Getting Around Reggio Calabria
Reggio Calabria is a linear city, spread out along the coast beneath the Aspromonte mountains, with its historic centre arranged in parallel streets facing the sea. That shape shapes how you move: much of the city is walkable along the waterfront, while longer hops are best made by bus or train. The good news for visitors is that the main transport hubs — the central railway station, the bus terminal and the ferry port — sit close together, so switching between modes is straightforward.
On Foot
The city centre is compact and largely flat along the coast, which makes walking the natural way to explore. The seafront promenade, lined with magnolias and exotic palms, is the spine of the city and a pleasant route between the centre and the waterfront districts. Because the centre developed in a linear fashion with parallel streets, it is hard to get seriously lost on foot.
Walking is also the easiest way to link the main arrival points: the central station, the bus terminal in the plaza just outside it, and the ferry terminal are all within easy reach of one another. If your destination is the ferries to Messina, note that the local stations of Santa Caterina and Lido are closer to the port than Centrale.
Rail
Reggio Calabria Centrale, on Piazza Garibaldi, is the city's main railway station and the anchor of the local network. Long-distance trains from Milan, Rome and Naples call first at Villa San Giovanni, the ferry port further north, before terminating at Centrale. Inside the station there is a left luggage office, useful if you want to explore unencumbered before or after a journey.
Regional trains run along the coast in both directions — north towards small towns such as Scilla and Tropea, and south towards the airport and Palizzi. These regional services also stop at local stations within the city itself, including Santa Caterina and Lido, which are handier than Centrale for the Messina ferries. For a visitor, the practical upshot is that the train doubles as a local transport option along the coast, not just a way of arriving in the city.
Buses and Tickets
Local buses are operated by ATAM (Azienda Trasporti per l'Area Metropolitana di Reggio Calabria), which also runs a toll-free information line. Most local bus routes converge on Piazza Garibaldi, in front of Stazione Centrale, making the square the effective hub of the bus network and a convenient place to pick up a service.
Tickets are not bought on board in the usual way: pick them up in advance from any newsagent or tabaccheria. A single ticket is valid for a set period of time after validation, and a daily ticket is also available for those planning several journeys in a day. Buying from a tabaccheria is a routine part of using public transport in Italy, so it is worth getting into the habit early in your stay.
Taxis
Taxis are available in the city, and the plaza outside Reggio Calabria Centrale — with its cafes and fast-food kiosks — is a natural place to find one. For practical purposes, treat taxis as the flexible option for trips that do not line up neatly with bus or train routes, such as reaching a specific address with luggage or travelling at hours when services are thin.
Arriving by Air
Reggio Calabria's own airport, Aeroporto dello Stretto, sits at Ravagnese to the south of the city. It is served by ITA Airways from Rome Fiumicino, Milan Linate, Turin and Bergamo, and by Blue Panorama from Rome and Milan. From the airport, buses run to the downtown area and to the port, so you can reach the centre without a car. Regional trains along the coast also serve the airport, which gives you a second option if the bus timing does not suit.
Many visitors, however, arrive through Lamezia Terme airport well to the north, which handles budget flights by Ryanair and EasyJet — carriers that do not fly to Reggio itself. If you land at Lamezia Terme, you will need to continue onward to Reggio by road or rail rather than expecting a direct local connection from the airport.
Arriving by Sea
Reggio's ferry terminal, the Stazione Marittima, sits just north of Stazione Lido. Crossings to Messina in Sicily leave from here, and also from Villa San Giovanni further north along the coast. Several operators serve the route: Liberty Lines runs fast catamarans from Reggio Calabria that carry passengers but no vehicles; Meridiano Lines runs ferries between Messina's downtown port and Reggio Calabria around the clock; Bluferries runs hydrofoils that do take cars, from Villa San Giovanni to Messina's downtown; and Caronte & Tourist carries cars only, from Villa San Giovanni. On the Messina side, boats land either in the main downtown port or at a northern terminal a few kilometres away, so check which before you set off.
One ticketing quirk is worth knowing if you are coming from Sicily by train: fares from Palermo and Catania do not include the ferry crossing between Messina and Villa San Giovanni, even though the ferry trip may appear on your ticket. You pay the ferry fare separately at the ferry terminal.
Practical Summary
- Walk the centre and seafront — it is compact, flat and linear, and the main hubs are close together.
- Use Reggio Calabria Centrale as your rail anchor; regional trains also serve local stops such as Santa Caterina and Lido.
- Catch local buses around Piazza Garibaldi, in front of Centrale, and buy tickets beforehand from a newsagent or tabaccheria.
- Take a taxi from the station plaza when bus or train routes do not fit your plans.
- From Aeroporto dello Stretto, reach the centre by bus or by regional train; from Lamezia Terme, expect a longer onward journey.
- For Sicily, ferries leave from the Stazione Marittima just north of Stazione Lido, and from Villa San Giovanni further north.