then a taxi or private transfer

Car hire

If Palermo Airport is your starting point for travelling around Sicily, hiring a car is your best option. The terminal is home to many large international and smaller local car hire companies.

Prices for a week’s hire range from 150 eur to 350 eur, depending on the size of the car and the season.

Compare prices and book a car

Bus to Palermo

The bus company Prestia e Comande, in partnership with Terravision, runs from the stop in front of the terminal through the city to the terminus at Palermo’s main railway station, Stazione F.S.

The bus also stops in the historic centre along the way. You can find a map of all the stops below.

Compared to the train, buses have the advantage of more frequent services; the vehicles are comfortable and air-conditioned, and they mostly travel on the motorway.

Services run every 30 minutes, departing at half and full hours from 05:00 to 00:30 from the airport, and from 04:00 to 21:30 from the city centre. The journey time, depending on your stop, will take between 25 and 50 minutes.

You can buyone-wayticketsonline at terravision.eu for6 eur. You can also use theprestiaecomande.it website, although you’ll need to register there and the booking process is slightly more complicated than on terravision.eu.

Return tickets are sold at a discount of 10 eur exclusively via the Prestia e Comande website, whilst Terravision does not offer a return discount. Tickets can also be purchased on board from the driver.

• Fare: 6 eur (return for 10 eur)
• Journey time – Palermo Centrale: 50 minutes
• Frequency: every 30 minutes
• First bus from the station – 3.30
• Last bus from the airport – 1.05 am

Buy a ticket – Terravision.com

Train to Palermo

The train service from Punta Raisi station, located directly in front of the airport terminal, also runs every half hour and also goes toPalermo Centrale main station.

Trains depart from the airport from 5.15 am to 12.25 am at irregular intervals of twice an hour. The journey to the terminus at Palermo Centrale takes 1 hour and 5 minutes. It stops at 10 other stations in Palermo along the way. Return services from the city centre run between 4.00 and 22.11.

A ticket costs 6,80 eur and can be purchased online at trenitalia.com or from a ticket machine at the stop for the same price.

• Fare: 6,80 eur (return ticket without discount)
• Journey time – Palermo Centrale: 35–75 minutes (every second service is an express)
• Frequency: usually twice an hour (irregular intervals)
• First train from Palermo Centrale – 4.00
• Last train from the airport – 00:25

Book a hotel in the centre of Palermo

Is the train or the bus better?

The prices for both options are practically the same. The train is a better option if you want to be sure you won’t get stuck in traffic, or if you’re continuing on to Palermo Centrale on another train.

The bus is more practical for travelling to the historic centre, the Politeama or the area around Via Libertà. It stops at more places and runs later in the evening than most trains.

Taxis, Uber and mobile apps

You’ll find the official taxi rank just outside the arrivals hall. The journey to Palermo takes around 30 to 45 minutes, depending on traffic.

Fares between the airport and Palermo are fixed according to the destination area of the city:

• Viale Michelangelo or Viale Lazio: 39 eur
• Corso Calatafimi or Corso Vittorio Emanuele: 44 eur
• Palermo Centrale or Brancaccio: 50 eur

Before getting in, always tell the driver your destination address and check which fixed-rate category it falls under.

Both card and cash payments are accepted.

Uber at Palermo Airport

Uber operates in Palermo and you can book a ride via the app from the airport as well. However, it is not always a cheaper alternative to a traditional taxi. The app primarily connects passengers with licensed taxis and the more expensive Uber Black vehicles.

According to Uber, the average fare between the airport and Palermo is 57 eur and the journey takes approximately 32 minutes. The actual fare is displayed in the app and varies according to demand.

Taxis can be booked via Uber 24 hours a day, but the availability of a specific vehicle is not guaranteed.

You can also book a traditional Palermo taxi via the appTaxi or itTaxi apps. The app will show you an estimated price, and you can pay by card or digital wallet.

Taxis via Booking.com

You can also book a private transfer in advance via Booking.com. The driver will be waiting in the arrivals hall and you’ll know the price at the time of booking.

A standard transfer from the airport to the centre of Palermo costs around 67 eur for the whole car. The exact price varies depending on the destination, arrival time and size of the car.

Booking in advance is particularly worthwhile if you arrive after 1.05 am, are travelling with a lot of luggage, or if you don’t want to queue for a taxi upon arrival.

Book a taxi via Booking.com

Shared taxi

A cheaper option is the official shared taxi service. Shared taxi ranks are located outside the arrivals hall and the fare is 10 eur per person.

This price applies only if there are at least 4 passengers. If there aren’t enough passengers, you’ll have to wait or take a regular taxi.

You can book a shared taxi in advance with Coop Trinacria or Coop Autoradio. It is recommended that you book at least 24 hours before your journey.

Direct bus to Mondello

From 15 June to 31 October, the Prestia e Comandè direct bus service operates between the airport and the seaside resort of Mondello.

The bus runs without the need to change buses in the centre of Palermo and stops at locations such as Piazza Bolivar, Viale Venere, Via Principe di Scalea and the Galatea car park.

• Fare: 6 eur
• Journey time: approximately 35 minutes
• Departures from the airport: 8.00, 9.00, 11.00, 13.00, 15.00, 17.00, 19.00 and 21.30
• Departures from Mondello: from 4.00 to 19.00
• Choose the best beach hotel in Mondello

You can buy your ticket online via prestiaecomande.it or from the driver, paying in cash or by card.

Train to Cefalù

You can also travel by train from the airport to Cefalù. Most journeys require one change, usually at Palermo Centrale station.

The journey usually takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes, and a ticket costs around 13 eur. On some days, there are also direct trains from Palermo Aeroporto to Cefalù, but these are very limited in number.

Always check the latest timetables on trenitalia.com by entering the stations ‘Palermo Aeroporto’ and ‘Cefalù’.

Buses to Marsala and Mazara del Vallo

Direct services to the western Sicilian resorts of Mazara del Vallo and Marsala are provided by Salemi buses approximately once an hour.

The last bus from the airport leaves at 23:55, and the first from Marsala at 3:10; the journey takes about an hour and a half.

• Ticket price to Marsala: 11 eur
• Ticket price to Mazara del Vallo: 10 eur
• Official website and online ticket booking:autoservizisalemi.it

Buses to Trapani Airport

Direct buses operated by Salemi run approximately four times a day to Trapani (TPS), another international airport in Sicily. Unfortunately, the buses do not stop anywhere along the route, not even in the city of Trapani.

• Ticket price: 10 eur
• Official website and online ticket booking:autoservizisalemi.it