Sardinia is an island in the Mediterranean sea, located 354 kilometres or 220 miles from the eternal city of Rome. There are two ways to get from Rome to Sardinia, either by plane or by boat.
Flying is by far the quickest way to reach the island, alternatively, you can take a ferry from Porto Civitavecchia which is 88 kilometres (55 miles) outside of Rome. Driving to the port from the centre of Rome will take an hour and 20 minutes.
The train from central Rome to Civitavecchia also takes approximately one hour and 20 minutes. The train station in Civitavecchia is located one mile from the port, but there is a free shuttle bus that takes you directly to your terminal.
Travelling From Rome To Sardinia By Plane
There are two airports in Rome, Fiumicino, and Ciampino. Fiumicino is the largest airport in Rome, and Ciampino serves smaller budget airlines such as EasyJet, RyanAir and Wizz Air.
During the summer months there are many more flights, as Italians make their way over to Sardinia for their holidays, but keep in mind that the cost of a plane also rises. I recommend that you buy your tickets in advance. I have seen budget flights to Sardinia begin at 20 euros.
Sardinia is only a one-hour flight West from Rome. The Meditteranean island has three main airports, Cagliari Elmas Airport, Olbia Airport, and Alghero Fertilia Airport, all of which can be reached with a direct flight from the two airports of Rome. Fiumicino (FCO) Lenardo da Vinci Airport, and Ciampino (CIA).
You can find some really great deals on flights from Rome to Sardinia, especially during the off-season which is from September until May. If you would like to travel from Rome by car, you can take a Ferry from the port of Civitavecchia which serves Rome.
There are daily flights connecting Rome with Sardinia. There are more than 10 daily flights which link up Rome with the three airports of Sardinia. The majority of the flights are served by AirItalia, only with a few budget airlines making the trip each week.
Flying To Alghero From Rome
Alghero Airport is located 8km northwest of Alghero and is named after the village of Fertilia nearby. It is a small airport that is a gateway to the northwest regions of Sardinia. From Alghero airport, you can easily reach beautiful destinations such as Castelsardo, Sassari, Stintino, Bosa, S’Archittu, and Porto Torres.
Alghero is the smallest airport in Sardinia. There are two flights every day, seven days a week, from Fiumicino (FCO) Leonardo da Vinci Airport. One is a morning flight, and the other is an evening flight, both of which are provided by Alitalia.
Flying To Cagliari From Rome
Cagliari Elmas Airport is the leading international gateway to Sardinia. The airport handles 3 million passengers a year. It serves the south of Sardinia and tourist destinations such as Carloforte, Iglèsias, The Costa Verde, Carbonia and Pula.
The eternal city of Rome is heavily connected with Cagliari with around 7 flights every day. Most of the flights are from Fiumicino (FCO) Leonardo da Vinci Airport, but you can also fly with budget airlines from Ciampino.
Cagliari is by far the largest city in Sardinia and has close economic ties with Rome. Italians also make the trip from Rome to Cagliari when they are chasing the sunshine, in total Cagliari gets a whole week more of sun than Rome.
Flying To Olbia From Rome
The Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport is a prominent entry point to explore the north of Sardinia, the Costa Smeralda and tourist destinations such as Budoni, Golfo Aranci, La Maddalena, Palau, and Santa Teresa di Gallura.
As Olbia sits on the East coast, it’s the nearest Airport to Rome, bringing the total flight time to 55 minutes. Along with Alghero, there are only around two flights each day, a morning flight, and an evening flight. Although more flight routes may be added during the summer months.
The Airports Of Sardinia – Read The Article
Travelling From Rome To Sardinia By Ferry
The port of Civitavecchia is connected to several ports of Sardinia. Olbia in the northeast is the shortest route and is located just below the Costa Smeralda. Porto Torres is in the northwest of Sardinia, a short distance from Sassari. Arbatax is situated on the east coast of Sardinia and gives you reasonable access to the mountainous central regions of Sardinia. Most of the journies will depart in the evening to arrive in the morning in Sardinia.
These are the current routes from Civitavecchia (Rome) to Sardinia, as covered by Grimaldi and Tirrenia.
Grimaldi
Civitavecchia to Olbia – 6 hours and 30 minutes, 7 weekly sailings Civitavecchia to Porto Torres – 7 hours and 15 minutes, 4 weekly sailing
Tirrenia
Civitavecchia to Arbatax – 10 hours, 2 sailings weekly Civitavecchia to Cagliari – 13 hours, 7 sailings weekly Civitavecchia to Olbia – 5 hours 30 minutes, 3 sailings daily
Getting To Civitavecchia Port From Rome
To arrive at the port from the centre of Rome takes around 90 minutes by car. Reaching Civitavecchia from Rome Fiumicino Airport takes 50 minutes and it’s a 1 hour and a half drive from Rome Ciampino Airport.
Civitavecchia is a 72 km drive from the centre of Rome, be aware that there is a toll. Take A12/E80 to SS1 Via Aurelia in Santa Marinella. Take exit Civitavecchia Sud from A12/E80.
From Rome To Civitavecchia By Train
There are 38 trains a day from Rome Termini (Rome’s largest train station) to Civitavecchia, and the journey takes approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes, although this may vary. Train tickets can cost as little as 4.60 Euros depending on the time of day you travel and if your tickets have been booked in advance.
You can buy tickets from the station or buy in advance from thetrainline.com, omio.com or directly from trenitalia.com.
From Civitavecchia Train Station To The ports
Once you arrive at the train station, you can take a local ‘Argo’ bus towards the port or alternatively walk. The bus costs 2 euros and can be purchased at the new stand or from the bar inside the station. This journey runs every 20 minutes, they depart from the area directly in front of the station. The bus will drop you off at the Rome Cruise Terminal and from here that there is a free shuttle bus to the terminal your ferry will depart from. It is possible to work from the station to the terminals if you start walking right when you leave the train station, walking along the seafront, within 700 meters you will find the pedestrian entrance, here on the right you will find a bus stop to take a free shuttle to your terminal.
To take the Ferry from Civitavecchia to Sardinia starts at €25-40 without a car. It takes 14 hours to reach Sardinia. The basic rate doesn’t include a cabin. When I have taken the ferry, I can usually find a quiet place to sleep in a cafe on the ship or in a lounge room. But this doesn’t guarantee a good night’s sleep, sometimes the crew will close Lounge rooms in the early hours of the morning to prepare for the next day. This can leave you wandering the ferry with other zombie-looking passengers in a similar position looking for somewhere to catch a few hour’s sleep before the ferry docks. Sleep is essential, and if you’re arriving in Sardinia for a holiday, it’s good to begin day one after a good night’s sleep.