Page 264 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: MESSINA

BY TRAIN

Train stations Arriving by train, disembark at Stazione Centrale, Piazza della

Repubblica, unless you’re coming on the train ferry from the mainland, in which case
you might as well get off at the Stazione Marittima – even if you’re changing trains, as
it takes a good hour to reassemble trains from the ferry – and walk 100m on to the
Stazione Centrale. If arriving from elsewhere in Sicily, with a hydrofoil or ferry to
catch, get off at Stazione Centrale and walk along the platform to the Stazione
Marittima. The hydrofoil dock is straight across the road from the station entrance.
Allow 10min on foot if you have luggage. On no account take a taxi from outside the

station – drivers will attempt to charge €15.

Destinations Catania (1–2 hourly; 1hr 30min–2hr); Cefalù (12 daily; 2–3hr); Milan
(8–10 daily, most with change at Villa S. Giovanni and Rome; 11hr–17hr 45min);
Milazzo (10–14 daily; 20–35min); Naples (7–10 daily, most with change at Villa S.
Giovanni; 5–7hr); Rome (10 daily, most with change at Villa S. Giovanni; 7–10hr);
Palermo (8–11 daily; 2hr 30min–4hr); Taormina (1–2 hourly; 40min–1hr 10min).

BY BUS

Bus terminus Piazza della Repubblica is where most of the local and long-distance
buses arrive and depart, including buses to Milazzo for the Aeolian Islands.

Destinations Barcellona (1–2 hourly Mon–Sat; 1hr–1hr 30min); Capo d’Orlando (12
daily Mon–Sat; 1hr 15min–1hr 45min); Catania (11–19 daily Mon–Sat, 8 daily Sun;
1hr 35min); Catania airport (9–15 daily Mon–Sat, 8 daily Sun; 1hr 50min); Forza

d’Agrò (1 daily Mon–Sat; 1hr 35min); Giardini-Naxos (8–9 daily Mon–Sat; 45min–
2hr); Milazzo (fast service hourly Mon–Sat, 3 daily Sun; 50min); Naples (2 daily; 6hr
30min–7hr); Palermo (4–8 daily Mon–Sat, 4 daily Sun; 2hr 40min); Patti (1–2 hourly
Mon–Sat; 1hr–1hr 20min); Rome (3 daily; 9hr–9hr 20min); Santa Teresa di Riva (13
daily Mon–Sat; 1hr); Taormina (5–8 daily Mon–Sat, 2 daily Sun; 1hr 45min).

MESSINA BUS COMPANIES

AST 090 662 244 or 840 000 23, aziendasicilianatrasporti.it. Departing from
Piazza della Repubblica for Barcellona and Patti.

Giuntabus 090 675 749, giuntabustrasporti.com. Departing from Piazza della

Repubblica 52 for Milazzo.

Interbus 090 661 754, interbus.it. Departing from Piazza della Repubblica 6 for
the coast south to Letojanni and Taormina.