Has anyone travelled on Sicily's railways? I'm thinking of doing a short trip there possibly in November and would appreciate any advice on the most scenic routes and best places to stay etc.
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Sicily's Railways
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I did, in 2015. Took the day train from Napoli to Palermo, with the ferry crossing of the Messina strait. Also took the train from Palermo to the airport. The line along the north coast is quite nice. The line that crosses Sicily North to South look quite nice too. It is unfortunately not possible anymore to go around the island by rail since the last metric lines have been closed several years ago. The remnants of those lines are still visible today.
I have also done Napoli to Palermo. part of a Warwick to Palermo by rail trip. Unfortunately we got chucked off the train at Rosario and put on buses to the ferry.. about an hours bus ride. But thye had a train ready to take us to palermo once we got over the straits.
Its a big place. you are not nearly at Palermo when you get to Messina!
We had a and 5 days in 10 ticket. you enter a date on days you want to travel and there were 5 boxes. good value, but it cost €10 for compulsory inter city reservations, which bumped the cost up a bit
Its a big place. you are not nearly at Palermo when you get to Messina!
We had a and 5 days in 10 ticket. you enter a date on days you want to travel and there were 5 boxes. good value, but it cost €10 for compulsory inter city reservations, which bumped the cost up a bit
alistairlees
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You should do the Circumetnea if you can - this goes round Etna on vintage (at least that's how it felt!) railbuses. But the views of Mt Etna are excellent. You can then get a mainline service from Catania to Giarre-Riposto (as the Circumetnea is not a complete circle). I started and finished at Randazzo (I was staying near there), but I guess you could start / finish anywhere along the route.
Lots of good points above. My other half is Sicilian (East Coast i.e. the Ionian Coast) so I get to visit regularly.
So from a railway perspective, the 2 main electrified routes essentially form a Y lying on its side with the main stem in the east at Messina and then each arm essentially heading along the north south coasts so along to Palermo and via Catania down to Siracusa. The remaining through trains both night and day (there are sadly nowhere near as many these days and they are regularly threatened with being cut) basically come across the straits on the ferry from the mainland and then split to head along these routes. Getting one of these is a great way to travel if only for one of Europe's last train carrying ferries.
An map overview from RFI (Italy's Network Operator) can be seen here http://www.rfi.it/cms-file/immagini/rfi_2014/visore/SICILIA.pdf
I would definitely second taking the Circumetnea or Littorina as it is known locally. Randazzo itself is an interesting town with many lava stone buildings. The section from Giarre (you can walk over to the Circumetnea station from the mainline one) up to Randazzo is probably the most impressive in my view as you climb and also pass the vineyards. There is also Bronte which is famous for its pistacchios and local fruit products as well.
Another thing to plug are the wonderful vintage train excursions the FS Fondazione (FS Foundation - like its museum arm) run which are amazing value and often include food tastings etc (though of course in Italian). You can if you want simply book one way to travel on the train. Details can be found here http://www.fondazionefs.it/content/fondazione/it/it/treni-storici.html I can see that in November there are trips Trapani - Castelvetrano (twice); Palermo - Salemi; Siracusa - Ragusa; and Siracusa - Caltagirone. Full programme and booking for these will be made available after mid-September.
As others have said it is a big place so do take that into account - also November is out of season. That is not a bad thing as it is great to explore when there are mainly locals but some places may be renovating/on their own holidays.
Hope that gives a flavour
So from a railway perspective, the 2 main electrified routes essentially form a Y lying on its side with the main stem in the east at Messina and then each arm essentially heading along the north south coasts so along to Palermo and via Catania down to Siracusa. The remaining through trains both night and day (there are sadly nowhere near as many these days and they are regularly threatened with being cut) basically come across the straits on the ferry from the mainland and then split to head along these routes. Getting one of these is a great way to travel if only for one of Europe's last train carrying ferries.
