Ferries to Sardinia

Livorno

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

Crossing times are somewhat shorter than from Genoa, typically 7 to 9 hours, with both day and night sailings on offer. In the summer season, up to three departures a day run on the main Livorno-Olbia route (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 crossings in summer. Moby Lines runs a seasonal connection to Olbia here (mainly in the summer months). The crossing takes only about 5 to 6 hours, making for a quick day sailing without an overnight cabin.

In high summer, Corsica Ferries also runs a ferry from Piombino to Golfo Aranci; this crossing takes about 7 to 7½ hours and runs roughly once a week. Both Piombino routes operate mainly during the holiday period (July/August); outside these peak times they are unavailable or only run on a limited basis.

Civitavecchia (Rome)

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

The most frequent is the fast route to Olbia, which runs up to 23 times a week in summer and takes only about 5½ hours (some sailings on high-speed ships). The other routes run less often: to Porto Torres (in the northwest) there are about 2 departures a week with a crossing time of around 7¾ hours; 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, about 3 departures a week). This southbound route usually runs as an overnight ferry, typically departing Civitavecchia in the evening and arriving in Cagliari the next morning. The connection to Arbatax is also usually scheduled overnight. The shorter crossings (to Olbia and, in part, Porto Torres), by contrast, often run during the day.

Naples (Napoli)

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 run mainly by Grimaldi Lines and operates year-round about 3 times a week.

The crossing takes about 13 to 15 hours and runs overnight, with the ferry typically departing Naples in the early evening (around 7pm) and arriving in Cagliari the next morning around 10am. Cabins are generally available for the overnight crossing, as travelling in a seat alone is less comfortable over this 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 ferry connections to Sardinia from Toulon. The main route, Toulon - Porto Torres (northwest Sardinia), takes about 9-10 hours depending on the ship and mostly runs as an overnight ferry. There are usually two departures a week in the summer season.

In high summer, a weekly ferry also runs from Toulon to Golfo Aranci (northeast Sardinia) with a crossing time of around 12-13 hours; this sailing, too, 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 high season, two departures a week are typically available, mostly in the evening, so the ferry crosses to Sardinia overnight. The crossing time and schedule are comparable to the connection from Toulon.

From Spain

Barcelona offers the only direct ferry connection from Spain to Sardinia, ideal for travellers who want to combine both regions in one trip.

Barcelona

There is a ferry connection from Barcelona to northwest Sardinia. Grimaldi Lines connects Barcelona with Porto Torres, which is especially appealing for travellers wanting to combine Sardinia with a Spanish holiday.

The crossing takes about 12 to 14 hours and usually runs overnight (the ferry leaves Barcelona in the evening and reaches 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 passages to Sardinia and, at the same time, one of the few direct connections from Spain.

From other islands

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

Corsica

Several ferry connections run from the neighbouring island of Corsica (France) to Sardinia. The most used route connects 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, mainly in summer. The crossing is very short, taking only about 50-60 minutes, ideal for a day trip between the two islands.

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

Note: a seasonal ferry also runs from Porto-Vecchio (southern Corsica) to Porto Torres, though very rarely (about once a week at the height of summer) and 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, connecting the two island capitals.

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