Will you be hiring a car, or do you mean on public transportation?

Arrival time?

Vagabonda

Hi, we will arrive at 10.30 in the morning. As to transportation dont mind public or even hiring car whatever is going to be quicker, pratical etc.

(thanks for such a quick response!)

A car would certainly be the fastest and most convenient – Trapani to Catania is 326km and it would take 03h32 to drive. BUT, you absolutely don’t want to have a car in Catania. Why Catania?

Check ViaMichelin for driving routes, maps, distances and estimated driving times.

ViaMichelin:

viamichelin.com/viamichelin/…MaHomePage.htm

You could drive to the airport in Catania and either return, or park the car, and take the very convenient AMT bus for the 20-minute ride to Catania.

www.aeroporto.catania.it/page.php…

If you were to use public transportation; you would bus from Birgi to Trapani and then bus or rail to Catania – long and hard!!

There’s a reason why Sicilians prefer buses to trains. The train could take 7.5-14 hours!!

Trenitalia:

http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html

If you were to go by bus, bus from Trapani to Palermo, and Palermo to Catania.

Segesta runs buses from Trapani to Palermo. (2 hours)

SEGESTA:

http://www.interbus.it/

SAIS runs buses from Palermo to Catania. (2 and ¾ hours)

SAIS Autolinee:

http://www.saisautolinee.it/

buona Fortuna!

Vagabonda

Would it be worth getting a taxi from Trapani to Catania or even a bus to Palermo and then a taxi? Would I be able to negotiate a price?

I'll be sitting down when you tell roughly how much its gonna cost!!

I have booked this holiday the hotel is in Catania, was told by the operator that getting from the airport to hotel would not be a problem..... this is the first time I went on a limb and booked a holiday without my usual journey checks and I tell you what wont be making that mistake again!!

Why wouldn't you drive in Catania?

Private transfers would be very, very expensive.

Palermo to Catania alone would cost 320 euros.

http://www.palermointaxi.it/transfer.htm

Catania absolutely is NOT a city to drive – traffic and crime!!

What are driving conditions like in Sicily?

http://www.bestofsicily.com/faqs.htm#driving

This is all salvageable and you could still have a good holiday.

Hire a car at Birgi for the day and drop it off at the airport in Catania. Catania is an excellent public transportation hub. You will be able to explore Taormina, Mount Etna and Siracusa easily from Catania.

The car will be you fastest and most convenient way to get across Sicily. The bus is your next best option.

Vagabonda

feel a little more positive! Will look into hiring a car for the day from Birgi to Catania airport and maybe do the same for the return journey.

Thanks you have been a great help!

Based on how long you want to stay in Catania, and on witch other towns you want to visit, you should evaluate how interesting is for you to rent a car for your Sicilian holiday. I’m telling you this because that’s quite expensive to rent a car in a town and give it back in another. So if you have to leave Sicily from Trapani, perhaps is more convenient to bring it back there…

Either take the bus to Catania, or hire the car for a day. If you conclude that it would be more convenient to return the car in Trapani, consider parking the car at the airport in Catania and taking the bus to the airport each day when you take day trips. You do NOT want a car in Catania. There have incidents where travelers have been robbed in their own cars and unfortunately the authorities are complacent.

The length of time of the rental is a much more significant consideration than a different town for pick-up and drop-off. Rentals are less expensive over longer periods of time.

Italy Auto Rental is a broker with locations at both the Trapani and Catana airports. A one day rental would cost around 75 euros. 2-6 days would cost 45 euros per day. You may want to hold the car the entire time, but then you also have parking fees to consider.

http://www.italyautorental.com/

Vagabonda

hi can you let me know how you got on as i have booked flights into Trapani on 27 dec and have to be in catania, so am wondering how to do it?? ! thank you x

Assuming you will not hire a car and will take public transportation…

Take the AST bus from Birgi to Trapani.

AST (Azienda Siciliana Transporti):

http://www.aziendasicilianatrasporti.it/

Trapani/Paceco/AEROPORTO BIRGI/Paceco/Trapani

aziendasicilianatrasporti.it/opencms/opencms…

You could also taxi from the airport to Trapani.

Taxi from Birgi to Trapani will cost €30 – 20 minutes.

The bus would cost €2.10 – 45 minutes.

Take the Segesta (Interbus) from Trapani to Palermo (2 hours):

http://www.interbus.it/

Then take the SAIS bus from Palermo to Catania (02h40).

SAIS Autolinee:

http://www.saisautolinee.it/

If you were to hire a car at Birgi, it would take 03h 32 to drive the 326kms.

Check driving routes on ViaMichelin.

ViaMichelin:

viamichelin.com/viamichelin/…MaHomePage.htm

Driving is never recommended in Catania – You could return the car at the airport in Catania and take the AMT bus to town.

www.aeroporto.catania.it/page.php…

Best Wishes!

Vagabonda