Calabria Italy Travel Guide
Calabria's main hubs for air travel, offering various domestic and international connections.
Connecting Calabria to major Italian cities and European destinations.
Basic facilities available: car rental desks, cafes, ATMs, duty-free (Lamezia), Wi-Fi.
Lamezia Link shuttle to train station. Regional buses to towns. Taxis. All major car rental companies. Book in advance.
Reggio Calabria (REG): Public buses (ATAM), taxis, car rental. Crotone (CRV): Shuttle buses, taxis, car rental.
Trenitalia operates national and regional services. Main lines run along Tyrrhenian coast (north-south). Lamezia Terme Centrale, Reggio Calabria Centrale serve as hubs.
FlixBus and Itabus offer extensive connections from major Italian cities directly to Calabria. Local companies (Autolinee Federico, Romano Autolinee) provide inter-city services.
Offers flexibility for rural exploration. International Driving Permit (IDP) with domestic license for non-EU citizens. Major rental companies at airports. (DiscoverCars.com)
A valid domestic driver's license for EU citizens. Non-EU citizens need an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside their domestic license. Minimum driving age is 18, but rental companies often require 21 or 25.
Calabria's extensive coastline makes sea travel an important mode of transport, specifically for connections to Sicily and the Aeolian Islands.
The main motorway, the A2 (Autostrada del Mediterraneo), is generally well-maintained. Secondary and mountain roads vary in quality, often narrow and winding.
Motorcycle and scooter rentals are available in larger coastal towns during summer. Scooters are excellent for navigating narrow roads and finding parking.
Public transportation mainly serves by buses and regional trains, connecting within and between towns. Buses are the most widespread for city and inter-town travel. Trains mainly operate along Calabria's two coastlines.
Purchase bus tickets before boarding (tabaccherie, newsstands). Validate bus tickets upon boarding. Train tickets from stations or online. Validate regional train tickets on platform.
Always validate your bus or regional train ticket immediately upon boarding or before boarding, respectively. Inspectors conduct checks, and a non-validated ticket is invalid, leading to a fine.
Cross-reference real-time apps with official operator websites or printed schedules, especially for Sundays, holidays, or travel to smaller towns. Buses experience occasional delays, allow buffer time.
While some larger stations have machines that accept cards, having small Euro denominations for buying bus tickets at tabaccherie or from a driver (if permitted) makes transactions easier.
Licensed taxis are white cars with a "TAXI" sign on the roof and a meter inside. Find designated taxi stands at airports, train stations, major squares, and large hotels. Book by calling a local company or asking your hotel.
Uber's presence in Calabria is limited, typically Uber Black. Do not rely on Uber for transportation here. Local taxi-hailing apps are patchy outside largest urban centers.
Calabria's infrastructure, especially in older towns and rural areas, has challenges for travelers with mobility needs. Cobbled streets, steep hills, numerous steps, and a lack of ramps.
Newer hotels and attractions in major cities increasingly feature accessible facilities. Public transportation, specifically older regional trains and buses, may show limited accessibility.
Consider hiring a private accessible transfer.
