Ferries to Sardinia

Livorno

Livorno in Tuscany is another key departure port. From here, Grimaldi Lines, Moby Lines and Corsica Ferries sail to Olbia as well as to the nearby port of Golfo Aranci (also northeast Sardinia).

Crossing times are somewhat shorter than from Genoa – typically 7 to 9 hours – and both daytime and overnight ferries are available. In summer, the main Livorno–Olbia route has up to three departures a day (combined across all operators). Golfo Aranci is served a little less often (usually once a day), mainly by Corsica Ferries.

Piombino

The Tuscan port of Piombino, south of Livorno, serves as a starting point for fast summer crossings. Moby Lines runs a seasonal connection to Olbia here (mainly during the summer months). The crossing takes only about 5 to 6 hours, making it a quick day sailing without needing a cabin overnight.

Corsica Ferries also runs a ferry from Piombino to Golfo Aranci in high summer – this crossing takes around 7 to 7½ hours and operates roughly once a week. Both Piombino routes run mainly during the peak holiday period (July/August); outside these peak weeks they are limited or unavailable.

Civitavecchia (Rome)

Civitavecchia, the port of Rome, offers the widest choice of routes to Sardinia. From here there are connections to Olbia, Porto Torres, Arbatax and Cagliari. These routes are run jointly by Grimaldi Lines and Tirrenia (Moby), with GNV also operating on some of them.

The most frequent route is the fast crossing to Olbia, which runs up to 23 times a week in summer and takes only about 5½ hours (some services use high-speed ferries). The other routes run less often: Porto Torres (in the northwest) has around 2 departures a week with a crossing time of about 7¾ hours, and Arbatax on the east coast is reached about twice a week in around 9 hours.

The longest connection runs to Cagliari in southern Sardinia (around 13 hours' crossing time, roughly 3 departures a week). This southbound route is usually run as an overnight ferry – typically departing Civitavecchia in the evening and arriving in Cagliari the following morning. The Arbatax route is also usually scheduled overnight. The shorter crossings (to Olbia and, in some cases, Porto Torres), on the other hand, often run during the day.

Naples

There's also a direct connection to Sardinia from southern Italy: a ferry sails from Naples to Cagliari several times a week. This route is operated mainly by Grimaldi Lines and runs year-round, around 3 times a week.

The crossing takes about 13 to 15 hours and runs overnight – the ferry typically departs Naples in the early evening (around 7pm) and reaches Cagliari the following morning around 10am. Cabins are usually available for the overnight crossing, since sitting up for the whole journey is less comfortable over that length of time.

From France

Ferries from mainland France sail to northern Sardinia, offering an alternative to travelling via Italy.

Toulon

From mainland France, Corsica Ferries offers connections to Sardinia from Toulon. The main route, Toulon–Porto Torres (northwest Sardinia), takes around 9–10 hours depending on the ship and mostly runs as an overnight ferry. There are generally two departures a week in the summer season.

In high summer there's also a weekly ferry from Toulon to Golfo Aranci (northeast Sardinia), taking around 12–13 hours – this crossing also mostly runs overnight.

Nice

There's also a direct ferry connection to Sardinia from Nice on the French Riviera. Corsica Ferries sails from Nice to Porto Torres in the summer season, with a crossing time of around 10 hours.

In peak season there are typically two departures a week, usually in the evening, so the ferry crosses to Sardinia overnight. Crossing times and scheduling are similar to the Toulon route.

From Spain

From Barcelona there's the only direct ferry connection from Spain to Sardinia – ideal for travellers wanting to combine both regions in one trip.

Barcelona

From Barcelona there's a ferry connection to northwest Sardinia. Grimaldi Lines links Barcelona with Porto Torres, which is especially appealing for travellers combining Sardinia with a Spanish holiday.

The crossing takes around 12 to 14 hours and usually runs overnight (the ferry leaves Barcelona in the evening and arrives in Porto Torres the next morning). In summer, departures run once or twice a week depending on demand, sometimes more often in peak season. This route is one of the longest ferry crossings to Sardinia and one of the few direct connections from Spain.

From Other Islands

The neighbouring islands of Corsica and Sicily offer additional ways to reach Sardinia, some with very short crossings.

Corsica

From the neighbouring island of Corsica (France) there are several ferry connections to Sardinia. The most popular route links Bonifacio (southern Corsica) with Santa Teresa Gallura at the northern tip of Sardinia. It's served by smaller car ferries from Moby Lines and Ichnusa Lines, with numerous departures several times a day, especially in summer. The crossing is very short, taking only around 50–60 minutes – ideal for a day trip between the two islands.

There are also longer island-to-island routes: Corsica Ferries runs a summer connection from Ajaccio (southern Corsica) to Porto Torres. This crossing takes about 4 to 5 hours and runs roughly once a week (usually as a daytime sailing).

Note: there's also a seasonal ferry from Porto-Vecchio (southern Corsica) to Porto Torres, though it's very infrequent (around once a week in high summer) with a similar crossing time of around 5 hours.

Sicily

There's also a direct ferry connection to Sardinia from the Italian island of Sicily. Grimaldi Lines runs the Palermo–Cagliari route once a week, linking the two island capitals.

The ferry usually departs Palermo on Monday morning and arrives in the port of Cagliari in the evening after a crossing of around 12 hours. This connection runs mainly in summer and offers a comfortable way to continue your journey from Sicily to Sardinia, including bringing a vehicle. Since the crossing takes place during the day, passengers can enjoy the Mediterranean views; cabins are available as an option.