Southern Italy travel advice

[yorkie]

I notice that the 1350 from Riposto arrives at Randazzo 1459 and then there is a 1501 from Randazzo to Catania.

Presumably this is a booked connection, and the 1501 will be held in the event of a delay?

Many thanks

(@D6130 )

 

[D6130]

I notice that the 1350 from Riposto arrives at Randazzo 1459 and then there is a 1501 from Randazzo to Catania.

Presumably this is a booked connection, and the 1501 will be held in the event of a delay?

Many thanks

Should be....but nothing is ever guaranteed in Italy. Your best bet would be to inform the conductor on the first train that you want to make the connection, then he/she can ask the driver to radio ahead to Randazzo and request the connection to be held if necessary. In my experience, the Circumetnea trains are pretty punctual....unless there's a major eruption in the direction of the railway, which occasionally affects the Randazzo-Bronte section and would require replacement bus services to be put into operation.

Edit: Are you in Sicily now? According to my on-line timetable, the 15 01 departure from Randazzo doesn't exist....it's a bus departing at 15 15 for Bronte and Adrano Nord. The next train departure is shown as 16 26.

Edit again: The app has just updated to show the 15 01 departure from Randazzo. I strongly suspect that the 14 59 arrival from Riposto will be the same unit.

 

[AlbertBeale]

I notice that the 1350 from Riposto arrives at Randazzo 1459 and then there is a 1501 from Randazzo to Catania.

Presumably this is a booked connection, and the 1501 will be held in the event of a delay?

Many thanks

(@D6130 )

deleted.

 

[yorkie]

Should be....but nothing is ever guaranteed in Italy. Your best bet would be to inform the conductor on the first train that you want to make the connection, then he/she can ask the driver to radio ahead to Randazzo and request the connection to be held if necessary. In my experience, the Circumetnea trains are pretty punctual....unless there's a major eruption in the direction of the railway, which occasionally affects the Randazzo-Bronte section and would require replacement bus services to be put into operation.

Edit: Are you in Sicily now? According to my on-line timetable, the 15 01 departure from Randazzo doesn't exist....it's a bus departing at 15 15 for Bronte and Adrano Nord. The next train departure is shown as 16 26.

Edit again: The app has just updated to show the 15 01 departure from Randazzo. I strongly suspect that the 14 59 arrival from Riposto will be the same unit.

Yes we are. Today we have done a circular journey on Trenitalia.

We are looking to do the route around Etna tomorrow. Thanks for the advice

There is a strike on tomorrow, but I don't think this affects the Circumetna trains? We may have to spend more time at Riposto; is that a good place to visit and is there anything in particular we should consider seeing/doing while there?

 

[D6130]

Yes we are. Today we have done a circular journey on Trenitalia.

We are looking to do the route around Etna tomorrow. Thanks for the advice

There is a strike on tomorrow, but I don't think this affects the Circumetna trains? We may have to spend more time at Riposto; is that a good place to visit and is there anything in particular we should consider seeing/doing while there?

Sorry, I sent you a DM regarding the strike before seeing this post. Riposto is a fairly nondescript small seafront town, with a small port, shingle beach and a monumentally ugly (imho) church. It's main point of interest is the Kentie botanical garden and museum. Giarre, on the other hand - on the inland side of the railway and joined to Riposto by a long straight avenue - is more interesting, with more historic buildings and archaeological sites....some going back to ancient Greek and Roman times. The cathedral contains the largest organ in Sicily. Good luck with the strike and look out for the guaranteed trains ('G' in the timetable column headings) which should still be running....but with the schools and colleges still on their Easter holidays, may not be! You could do worse than hang out in a local cafe and enjoy the various Sicilian specialities if there's a long gap between trains.

 

[52290]

If you like beer you should be able to find the products of the Etna Brewery (Birrificio dell'Etna) in local cafés and bars as it's brewed near Riposto.

 

[alistairlees]

I have to agree with D6130. There is pretty much nothing to do in Riposto, the cafes are not that great (and often shut) and it's not an attractive town anyway.

On the other hand the staff on the Circumetnea are very nice, and may well show you around the station / trains if you ask nicely. It's not as if they have much to do either.

 

[D6130]

If you like beer you should be able to find the products of the Etna Brewery (Birrificio dell'Etna) in local cafés and bars as it's brewed near Riposto.

Yes, the brewery is situated very close to the station at Carruba, a short distance to the South of Giarre-Riposto on the main line to Catania, but I don't think it's currently open to the public.

 

[AndrewE]

By coincidence, Portillo Abroad was re-broadcast this week, highlighting Palermo, Agrigento and Syracusa. (And the Circumetnea)
We were going to Sicily in 2020 but had to abandon it due to the lockdowns. It's more than tempting now, especially as we haven't done anywhere other than the East coast and the Aeolian islands, so his itinerary looks good. Maybe next spring...