If you are planning a trip to Sardinia, you are probably also wondering how to get around Sardinia.
Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily, covering 24,100 square km (9,305 square miles). To my North American readers I like to say it’s about the size of Vermont; my British readers will say it is slightly larger than Wales. It stretches 270 km (168 miles) from north to south and 145 km (90 miles) across at its widest point.
Sardinia may seem like a small island to those of you accustomed to the immense distances of North America or Australia, but I promise that its rugged interior and winding roads that are sometimes unpaved make moving from one place to the other a bit more time consuming than you’d expect.
As a local, I am ready to help you get a better understanding of how to move around Sardinia – the best transportation options may vary depending on your travel style and budget.
Do you need more help planning your trip? Book a consultation with me via Calendly and join my Facebook Strictly Sardinia Travel Tips community.
How To Get Around Sardinia
By car
You don’t really need a car if you are just visiting Sardinia’s capital Cagliari or Alghero, and don’t plan on getting out of town.
However, driving is by-and-large the best way of getting around Sardinia. If you are visiting for just a short time, having a car will give you more independence and you won’t be tied to the schedule of buses, trains or even guided tours – meaning you can see more in a shorter time.
In the summer, having your own car allows you to reach the most secluded beaches.
In general driving allows you to get to a small town that’s hosting a unique festival, or to get to the trailhead of an impressive hike. You will be able to linger on for sunset if you wish, without worrying about the last scheduled bus for the day.
Best car rental in Sardinia
Unless you are coming to Sardinia by ferry with your own car, you will need to rent one once you arrive.
We have all sorts of car rental companies in Sardinia – from famous ones such as Alamo, Avis, Hertz, EuropCar and Sixt, to Italian ones such as Maggiore, Locauto and Sicily By Car. There aren’t any local car-rental companies that I know of.
When it comes to car rental, I always recommend using a comparison site to find the best deals. My favorite is Discover Cars – I have used it widely in Italy (and elsewhere) and never had any issues (there were a couple of times that I needed to contact the customer service and they replied promptly).
Make sure to get Full Coverage insurance, which includes the Collision Damage Waiver. This protects you if you have an accident and includes personal liability insurance. It also covers medical expenses for all passengers in case of an accident and theft protection. You can get that via Discover Cars.
Remember that in order to legally drive in Italy, unless you have a European Union (EU) driver’s license you need a valid international driver’s license. If you are from the United States, you can obtain one via the AAA.
The car rental company may or may not ask you to show a valid international driver’s license – but it is a legal requirement to have it and they can refuse to give you a car if you don’t have it.
My guides on renting a car in Sardinia
I have written some guides that will help you understand the process of renting a car in Sardinia. Make sure to read at least one of them as they include valuable information:
- What To Know When Renting A Car In Sardinia
- How To Rent A Car In Cagliari
- How To Rent A Car In Alghero
- How To Rent A Car In Olbia
Roads in Sardinia
Sardinia’s road network includes a mix of fast and free highways, winding provincial roads, and unpaved countryside roads. Speed limits vary depending on the type of road and location, so knowing the differences can help you plan for a smoother drive.
HIGH SPEED ROADS
- Name in Italian: Strada Statale (SS) or Superstrada.
- Main characteristics: Four-lane highway, toll-free.
- Main routes: SS131 (connects Cagliari to Oristano, Sassari and Porto Torres), SS131 Bis (connects to Nuoro and Olbia); sections of SS125 (east coast).
- Speed limit: Up to 110 km/h (68 mph).
PROVINCIAL ROADS
- Name in Italian: Strada Provinciale (SP).
- Two-lane, often winding.
- Speed limit: 50 km/h (31 mph) in towns, 90 km/h (56 mph) outside urban areas.
URBAN ROADS
- Speed limits in towns and cities in Sardinia typically range from 30 to 50 km/h (19–31 mph), depending on the area. Some cities such as Olbia have implemented the 30 km/h speed limit throughout the city.
- Lower limits apply in historic centers and residential zones.
