Taormina sits on a hill above the sea, 68 km by road from Catania Fontanarossa Airport (CTA). A direct bus leaves from outside the terminal. The train is also possible, but Taormina's station is down at sea level, so you need a bus or a taxi for the last part.
Short answer: the simplest public option is the direct Etna Trasporti bus from the airport to the Taormina bus terminal, about 1 hour 25 minutes for €7.00. On a weekday there are about 35 departures between 07:15 and 21:45, fewer on Sundays. The train goes from Catania Aeroporto Fontanarossa station to Taormina-Giardini, but that station is below the town. By car it is 68 km, about 53 minutes without traffic. Our private transfer costs €150 per car (1–3 passengers) and €210 per van (4–8).
| Option | Travel time | Price | Changes | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etna Trasporti / Interbus direct bus | about 1 h 25 min | €7.00 (return €14.00) | 0 | Most travellers, the cheapest door-to-town option |
| AMTS shuttle + regional train + bus up the hill | varies with connections | €1.00 shuttle + Trenitalia regional fare + local bus | 2 | Rail users staying in Giardini-Naxos |
| Licensed taxi from the rank | about 53 min without traffic | Metered, Comune di Catania tariff | 0 | Direct, no booking |
| ShuttleHero private transfer | about 53 min (longer in summer traffic) | €150 per car (1–3), €210 per van (4–8) | 0 | Families, groups, luggage, late arrivals |
The direct buses to Taormina are run by Etna Trasporti (line ET07) and its sister company Interbus. They leave from the bus area outside the terminal, call at the Catania bus station in Via Archimede and then run up the coast to Taormina. The timetable for a weekday in late October 2026 shows about 35 departures from the airport, the first at 07:15 and the last at 21:45, with about 1 hour 25 minutes to the Taormina Terminal Bus in Via Pirandello. On Sunday 1 November 2026 there are 21 departures, from 07:45 to 19:45.
A single ticket costs €7.00 and a return €14.00, both online and at the ticket office. Buses also stop at Capotaormina and Tombe Bizantine before the terminal. Timetables change with the season, so check the day you travel.
Catania Aeroporto Fontanarossa railway station is about 600 metres from the terminal. You can walk there on a footpath or take the AMTS shuttle bus, which runs every 10 minutes from 04:30 to 22:40 and costs €1.00. Regional trains run roughly every hour towards Messina and call at Taormina-Giardini. That station is at sea level in Giardini-Naxos, a few kilometres below the town, so you finish with a local bus or a taxi up the hill. It works well if you are staying in Giardini-Naxos; for Taormina itself the direct bus is simpler.
Licensed taxis wait at the official rank outside arrivals. They have a TAXI sign on the roof and a licence number on the doors; they use the tariff set by the Comune di Catania, and the airport advises asking the rank staff about the fare before you get in. By car the route is 68 km on the A18 motorway to the Taormina exit, then a steep road up to the town, about 53 minutes without traffic. Corso Umberto and most of the old town are a pedestrian ZTL, so cars stop at the edge, at car parks such as Porta Catania or Lumbi.
A private transfer Catania Airport → Taormina costs €150 per car for 1–3 passengers and €210 per van for 4–8 passengers. The price is per vehicle, fixed and paid by card when you book, with luggage included. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup, and a child seat costs +€10. The driver takes you to your hotel, or to the nearest point a car may reach if it is inside the pedestrian centre.
Catania Airport → Taormina
Car, 1–3 passengers: €150 · Van, 4–8 passengers: €210
Catania Fontanarossa has one main terminal. Your driver waits in the arrivals hall, just after baggage reclaim, holding a sign with your name. We track your flight and you get 60 minutes of free waiting after landing.
On your own or as a couple: the direct bus at €7.00 is by far the cheapest way and takes you to the edge of the old town. Staying in Giardini-Naxos and happy to change: the train via Taormina-Giardini. Landing after the last bus (21:45 on weekdays, earlier on Sundays), travelling with small children and suitcases, or as a group of four to eight: a car or van to your hotel at one fixed price per vehicle saves the wait and the climb.
Yes. Etna Trasporti and Interbus run direct buses from the airport to the Taormina bus terminal in about 1 hour 25 minutes, for €7.00 one way.
On a weekday in late October 2026 the last direct bus leaves the airport at 21:45; on Sunday 1 November 2026 the last one is at 19:45. Check the timetable for your date.
Yes. Walk or take the €1.00 AMTS shuttle to Catania Aeroporto Fontanarossa station, then a regional train to Taormina-Giardini. That station is at sea level, so you need a bus or taxi up to the town.
About 68 km on the A18 motorway, roughly 53 minutes without traffic, plus a steep road up to the town.
Our transfer costs €150 per car for 1–3 passengers and €210 per van for 4–8, fixed when you book, luggage included.
Public transport times and fares were checked on 25 October 2026 on the operators' websites. Timetables and fares change, so check the operator before you travel.
We are reachable around the clock, 7 days a week — before, during and after your trip.