Getting Around Cagliari
Cagliari is the capital and largest city of Sardinia, and its compact historic core sits between a sheltered harbour and a fortified hill. For a visitor, the practical takeaway is that the centre is best explored on foot, while buses and the light rail fill in the gaps between the centre, the suburbs, and the airport. This guide covers the main ways tourists move around the city and how to reach it from the airport.
Walking
Walking is the natural way to experience Cagliari's historic quarters. The city's landmarks are layered across distinct neighbourhoods — the fortified hill of Castel di Castro (the modern Casteddu), the Marina, Stampace and Villanova — and these are close enough together that a visitor can move between them on foot. Note, though, that the historic centre includes steep, hilly terrain around the Castello hill, so expect some climbing if you plan to cover it thoroughly.
One practical caveat for drivers rather than walkers: the city centre contains several limited traffic zones (ZTLs) — in Marina, Castello, Villanova, Stampace Alto and Stampace Basso — plus a separate limited traffic zone in Poetto. These restrictions are a good reason to leave the car behind and walk or use public transport instead.
Buses and Trolleybuses
The main local public transport operator in Cagliari is CTM, which runs an efficient and reliable (by Italian standards) network of buses and trolleybuses connecting the city and its suburbs. The fleet includes both conventional bus lines and trolleybus (filobus) routes.
Tickets and passes can be bought in a few ways:
- CTM Busfinder app — you can buy tickets using a credit or debit card. Tickets bought this way must be validated onboard by scanning a QR code near the doors of the bus; follow the instructions in the app.
- On board — single tickets are also sold on board, but at a higher price than pre-purchased tickets.
Ticket types include a single ticket valid for a set period, a combined bus-plus-metro ticket valid for a longer window, and a day pass. All tickets must be validated on first boarding. Because fares and validity windows can change, check current prices in the app or at the point of sale when you arrive.
Light Rail (Metrocagliari)
Cagliari has a light rail system, Metrocagliari, run by ARST. It serves the town of Cagliari and part of its metropolitan area. An important practical point for visitors: both of its lines run quite far off the centre of the city, so the light rail is more useful for reaching outlying areas than for hopping between central sights. Single tickets are available and are valid for a set period, and the same validation rules apply as on the buses.
Regional Buses and Trains
For travel beyond the city, ARST is the main regional bus service provider, and a few other companies also operate in the region — notably Turmo Travel, which runs buses to Olbia (and its airport) and Santa Teresa Gallura. The regional bus terminal, Stazione ARST Autolinee, is at Piazza Matteotti. There is a left luggage service at the bus terminal (next to McDonald's); note that there is no left luggage service at the train station, but the bus station is right next to it and only a short walk from the ferry terminal.
Cagliari's main railway station, Stazione di Cagliari, connects to Elmas airport and to destinations across the island, including Sassari (and the ferry terminal at Porto Torres), Olbia (and the ferry terminal at Golfo Aranci), Oristano, Iglesias and Carbonia Serbariu.
Taxis
Taxis are available in Cagliari, and a number of taxi companies serve the airport. For visitors arriving by plane, a taxi is a straightforward door-to-door option into the city.
By Car
Driving in Cagliari is not the easiest option: it is really difficult to find parking and to drive during rush hour, even though the road network has been improved. If you do drive, be aware of the limited traffic zones in the centre (Marina, Castello, Villanova, Stampace Alto and Stampace Basso) and in Poetto, and check the maps and hours before entering.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Cagliari's airport, Aeroporto di Cagliari-Elmas (CAG), is the busiest airport in Sardinia and sits next to the town of Elmas, northwest of central Cagliari. It is served directly by a number of domestic and international flights, and well-connected Milan-Linate and Rome-Fiumicino airports can also serve as intermediate stops. The airport lies on the SS130 road.
From the airport you have several options into the city:
- By train — Stazione di Elmas Aeroporto is right next to the airport. Trenitalia railways connect the airport to the city and to the rest of the island, with frequent service throughout the day. This is the quickest and simplest public transport link into central Cagliari.
- By taxi — a number of taxi companies serve the airport, offering a direct ride into the city.
- By car — the airport is on the SS130 road if you are driving or being picked up.
Arriving by Boat or Train
If you arrive by sea, the Stazione Marittima di Cagliari is served by Tirrenia ferries connecting with Civitavecchia (via Arbatax), Naples and Palermo, and by Grimaldi Lines. The ferry terminal is a short walk from the ARST bus terminal. If you arrive by train at Stazione di Cagliari, you can connect onward to Elmas airport and to destinations across Sardinia.
Practical Tips
- Buy bus and light rail tickets before boarding where possible — on-board tickets cost more.
- Validate your ticket on first boarding; app-bought tickets are validated by scanning the QR code near the bus doors.
- Use the CTM Busfinder app to buy tickets with a credit or debit card.
- Plan around the hills if you intend to walk the historic centre, and remember the Castello hill involves a climb.
- If you are driving, check the limited traffic zone maps and hours for the centre and Poetto before setting out.
- Use the left luggage service at the ARST bus terminal if you need to store bags — there is none at the train station.