Are you planning to visit Sardinia soon? Most people fly to Sardinia as it is the quickest way to get to the island. However, if you want to take in the view of the Mediterranean Sea and are not in a rush, traveling via a ferry is also a great option. If you rent a car in mainland Italy and want to go to Sardinia, traveling by sea will also be your only option.
Several ferries are traveling to Sardinia from different Italian and international ports. There are five cities you can depart from mainland Italy and you can also travel from the French island of Corsica to Sardinia.
In this article, we will talk about which cities in Italy, Corsica, and Spain you can depart from. We will also talk about which ferry companies travel to the island and the travel time for each ferry route.
Ferry Routes Going To Sardinia
Sardinia is an Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea and is located west of the Italian peninsula. The island is also near Corsica and is about 263.1 nautical miles from Sicily. Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean and it has 3 airports but, getting to Sardinia can also be done via sea.
Although traveling by air is the fastest way to get to Sardinia, traveling by sea gets you more options as there are more ports of arrival on the island. Riding a ferry to Sardinia is also the only way if you plan on bringing a car to the island.
There are several ferry routes from Italian and international ports that travel to Sardinia daily. Some of these routes can change depending on the ferry company and season so if you plan on visiting Sardinia via a ferry, make sure to check the schedule before booking a ticket.
Here are Sardinia ferry schedules and best options for you to choose from so you can plan your trip accordingly.
Italy To Sardinia
Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia is a municipality in Rome and is a city port located on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Ferries coming from Civitavecchia have routes to Arbatax, Cagliari, Olbia, and Porto Torres.
The Civitavecchia to Arbatax route lasts 9 hours and has 2 crossings weekly with Grimaldi Lines ferries. The Civitavecchia to Cagliari route lasts 13 hours and has 3 crossings weekly with Grimaldi Lines. You have three options to choose from if you are taking the Civitavecchia to Olbia ferries:
- Grimaldi Lines. 7 crossings weekly. Travel time lasts 7 hours and 30 minutes
- GNV. 4 crossings weekly. Travel time lasts 6 hours and 15 minutes
- Tirrenia. 1 crossings daily. Travel time lasts 5 hours and 30 minutes
If you want to go to Porto Torres in northern Sardinia, the Civitavecchia to Porto Torres ferry route has 1 crossing weekly with Grimaldi Lines. The travel time lasts 6 hours and 30 minutes.
Genoa
Genoa is located in northwestern Italy and has ferry connections to both Olbia and Porto Torres. Genoa to Olbia ferry connections operate under Moby Lines GNV. Moby Lines has 1 crossings daily that lasts 10 hours while GNV has 6 crossings weekly with each journey lasting 11 hours.
Genoa to Porto Torres has connections from two ferry companies – GNV and Tirrenia and both ferries have 7 crossings weekly. The only difference is GNV lasts about 12 hours and 30 minutes while Tirrenia lasts 10 hours and 30 minutes.
Livorno
Livorno, located in the Toscana region in central Italy has 3 ferry companies sailing to Sardinia. Livorno to Golfo Aranci ferries sails under Corsica Ferries and it has 13 sailings weekly, each journey lasting for 7 hours and 15 minutes. Livorno to Golfo Aranci ferries sails under Corsica Ferries and it has 13 sailings weekly, each journey lasting for 7 hours and 15 minutes. Moby ferries take about 8 hours and 30 minutes while Grimaldi Lines is faster by an hour.
Naples
Naples lies on the west coast of Italy and the ferry connection to Cagliari is operated by Grimaldi Lines. Naples to Cagliari via ferry lasts about 15 hours and Grimaldi Lines has 3 sailings weekly.
Piombino
The last town in mainland Italy that has ferry connections to Sardinia is Piombino. Piombino to Golfo Aranci via Corsica Ferries lasts 6 hours and 30 minutes and it offers 3 sailings weekly. Piombina to Olbia via Moby Lines lasts about 5 hours and 30 minutes and has 5 crossings weekly.
Sicily To Sardinia
If you are coming from Sicily, there is only one place where you can depart if you want to cross the Mediterranean to get to Sardinia. The Palermo to Cagliari ferry takes about 12 hours and it operates under Grimaldi Lines. Palermo to Cagliari only has 1 sailing weekly so you have to plan your trip accordingly.
Corsica To Sardinia
Ajaccio
Ajaccio to Porto Torres has ferry routes from Corsica Ferries and Moby Lines. Corsica Ferries has 2 sailings weekly while Moby Line has 3 crossings weekly. Corsica Ferries lasts about 4 hours and 45 minutes while Moby Lines lasts about 3 hours.
Bonifacio
The Bonifacio to Santa Teresa di Gallura has the quickest travel time at only 50 minutes and this is operated by Moby Lines. This route has 3 crossings daily and is the quickest way to get to Sardinia if you want to travel by sea.
Porto Vecchio
Another town you can depart from in Corsica is Porto Vecchio using Corsica Ferries. The ferry company has 2 sailings weekly and you can get to Porto Torres in 4 hours and 45 minutes.
France To Sardinia
Mainland France only has one port from Toulon that goes to Sardinia via Corsica Ferries. Toulon to Porto Torres has 2 crossings weekly and the journey lasts 8 hours and 45 minutes.
Spain To Sardinia
The only city in Spain where you can depart to go to Sardinia is Barcelona. Grimaldi Lines has one crossing weekly going to Porto Torres from Barcelona and the trip lasts for 13 hours.
How To Book Ferry Tickets To Sardinia
You can either book your ferry tickets via the ferry company’s website or third-party apps. You can book your tickets in advance and some Sardinia ferries have car ferries to Sardinia if you plan on bringing a car.
Conclusion
If you are one for a slow and scenic journey to Sardinia, taking the ferry is a great option. Car ferries are also available if you plan on renting a car before going to the island. In this article, we talked about the different cities that have ferry connections to Sardinia. We hope this article helped you plan your trip to the beautiful island of Sardinia and help you choose the best ferry company for your needs. If you have any questions, let us know! Happy Sailing!
