kiwiajeossi
Traveller
51 comments
Posted 6 years ago
On the Eurail map that came with our pass, it seems to show the Reggio-Calabria-Messina ferry link as included in the Eurail network? Where can I find out if this is correct? If is IS included, it would be a great help for our plans to visit Catania by train, and if so, how to book the ferry crossing both ways using our Eurail pass?
Flo
Traveller
10723 comments
Hi!
Trenitalia operates (under the brand name Bluferries) a frequent ferry services between Villa San Giovanni (not Reggio di Calabria) and Messina which you can use with your Interrail/Eurail pass.
These ferries also convey coaches of the following trains:
- 2x Intercity Roma - Palermo/Siracusa
- 2x IntercityNotte (night train) Roma - Palermo/Siracusa
- 1x IntercityNotte Milano - Palermo/Siracusa
Some pics of the ferry could probably be found here: [ux]https://rail.cc/blog/night-train-sicily/[/ux]
If you use one of these trains (which would be the best idea if you want to go to Catania) you\'ll simply stay on the train until it is shunted onto the ferry; then you can go on deck during the trip across the Messina Straight. Before arrival you\'ll board the coaches again and are then shunted back onto solid ground. :)
Flo
kiwiajeossi
Traveller
51 comments
Thanks so much for the info on Bluferries. We\'ll actually be coming in from Lecce, so the night train\'s not an option for us. But I see from the trenitalia schedule that we can reach Villa San Giovanni in plenty of time to catch one of the Bluferries and then a RV connection to Catania.
Flo
Traveller
10723 comments
OK - what\'s your route from Lecce to Reggio/Villa SG? Sound pretty interesting, are you travelling along the coast of the Ionian Sea?
kiwiajeossi
Traveller
51 comments
"sounds pretty interesting" - that\'s high priase coming from you, thanks! :)
Here\'s the route we\'re planning to take:
Lecce
06:03 Brindisi
06:24 0h 21\' Frecciabianca 8814
Brindisi
06:48 Taranto
07:53 1h 05\' Regionale 3600
Taranto
08:13 Catanzaro Lido
12:07 3h 54\' Intercity 558
Catanzaro Lido
12:40 Lamezia Terme Centrale
13:30 0h 50\' Regionale 3822
Lamezia Terme Centrale
13:42 Villa S. Giovanni
14:51 1h 09\' Regionale 3751
kiwiajeossi
Traveller
51 comments
I thought I would give an update on our plans here. We\'ve abandoned the route above because my wife really wanted to do as much of "the boot" as possible. So instead of the schedule above, which required 4 changes from Lecce, we\'re going to Reggio di Calabria instead, which requires only 2 changes. We end up staying on IC 558 and that route REALLY "ticks all the boxes" for my wife\'s goal of "doing the boot", as this page shows
http://www.e656.net/orario/treno/558.html
Flo
Traveller
10723 comments
Yeah, this train runs along the "Ferrovia Ionica" which will be quite a nice experience certainly! :)
kiwiajeossi
Traveller
51 comments
I\'m assuming the missing comment was deleted as spam or something similar, but seeing it listed yet unavailable definitely adds to the mystery of rail travel :)
likhaavat.com/gonenow.jpg (shared here since there\'s no "website" sub-forum)