Messina to Taormina

[Brick1]

Hi all, has anyone ever got a taxi or non cruise excursion/transfer from Messina to Taormina? The cruise we are on the excursion is either 5.5 hours if do the guided tour or 5 hours if do it on your own so with the journey time being around 50 mins each way neither leaves much more than 3 hours actually in Taormina.

 

We'd like time to have a good look around, go to the Greek amphitheatre and also walk down to the beach/Isola Bella and not sure if the cruise excursion would allow enough time.

 

Any info much appreciated.

 

Mark 

Edited May 3, 2023 by Brick1

[euro cruiser]

It's very easy to do by train or bus.  Trenitalia now offers a train + bus combination ticket, so you don't have to worry about how to get the bus ticket, etc.

 

Messina Centrale train station is about 750 meters/one half mile on foot from the cruise port.  On the Trenitalia site you enter Messina Centrale as your starting point, then Taormina Centro as your destination.  The entire trip takes an hour and a quarter and costs 6,30.

 

While the train portion cannot sell out, the bus does so if you decide you want to do this I would purchase these tickets in advance.

 

The first run of the day leaves Messina at 9:15 and arrives to Taormina at 10:30.

 

You haven't shared your hours in port but there is a return that departs Taormina at 15:50 (3:50 PM) and arrives to Messina at 16:55 (4:55 PM).  If that works you'd have a little over five hours in Taormina.

 

EN - Trenitalia

[Brick1]

@euro cruiser thank you so much for taking the time to reply.

 

We arrive into port at 7:00am and leave at 5pm so that return would unfortunately not be suitable. It is also a Sunday as well which I assume may make a difference. 

[euro cruiser]

You could take the train in the morning and arrange a car transfer for the return, or get on the roll call for your sailing and see if you can find others to share the cost of a car service for the day.

 

 

[ebeluga]

On 5/3/2023 at 7:09 AM, euro cruiser said:

It's very easy to do by train or bus.  Trenitalia now offers a train + bus combination ticket, so you don't have to worry about how to get the bus ticket, etc.

 

Messina Centrale train station is about 750 meters/one half mile on foot from the cruise port.  On the Trenitalia site you enter Messina Centrale as your starting point, then Taormina Centro as your destination.  The entire trip takes an hour and a quarter and costs 6,30.

 

While the train portion cannot sell out, the bus does so if you decide you want to do this I would purchase these tickets in advance.

 

The first run of the day leaves Messina at 9:15 and arrives to Taormina at 10:30.

 

You haven't shared your hours in port but there is a return that departs Taormina at 15:50 (3:50 PM) and arrives to Messina at 16:55 (4:55 PM).  If that works you'd have a little over five hours in Taormina.

 

EN - Trenitalia

Great information. It works for us perfectly as our port time is 8a-6p in Nov. Thank you!!!

[erby2283]

On 5/3/2023 at 10:09 AM, euro cruiser said:

It's very easy to do by train or bus.  Trenitalia now offers a train + bus combination ticket, so you don't have to worry about how to get the bus ticket, etc.

 

Messina Centrale train station is about 750 meters/one half mile on foot from the cruise port.  On the Trenitalia site you enter Messina Centrale as your starting point, then Taormina Centro as your destination.  The entire trip takes an hour and a quarter and costs 6,30.

 

While the train portion cannot sell out, the bus does so if you decide you want to do this I would purchase these tickets in advance.

 

The first run of the day leaves Messina at 9:15 and arrives to Taormina at 10:30.

 

You haven't shared your hours in port but there is a return that departs Taormina at 15:50 (3:50 PM) and arrives to Messina at 16:55 (4:55 PM).  If that works you'd have a little over five hours in Taormina.

 

EN - Trenitalia

Sorry to post on an old thread but didn't want to start a new one when I could just bump an old one. 

 

As first time visitors to Messina, is a trip to Etna worth the time or would you rather spend more time in Taormina (DIY day)?  ItalyTours has a 8-hour tour for 99 eu that goes to both - but I think they do Etna first - which would put us in Taormina in the afternoon - and I think I read the shops close from 1-4 or something like that. It's nice not to have to worry about transportation and booking train/bus independently, but when you're also looking at seven ports, cutting down costs and only booking tours when absolutely necessary also helps your money go a long way. Thanks in advance. BTW - we are in Port 9am-6pm

[marazul]

3 hours ago, erby2283 said:

As first time visitors to Messina, is a trip to Etna worth the time or would you rather spend more time in Taormina (DIY day)?  ItalyTours has a 8-hour tour for 99 eu that goes to both - but I think they do Etna first - which would put us in Taormina in the afternoon - and I think I read the shops close from 1-4 or something like that. It's nice not to have to worry about transportation and booking train/bus independently, but when you're also looking at seven ports, cutting down costs and only booking tours when absolutely necessary also helps your money go a long way. Thanks in advance. BTW - we are in Port 9am-6pm

I think Etna is very interesting.  How many active volcanos do you get to walk on? Being in Taormina in the afternoon is just fine.  All the restaurants and gelaterie will be open.  Many of the tourist shops will stay open.  Frankly, you will find lots of overpriced stuff, so why even bother.