Getting around Siracusa
Siracusa is a compact city, and most of what a visitor wants to see sits in two distinct areas: the island of Ortigia, the oldest part of the city, to the southeast, and the Neapolis archaeological area to the north. Both are roughly a 20-minute walk from the main railway station, and walking is genuinely the easiest way to cover the centre. For longer hops, or to save your legs in the heat, a small network of local buses fills the gaps.
On foot
Walking is the default way to visit Siracusa. The two main areas of interest — Ortigia and Neapolis — are each about a 20-minute walk from the station, so you can base yourself near the centre and reach the sights without any transport at all. Ortigia in particular rewards wandering: it is small, dense and best explored slowly on foot.
Local buses
The most useful services for visitors are the little electric navettes that ply the centre and the main areas of interest, run by Siracusa d'Amare. There are three lines, all departing from the terminal stop at Molo Sant'Antonio and running every 15–20 minutes:
- Linea blu — runs anti-clockwise around Ortigia and up Corso Umberto, close to the railway and bus stations.
- Linea rossa — runs north to Neapolis, then back via the stations.
- Linea verde — runs north along the coast, then inland to Neapolis; note that it stops running at 22:00.
Operating hours vary by day: Monday to Thursday, Sundays and holidays the navettes run 07:00–14:00 and 15:00–20:00, while on Fridays and Saturdays they run 07:00–14:00 and 15:00–24:00. Tickets are cheap and flexible — a single, a day pass and a week pass are all available. You can buy them on board with cash, or from newsagents and tobacconists displaying a "Punto Vendita Biglietti Pullman" sign.
AST provides most other bus services in and around the city. Two lines are worth knowing: a circular route linking Siracusa with Fontane Bianche, and a route from downtown that passes the Sanctuario delle Lacrime and Neapolis.
Trains and the station
Siracusa's Stazione Centrale sits on Piazzale Stazione, about a 15-minute walk north-west of Ortigia. Most trains, and all mainline trains heading north towards Catania, depart from the main platforms; some regional trains heading west towards Noto, Pozzallo, Ragusa and Gela may leave from the shorter platforms at the end of the main platform, since the mainline tracks are not electrified. All platforms are wheelchair accessible, and the station has a cafe and a ticket office. For left luggage, use the station bar outside on the piazza, and look diagonally left for the inter-city bus stops.
Direct trains run along the coast from Messina, via Taormina-Giardini and Catania, and there are also direct services from Rome (via Naples and the Straits ferry) and from Palermo via Enna and Catania. Regional trains run west via Noto, Pozzallo (where you can pick up the ferry to Malta), Modica and Ragusa to Gela — but note there is no Sunday service on that regional route.
Intercity buses
The intercity bus hub is on Corso Umberto, next to the railway station. From here there are regular connections with Catania, Noto, Modica, Ragusa and Gela, plus other nearby destinations, provided by Interbus and A.S.T. There are also daily buses to Palermo (Interbus) and long-distance services towards Messina, Naples and Rome (Bus Ticket and Sais Trasporti). Some regional buses make a number of stops within the city, so it is worth checking the operator's website to see whether one of them stops closer to where you are staying. Tickets for these particular buses can also be bought on board.
Taxis and driving
Taxis are available, and the source material notes them chiefly as a way of covering short connections — for example, between the airport and Catania railway station. If you are driving, be aware that the entire island of Ortigia is a limited traffic zone (ZTL): most vehicles are prohibited from entering it at night and on Sundays and holidays, so check the zone's map and hours before driving in.
Getting in from the airport
The main gateway is Catania-Fontanarossa airport, about 50 km north of Syracuse. The simplest option is the inter-city buses between Catania and Syracuse, which all call at the airport and take just over an hour. Alternatively, take a bus or taxi from the airport to Catania railway station, from where frequent trains run to Syracuse.
Ragusa airport (Aeroporto di Comiso "Pio La Torre") is closer, but it has fewer flights and no onward public transport, so plan ahead if you fly in there.