An map overview from RFI (Italy's Network Operator) can be seen here http://www.rfi.it/cms-file/immagini/rfi_2014/visore/SICILIA.pdf
I would definitely second taking the Circumetnea or Littorina as it is known locally. Randazzo itself is an interesting town with many lava stone buildings. The section from Giarre (you can walk over to the Circumetnea station from the mainline one) up to Randazzo is probably the most impressive in my view as you climb and also pass the vineyards. There is also Bronte which is famous for its pistacchios and local fruit products as well.
Another thing to plug are the wonderful vintage train excursions the FS Fondazione (FS Foundation - like its museum arm) run which are amazing value and often include food tastings etc (though of course in Italian). You can if you want simply book one way to travel on the train. Details can be found here http://www.fondazionefs.it/content/fondazione/it/it/treni-storici.html I can see that in November there are trips Trapani - Castelvetrano (twice); Palermo - Salemi; Siracusa - Ragusa; and Siracusa - Caltagirone. Full programme and booking for these will be made available after mid-September.
As others have said it is a big place so do take that into account - also November is out of season. That is not a bad thing as it is great to explore when there are mainly locals but some places may be renovating/on their own holidays.
Hope that gives a flavour
Thanks for the suggestions so far - as it happens the main reason for going is to ride on Circumetnea as I may only have one full day on the island. If the rest looks good I may be back!
AlbertBeale
Established Member
I took the direct night service from Milan to Syracuse a few years ago (having arrived in Milan that afternoon from London, having left that morning, via Paris - hence London-Syracuse, with only two changes of train, in a day, a night, and a bit of the next day ... very civilised). While there I only used the local railways in the south-east sector of the island; although the services are a bit patchy, sometimes with gaps of hours between services, and not for anyone in a great hurry, they did run when they claimed they would, and were often lovely characterful old trains, and very cheap of course. Also, the scenery and fascinating history - and the tasty food and drink everywhere - was such that I'd certainly recommend travelling around there. (And that was even before I was a Montalbano fan.)
I doubt you'll have much trouble finding cheap places to stay at that time of year.
I doubt you'll have much trouble finding cheap places to stay at that time of year.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
I travelled the Circumetnea in 2017, starting from the Catania Borgo terminus at the top of the city - takes a bit of finding if you are staying locally as I was.
I think there was only one service that allowed you to go right round Etna to Giarre-Riposto, setting off quite early.
It was shown as two separate trains which connected at Randazzo, but in fact it was the same train running through.
I was on an older train with opening windows, but there are some new DMUs (built in Poland I think), mainly on the Catania commuter section at the southern end.
Highly scenic, with Etna mostly continuously in view - remember the line can sometimes be closed or truncated by volcanic activity.
There's plenty of evidence of sections of the line having been rebuilt after eruptions, with tunnelling in exposed places.
http://www.circumetnea.it/linee_orari.php
From Giarre I used the main line down to Siracusa, which for me is the nicest town in Italy with some beautiful architecture.
The old town (Ortigia) is walkable from the station, but there's also a minibus service if you can fathom the route and timetable.
The most surprising thing about the rail journey was the vast Augusta oil refinery north of Siracusa.
In Siracusa you can also reflect that you are further south in Europe than the most northerly railway in Africa at Bizerta in Tunisia.
You can also go inland and across to Palermo via Ragusa, but you need plenty of time to do that.
Maybe next time!
I think there was only one service that allowed you to go right round Etna to Giarre-Riposto, setting off quite early.
It was shown as two separate trains which connected at Randazzo, but in fact it was the same train running through.
I was on an older train with opening windows, but there are some new DMUs (built in Poland I think), mainly on the Catania commuter section at the southern end.
Highly scenic, with Etna mostly continuously in view - remember the line can sometimes be closed or truncated by volcanic activity.
There's plenty of evidence of sections of the line having been rebuilt after eruptions, with tunnelling in exposed places.
http://www.circumetnea.it/linee_orari.php
From Giarre I used the main line down to Siracusa, which for me is the nicest town in Italy with some beautiful architecture.
