Siracusa transportation

Why you wouldn't want to drive the narrow streets of Ortigia even if you were allowed (which you are not).

How to get around Siracusa by bus, taxi, and car

A horse-drawn carriage on Piazza del Duomo, SiracusaThough Ortigia is best explored on foot, you will probably use city buses to get to the major sights—the Archaeological Park of Neapolis (Greek Theater, latomie, Roman Amphitheater), the famous Archaeological Museum, and the Catacombs of San Giovanni—in the mainland "new city."

The pages for each of those sights contains detailed instructions on how to get to and from them using public transportation.

Here is some general info on getting around Siracusa:

Sircusa by bus

AST city buses make circular routes.

Most city buses start and end at Riva Nazario Sauro (a.k.a. Piazza della Posta) just over the bridge on Ortigia.

Some buses start/end at Via G. Rubino, in front of the main train station.

Bus no. 20 and two "Navette" shuttles go from the train station to the far end of Ortigia. Each runs every half-hour, staggered so there's something leaving every 15 minutes. (There's also bus no. 29, which goes from the station as far as Riva N. Sauro on the north end of Ortigia, but only every 105 minutes or so.)

» You can also easily walk to Ortigia from the train station in 10–15 minutes: turn left out of the station and stroll the dozen or so blocks thorugh Piazza Marconi (a.k.a. Foro Siracusiano) and down Corso Umberto to cross over into Ortigia.

In additon to the main city buses, there are three navette (shuttle buses) that thread the roads of the downtown island of Ortigia, each along a slightly different route. Two, as stated above, also venture on to the mainland to the train station and back; the other begins and ends at the Talete parking garage on Ortigia and runs every 15 minutes.

For more info: www.aziendasicilianatrasporti.it.

Siracusa by car

Since 2007, much of the island of Ortigia is closed to non-resident vehicles as a ZTL ("Zona Traffico Limitato," which is easy to translate: "Limited Traffic Zone").

Siracusa's map of driving and parking on Ortigia, including the ZTL and ZSC. Luckily, the north end of Ortigia, where you enter the island, is merely a ZSC (zone where parking is controlled), so you can drive in and park in any of six lots around the northern edge of Ortigia.

(Parking costs €0.60 per hour in most spots, though the "Talete" lot raises the fee to €1 from 10pm to 2:30pm—meaning it's only €0.60 per hour from 2:30pm to 10pm each afternoon/evening.)

It's all pretty well sign-posted, but I copied the official ZTL map to the right, and here's a link to information on the ZTL (in Italian only, unfortunately).

• Orange streets are ZTL (you can't drive there)
• Green streets are ZSC (you can drive there but park only in designated lots/spaces)
• Purple streets are pedestrian only
• White streets are a drivable corridor through the center (see below)

There is also one throughfare cutting down and across the island on which anybody can drive (but not park) Monday to Friday between 6am and 8pm: south down Corso Matteotti, then left in Piazza Archimede to follow Via Maestranza to the Lungomare di Levante, where you have to turn north again.

Siracusa by taxi

For a taxi dial tel. +39-06-9933-0555 (www.siracusataxi.com)—or call one of the three main taxi stands directly: tel. +39-0931-69-722 (train station taxi rank), 0931-64-323 (Via Ticino taxi rank), or 0931-60-980 (Piazza Pancali taxi rank).

Taxis rides have a €3 flag fall, €0.13 per 100m/20 sec., and a minimum €5 charge (plus extra fees for night and Sunday service, bags, and €2 if you call ahead for one).

Tips & links

Share this page

Search ReidsItaly.com