Sicily’s Catania–Fontanarossa Airport – also known as Vincenzo Bellini Airport – is the busiest airport on the island and is located a few kilometres from Catania city centre. It has two terminals and is served by many major airlines such as ITA Airways, Lufthansa and KLM.

Catania Airport is quite convenient to reach via public transport thanks to the Catania–Fontanarossa Airport train station, located just a few hundred metres from the airport building and served by Trenitalia regional trains.

Taking the train from Catania airport to your hotel is a practical and convenient option, as it avoids traffic in Catania and also offers connections to other Sicilian provinces – so you can arrive at your destination with ease, no matter where in Sicily you’re staying. Read on to discover all the essential airport train transfer information below.

Trenitalia regional trains

The most popular connection among the many routes operating from Catania-Fontanarossa Airport is to Catania Central. Tickets cost £2.00 and there are 26 departures operating between 06:04 and 22:42 from the airport and 04:50 to 21:06 from Catania Central. Journeys take just six minutes without any intermediate stops.

You’ll also find connections to Messina Central, Syracuse, Caltanissetta, Enna, Caltagirone and Taormina.

Check the train schedules and prices for reaching Catania Airport from Catania Central and vice versa below.

  • Catania Central to Catania–Fontanarossa Airport
  • Catania–Fontanarossa Airport to Catania Central
DepartureArrivalDurationPrice
16:5016:566mBuy from €2.20
16:5717:058mBuy from €2.20
17:3217:386mBuy from €2.20
18:3218:408mBuy from €2.20

Catania Airport transfers to Messina

If you’re travelling from Catania Airport to Messina, the train is the best option for covering the 100-km (65 mile) distance. There are 17 trains a day that complete the journey to Messina Central in as little as 1 hr 40 min, with tickets costing £8.81.

The trains call at strategic stops and are mostly direct, although some routes require a change. You can also get the bus from Catania Airport to Messina, with routes operated by FlixBus. Click the Coach tab on TrainPal to view bus options – tickets are usually just £8.16.

Consult the train schedule for Catania Airport–Messina trains below.

  • Messina to Catania–Fontanarossa Airport
  • Catania–Fontanarossa Airport to Messina
DepartureArrivalDurationPrice
17:0518:481h 43mBuy from €9.70
17:1518:481h 33mBuy from €9.70
18:2120:262h 5mBuy from €9.70
18:3120:261h 55mBuy from €9.70

Catania Airport train station

Catania–Fontanarossa Airport station is conveniently located just 600 metres from the terminals, and you can reach it on foot or by the shuttle bus. The AMTS shuttle bus runs every ten minutes and leaves from the first lane outside Arrivals (Terminal A). Tickets cost €1 and can only be purchased in combination with a train ticket to or from Catania–Fontanarossa Airport.

The station is equipped with lifts for passengers with disabilities or those travelling with bulky luggage. It is served by Trenitalia regional trains and provides frequent connections to Catania and Sicily’s main cities.

Catania Airport by bus

You might find that some of the bus routes better serve your flight arrival time or final destination. Alibus city bus connects the airport to Catania Central station, with departures every 25 minutes. Tickets cost €4 (about £3.50) and can be purchased on board or from authorised AMTS retailers.

There are several other bus companies that connect Catania Airport to destinations further afield. These include A.S.T., Interbus, and Flixbus, among others. For example, you can reach cities like many major Italian cities with FlixBus through TrainPal, such as Catania Airport to Naples – just switch to the Coaches tab in your search results page to book.

How to buy cheap train tickets

Book in advance

Booking in advance can save you money on train fares. Advance tickets are released 6 months before the date of travel for Trenitalia Frecce tickets, 11 months for Italo tickets and up to 5 months for Regional Trains (Treni Regionali). They are only released in limited amounts, so you have to act fast to get the cheapest tickets – and you’ll find the best fares on TrainPal.

Compare Trenitalia & Italo Trains

By using one single platform like TrainPal, you can easily spot which is the cheapest fare among the two providers. You can compare Trenitalia and Italo prices, schedules and service to buy the cheapest, most convenient train tickets for you.

Use TrainPal Discounts

TrainPal offers you plenty of ways to save when buying train tickets. From welcome offers, seasonal promotions like Summer, Christmas and Easter Sales, as well as loyalty programmes, you’ll be sure to get the best value for your train fare.