Going on vacation to Sicily? Here’s how to organize your transfer from the airport to downtown Palermo!
Palermo Falcone-Borsellino International Airport, also known as Punta Raisi, is located around 30 kilometers from Palermo in the municipality of Cinisi. It is the most important airport not only in Sicily, but in the whole of Italy, with over 5,300,000 passengers a year.
Wondering how to organize your transfer from the airport to downtown Palermo? Don’t worry! We’re here to guide you and make your trip as easy as possible!
Generally speaking, the airport shuttle is the most popular and convenient way to transfer between the airport and Palermo city center, but there are other ways to organize your trip!
Getting to downtown Palermo by bus
Photo Credit: Facebook – Prestia e Comandè
When transferring between the airport and Palermo city center, you’ll find a shuttle service connecting the airport to the city center as soon as you leave the airport. The Prestia-Comandè bus company takes care of passengers.
A bus leaves every half-hour, from 4.30 am to 10.30 pm. Costing €6 per person, the bus will drop you off directly in the city center. You can either buy your ticket directly from the driver, online, or at the airport ticket office.
The length of your journey varies according to your stop. For example:
- Via Belgio stop: about 20 minutes
- Via della Libertà stop: about 30 minutes
- Central station: about 50 minutes
Train transfer
Photo Credit : Wikimedia
You can organize your transfer between the airport and Palermo city center by train. To do so, you’ll need to go to the Punta Raisi station located at the airport. This underground station serves the route to Palermo city center on the Trinacria Express train.
It will take you between 50 minutes and 1 hour to get to the Sicilian city. However, if you want to go further north, your journey will take an average of 40 minutes, and you’ll need to get off at theNotarbartolo station.
A train ticket costs €5.90 per person. You can buy them on the spot, at the ticket office, or online on the Trenitalia website.
Please note: At present, due to work on the railroad line, traffic is temporarily suspended until further notice. For the time being, please use another means of transport for your transfer between the airport and Palermo city center.
Organize your cab transfer
As at any airport, you can also take a cab into Palermo city center. As soon as you arrive and leave the terminal, cab ranks will be on hand to help you.
Make sure you define your route with the driver before you get into the vehicle, and ask for an estimate of the fare. Cabs offer a more comfortable means of transport.
Book your Palermo airport cab with TaxiTender. It’s an online booking platform for reliable and affordable airport transfers. Your driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals area, with a sign bearing your name. He or she will then take you to exactly where you want to go. Cancellation is free of charge. If you’ve booked an early morning flight to Palermo airport, or simply prefer to take a cab to the airport, this platform is ideal for that purpose.
And for even more savings, there’s Taxi Sharing! This consists of sharing your cab with other travelers to minimize the cost. They are located in cab ranks and are easy to identify.
Another option is to use the services of private chauffeurs. They can also take you to your destination, but prices are quite variable and higher than the solutions proposed above.
Plan your transfer from the airport to Palermo city center by car
Where to sleep near Palermo airport
A car is of course the most practical solution, making you totally independent. You’ll find car rental companies at Palermo airport as soon as you arrive. To save time, you can reserve your vehicle in advance.
Travel websites often offer car rental when you book your flight online. Your transfer from the airport to Palermo city center will take around 35 minutes (depending on departure time) for a journey of 33 kilometers.
Take theA29 freeway to Palermo, then the E90 Viale Regione Sicilia Nord Ovest.
If you choose this option to get to downtown Palermo, you might be interested in our article on where to park in Palermo and how to avoid car rental scams!