CAR FERRY FROM ITALY MAINLAND

Chalks1 Active member

55POSTS

10 years ago

聽 Hi everyone, I'm driving down from the UK in April and hope for a nice leisurely drive through France and Italy. I see that the shortest ferry route from Italy (mainland) to Sicily doesn't take cars. I'm sure there are plenty of expats who do this journey regularly any suggestions which is the best ferry route/company to use. So far I've got it down to 9 hours as the shortest journey.

See also

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tearnet ViP

2179POSTS

10 years ago

The shortest ferry from Italy to Sicily (straits of Messina) certainly does take vehicles and leaves every 20 min.

This link gives you聽 other ferries running in the Med.

Solerno to Polermo is another route that we have used.

Terry

Chalks1 Active member

55POSTS

10 years ago

Thanks Terry, believe it or not when I've done a simple google search that didn't come up.

bernie_iris_fabian_david Serial expat

337POSTS

10 years ago

Not the shortest line for sure, but we're taking Grimaldi Lines from Livorno to Palermo in June. They've got special offers at the moment (30 % off if you book until the end of January), so probably worth checking out

Bernie

Chalks1 Active member

55POSTS

10 years ago

This seems ok any issues let me know

roadtripper Active member

72POSTS

10 years ago

we took the ferry from聽 sothern italy to SIcily and then Ferry Pozzalo to Valleta

The other route that ai know was only open last year was Genoa to Palermo and Grimaldi ferries were not running.

Also check that the ferries havent stopped for a feq weeks for maintenance聽 and the weather, many people got stranded last year for 3/4 days a time because the weather and ferry issues.

Andreas O. Member

2POSTS

9 years ago

I have read that there is a new company starting soon a ferry service between Malta and Italy. Cannot find any confirmation, though. Anyone knows about it?

bernie_iris_fabian_david Serial expat

337POSTS

9 years ago

Andreas O. wrote:
I have read that there is a new company starting soon a ferry service between Malta and Italy. Cannot find any confirmation, though. Anyone knows about it?

Hi everyone, just saw an ad on facebook about this new ferry service, apparently it started yesterday.
Check out gollchershipping.com for info - apparently there's a ferry from Genua (with a stopover in Palermo) once a week. They don't have any information about prices on their website, but the vessel looks quite nice - and huge!

Edit:
Just checked their facebook page and found this statement in the comments: "It is true the ferry welcomes both passengers and cargo. Unfortunately the service has to pass through some local procedures before one can activate passenger traffic."

So not yet available for passengers, but it looks as though finally there will be some competition for the - imo overpriced - only ferry connection to Italy with Virtu ferries...

Chalks1 Active member

55POSTS

9 years ago

Thanks Bernie you settled in now I got to Gozo without RA thank god in may

Dorieus Contributor

113POSTS

9 years ago

#10

I sent them an email - yeah they cant take passengers at the moment but are working on it.

DP4 Contributor

143POSTS

9 years ago

#11

I'm intending to also drive to Malta from the UK, through France then ferry from Genoa to Palermo, drive across Sicily聽 then ferry to Malta. Thought this best option, but any advice/help would be appreciated.

bernie_iris_fabian_david Serial expat

337POSTS

9 years ago

#12

DerekRP wrote:
I'm intending to also drive to Malta from the UK, through France then ferry from Genoa to Palermo, drive across Sicily聽 then ferry to Malta. Thought this best option, but any advice/help would be appreciated.

We did kind of the same thing this June: we went from Livorno to Palermo, drove across Sicily,聽 then took the ferry from Pozzallo to Malta - worked fine.

In Pozzallo we stayed in Mare Nostrum Hotel - really nice owners, the room was fine, the price was good, and it's close to the harbour (we had to catch the ferry early in the morning).

3 weeks ago we wanted to catch the ferry back from Palermo to Livorno but missed it, so had to drive all the way through Italy. It is possible, but the ferry is more comfortable and probably cheaper, too.

DP4 Contributor

143POSTS

9 years ago

#13

Thanks for your experience聽 & thoughts, I'll try the hotel.

matm911 Serial expat

656POSTS

8 years ago

#14

Are there still no direct ferry connections from Malta to Genoa for car and passenger?

I recently got information from Grimaldi, Gollcher and Tirrenia that they operate only cargo-ferries from Malta to Genoa directly, but no passengers allowed.

Of course, there are alternatives such as Malta-Pozzallo and Palermo-Livorno resp. Palermo-Genoa, but this sums up with ticket costs and also wastes a lot of time.

I've done Pozzallo-Vienna overland in 2 days, but that*s very exhausting. Genoa-Vienna is possible in one day. But any option with ferry sections will take at least 4-5 days. Is there anything faster?

bernie_iris_fabian_david Serial expat

337POSTS

8 years ago

#15

The last time I checked (this summer), there was only the Malta-Pozzallo and Palermo-Livorno option... Gollcher looked promising in the beginning (this spring they said they were negotiating so they could also take passengers on), but my guess is that the bosses of Virtu ferries know some influential people...

We did Malta-Pozzallo-Innsbruck in 2 days last year (with a short overnight stop in Florence), but only because we missed the ferry from Malta to Sicily on Saturday, and there was no ferry from Sicily to Livorno the next day - but I needed to be at work in Innsbruck on Monday evening... In the end we drove for a total of about 15 hours on the first day, and another 6 hours the next day - with two small kids on the back seat... Definitely wouldn't do that again!