How to go to Palermo by ship
The ferries directed to Palermo from the most important Italian ports are those departing from Livorno, Genoa, Civitavecchia, Naples, Salerno and Cagliari. It can be very convenient, especially for those traveling with a vehicle, to embark from one of these port cities rather than driving to Villa San Giovanni, in Calabria, for the crossing of the Strait of Messina, and then continuing, still by car, up to to the capital of Sicily. And even pedestrians can find it easier to make the journey with a long-distance ferry, which represents a valid alternative to train and plane, especially if it is a matter of arriving in the Palermo area, which is well served by sea transport. So let’s see what the specific routes are, the duration of the navigation, the prices and other information.
Ferries from Livorno
The Livorno – Palermo route is covered three times a week in about twenty hours, with departure in the late afternoon. The price is around €40 and refers to a passenger on deck. Rates are subject to change based on availability, the chosen accommodation (deck, seat or cabin), on-board meals and the preferred travel method (with or without a vehicle). The days, departure times and updated prices can be consulted at the link of the route. By purchasing the ticket online, it will then be possible to take advantage of the fast check-in which allows acceptance for boarding directly alongside, without going through the ticket office.
Ferries from Genoa
The Genoa – Palermo section requires a journey time of twenty hours and thirty minutes, with departure in the late afternoon. The price varies between around €60 in the low season and around €100 on some peak days in the high season: this is the cost of a seat for a foot passenger. Rates change according to the period, the accommodation chosen (different types of cabin are also available), the meals booked and whether you are traveling with or without a vehicle.
Ferries from Civitavecchia
The Civitavecchia – Palermo section is completed in approximately fourteen hours, with departure in the early evening. The price is around €60 for a recliner. It is not possible to book a bridge seat, while, in addition to the seat in the lounge, it is possible to book beds, internal cabins or sea view cabins, suites, vehicle boarding and food passes, which naturally, if added, increase the total amount of the ticket.
Ferries from Naples
The Naples – Palermo route takes about ten hours to complete. Moorings are cast off in the evening and the price approximately starts at €40 per person for deck passage and without a vehicle. Different types of accommodation (seat, cabin) and meals on board are available, so the cost of the ticket varies greatly, also because there is not a single shipping company operating on the route. An overview of the trip with updated prices, departure dates and times can be viewed at the link at the beginning of this paragraph. The fast check-in service is active. it speeds up boarding operations, so, once the reservation has been made by paying for the ticket online, it will not be necessary to go to the port ticket office for acceptance.
Ferries from Salerno
The Salerno – Palermo route has a journey time of nine or ten and a quarter hours, after which the ship continues to Tunis. On the way back, on the reverse leg, the ship comes from Tunis. Departures from the port of Salerno are biweekly, day or night. The price is €45 for a deck passage passenger, but this is an estimate that may vary depending on the period. Obviously, if you choose the seat, the cabin, the meals on board or the embarkation with a vehicle, the cost of the trip is different.
Ferries from Cagliari
The Cagliari – Palermo route is sailed once a week. The departure is in the afternoon and the duration of the crossing is twelve hours. The price is around €38 in low season and €43 in high season. This is the deck passage for one passenger. The costs vary, moreover, if you opt for the seat, the cabin and if you choose to bring a vehicle with you. Since the fast check-in procedure is active, once in possession of the ticket, also purchased online, you can go to the ship’s access ramp, skipping the line at the ticket office.