The old town (Ortigia) is walkable from the station, but there's also a minibus service if you can fathom the route and timetable.
The most surprising thing about the rail journey was the vast Augusta oil refinery north of Siracusa.
In Siracusa you can also reflect that you are further south in Europe than the most northerly railway in Africa at Bizerta in Tunisia.
You can also go inland and across to Palermo via Ragusa, but you need plenty of time to do that.
Maybe next time!
I did a fair bit of trundling round the the FS lines in Sicily a few years back.
Certainly the coastal sections on the north and east costs are quite scenic. We were lucky enough to be able to visit Segesta by train before the Trapani direct line closed.
I think the only FS bits we haven't seen are the 'Montalbano' line (Siracusa-Caltanissetta via Gela) and the train ferry from Villa San Giovanni.
I'm heading down by train to Val di Noto next week (not exactly sure where) so we'll be doing both of those and also hopefully we'll also take in the Circumetnea. (Unfortunately, I think we'll be too late to try the Akragas express. )
Lots of good points above. My other half is Sicilian (East Coast i.e. the Ionian Coast) so I get to visit regularly.
...
Another thing to plug are the wonderful vintage train excursions the FS Fondazione (FS Foundation - like its museum arm) run which are amazing value and often include food tastings etc (though of course in Italian). You can if you want simply book one way to travel on the train. Details can be found here http://www.fondazionefs.it/content/fondazione/it/it/treni-storici.html I can see that in November there are trips Trapani - Castelvetrano (twice); Palermo - Salemi; Siracusa - Ragusa; and Siracusa - Caltagirone. Full programme and booking for these will be made available after mid-September.
Hope that gives a flavour
Thanks for that link - I had no idea these existed. The "treno dei formaggi e dei prodotti degli iblei" sounds great - I'm impressed that booking is fully integrated with the rest of trenitalia.
+1 for Syracuse - it's my favourite city in Sicily (so far).
I'm also think of using the through Palermo-Rome sleeper. Does anyone know how you go about securing a single berth i.e. a compartment for sole occupancy?
I know - we did one last September and as we booked sadly online availablility went. We rang them up at the Foundation in Rome - nice guy went into the system and altered the quota when I pointed out I was coming from England so I could book online for 2.
Yes - so on trenitalia when you have selected the train you want you need to chose the left-hand box and select posto singolo (single occupancy). You know you have got it right as it is invariably the most expensive set up for the sleeper options listed. Have uploaded a picture to the site which should help.View media item 3527
We just did Rome to Catania on the sleeper this summer - with two interconnected 2 berth sleeper compartments for us and the kids - using the Italiarail website -as we were iusing an Interrail for the travel part.
Whilst experimenting - on the DBahn site - I found the offer of "Excelsior" cabins - which can be booked as posto singolo - which some highly recommended on Seat61. different sites (including the Trenitalia site ) made no mention of these in the make up ( and they were offerred at a similar price - single occupancy a out Interrail discounted doubles!!).
I didn't dare book them - but sure enough - when exploring the three portions of train on the ferry across the Straights - there indeed was a half coach of Excelsior (private wc/shower) compartments!!!
Be bold.
P.S. be ready to get off on arrival - we arrived 15 mins early - then it left 10 mins early - which as it only sets down I guess isn't considered an issue (unless you sleep in..)
Whilst experimenting - on the DBahn site - I found the offer of "Excelsior" cabins - which can be booked as posto singolo - which some highly recommended on Seat61. different sites (including the Trenitalia site ) made no mention of these in the make up ( and they were offerred at a similar price - single occupancy a out Interrail discounted doubles!!).
I didn't dare book them - but sure enough - when exploring the three portions of train on the ferry across the Straights - there indeed was a half coach of Excelsior (private wc/shower) compartments!!!
Be bold.
P.S. be ready to get off on arrival - we arrived 15 mins early - then it left 10 mins early - which as it only sets down I guess isn't considered an issue (unless you sleep in..)
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