Getting around in palermo

Last Updated: August 10, 2023

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Complete guide to the means of transport in the city of Palermo, with information on buses, trams, metro, tourist buses, tourist trains, taxis and bike sharing, including prices and schedules.

Getting around in palermo

Getting around in palermo.
The historic center of Palermo can be easily visited by foot, but sometimes you may need to use a means of transport to move from one point of the city to another.

Driving in Palermo can be complicated due to traffic and restrictions in the historic center, but public transport is a viable alternative. The public transport network of Palermo includes buses, trams and metro; in addition, there are car sharing and bike sharing services available.

Below you will find all the useful information to plan your movements during your visit to the city.

Buses

Getting around in Palermo by bus.

To get around Palermo, the city’s urban transport systems are managed by AMAT. The network is extensive and includes over 60 bus lines, including day, night and shuttle services, however, buses can be affected by city traffic and often get stuck, making travel times quite long.

Inside the old town there is a free shuttle, the Orange Shuttle, which leaves from Porta Felice and touches the main points of interest of the ancient city. This shuttle leaves approximately every 10 minutes and operates from 6:30 am until 21:00, including public holidays.

As for bus tickets, you can buy them at newsagents, tobacconists, some shops and at AMAT stores listed below:

– Via Borrelli
– Via De Gasperi
– Via Giusti
– Einstein Square
– Piazza Indipendenza
– Piazza Politeama
– Piazza Sturzo
– Central station
– Via Basile

The cost of a single ticket is 1.40 € and can be used for multiple trips within 90 minutes of validation, which must be carried out immediately on board the first vehicle used. You can also buy your ticket on board the bus, but at the price of 1.80 €.

For those who plan to use the bus several times, it is convenient to consider buying day tickets or booklets of tickets. The daily ticket is valid on the whole network for the day it is validated, until the end of the service, and costs 3.50 €.

There is also the “Multiday” version, valid for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 days, whose prices vary according to the duration of the ticket:

– 2 days: 5,70 €
– 3 days: 8,00 €
– 4 days: 10,20 €
– 5 days: 12,50 €
– 6 days: 14,60 €
– 7 days: 16,80 €

The booklet of 20 ordinary tickets costs € 23.50, while the booklet of 20 daily tickets is € 45.80. You must present the matrix of the booklet for use.

Getting around in palermo
Buses
Metro of Palermo
Tram
Buses and tourist trains
Taxi

Metro of Palermo

Getting around in Palermo by Metro.
In Palermo, in the Sicilian capital, there is a metropolitan railway service operated by Trenitalia, commonly called “the Palermo metro”.

There are three working lines:

Line A: Connects the Central Station to Punta Raisi (Falcone-Borsellino airport).
Line B: Connects Notarbartolo Station to Giachery.
Line C: Connects Termini Imerese Central Station.

Stops in the old town are limited and the frequency of trains is quite low: one train every 30 minutes for lines A and B, while for line C you have to wait between 30 and 60 minutes.

The metro runs from 5.00 to 20.30.

The price of a ticket for a trip in the urban area is 1.50 €, but the cost increases if you travel in the suburban area.

Attention: AMAT bus tickets are not valid for using the metro.

Tram

Getting around in Palermo by tram.

In Palermo there are four tram lines operated by the company AMAT, which connect the urban suburbs to points of interest near the city center.

This means that the tram is not very used by tourists, which are usually concentrated in the central areas of the historic center. However, if you have to travel, keep in mind that the tram is an environmentally friendly, comfortable and safe means of transport.

Here are the four active lines:

Line 1 Roccella: Connects the east of the city directly to the central railway station, facilitating interchange with regional and long-distance railway lines.

Line 2 Borgonuovo – Notarbartolo: Connects the Borgo Nuovo district in the north-west of the city with the Notarbartolo train station.

Line 3 CEP – Notarbartolo:
Connects the large residential settlement of the CEP district with the Notarbartolo train station.

Line 4 Notarbartolo-Calatafimi-Notarbartolo: With a circular route, it connects the large residential settlement of the Notarbartolo district with the area east of the city in the central area crossed by Corso Calatafimi.

Tram service is available from 6:00 to 21:00. The frequency of trips varies depending on the lines, with intervals of 5 minutes for line 1 and 12 minutes for line 4.

Buses and tourist trains

Also in Palermo, as in all major tourist destinations, tourist buses are available with the formula hop on-hop off (which means “jump up, jump down” in English).

These buses take a sightseeing tour of the city, allowing passengers to get off and back from any stop along the route, all located close to major tourist attractions, with no limit to the number of times you can hop on and off.

The tourist buses are comfortable and frequent, particularly suitable for families with children, people who prefer to avoid long walks or who want to avoid organizing their own itinerary. They are usually operated by private companies and the ticket price varies depending on the company.

Another means of transport specially designed for tourists are the two-wheeled trains that run through the city center. You can sit comfortably and admire the magnificent monuments and palaces of the city, while a tour guide will provide information during the journey.