SMALLER ACCESS ROADS
Many roads leading to beaches and trails and around the countryside are unpaved.
Driving in Sardinia
The first thing to remember is that we drive on the right side of the road in Sardinia, like in the rest of continental Europe and in North America. The legal age to drive is 18 and you are expected to wear your seat belts even on the back seat.
If you enjoy driving, you’ll have a fabulous experience here in Sardinia. Yes, the roads may be a bit more narrow compared to what you are used to, but traffic is never bad (except in the cities). Road works can occasionally slow you down too.
We have lots of windy roads, so if you are traveling with children or with someone prone to car-sickness come prepared with some Dramamine or some ginger tablets – best taken 30 minutes before you set off to drive.
On the plus side, driving around the island means endless views, especially if you drive along the coast or in the mountainous area.
Despite the bad reputation Italian drivers have, Sardinians are not bad drivers. Some tend to go above the speed limit, but you shouldn’t and don’t be bothered if they tailgate you. Just drive a bit more defensively than you would, if necessary.
My guide on driving in Sardinia
My guide What’s Driving In Sardinia Really like? has more information on what to expect if you decide to drive around the island, and the legal requirements.
Further readings: The Most Scenic Roads In Sardinia.
Parking in Sardinia
Parking rules in Sardinia vary depending on location, with color-coded spaces indicating whether payment is required. Understanding these markings can help you avoid fines, especially in cities and near popular beaches.
In cities, blue-striped spaces require payment via street machines or apps like MoneyGo. Rates vary from €0.50 to €2 per hour depending on the location, and apply to business hours – from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 4:00 to 8:00 pm, Monday to Saturday. You can pay by coins or use your contactless card too.
White-striped spaces are free to use – though beware of the carico-scarico (load-unload) parking marked by white stripes as this is not a regular parking spot. There’s always a sign pointing it out.
Yellow-striped spaces are reserved for residents, disabled drivers, or official vehicles—parking here without authorization can result in fines.
At the beach, rules can vary a lot depending on the municipality and rates can be quite high – sometimes you pay by the hour (usually €2 per hour throughout the day), others you pay for a day or half a day.
Most of the parkings are managed by private companies. Sometimes there’s an attendant on site, others there’s just a machine and you need to pay cash (at times cards are accepted too).
Parking outside the designated areas can lead to a parking ticket. Oftentimes your car rental company will receive the fine and you’ll be asked to pay. Other times the fine will be left on your car’s window. Either way, pay it as soon as possible to avoid higher charges.
By train
Of course the train is another way of getting around Sardinia, though the options of places you can visit by train are a bit more limited as there are no trains to smaller coastal towns, or to mountain towns, or near trailheads.
If you stick to main cities and accept to travel a bit slower, the train is still a great way of moving around. On the plus side, traveling by train is very budget friendly.
When it comes to trains, we have two options here in Sardinia.
Trenitalia trains
Trenitalia is the main railway operator in Italy and it covers the main train routes in Sardinia. You will find train connections between Cagliari, Oristano, Olbia and Golfo Aranci (one of Sardinia’s ferry terminal), Sassari and Porto Torres (another harbor).
Trains also connect Cagliari to Iglesias and a few surrounding small towns in the south of the island.
Trenitalia trains are accessible to disabled travelers and assistance is provided for things such as handling luggage, boarding and disembarking.
You can buy train tickets directly at the station, online on the website of Trenitalia or via the Omio App.
ARST trains
ARST is actually the public bus company in Sardinia, but it also operates some train routes – the Macomer to Nuoro connection, and the Sassari to Alghero one.
ARST trains are accessible to passengers with disabilities and there usually are either mobile wheelchair boarding ramps or wheelchair boarding platforms.
You can buy ARST train tickets online on the official website or in person at the station.
Keep in mind that the Trenitalia and ARST railways intersect in Macomer and Sassari (where trains to Alghero depart from). Each company has its own station, but they are very close to one another so you never miss a connection.
Scenic trains in Sardinia
Sardinia also has a network of tourist trains known as the Trenino Verde (Little Green Train in English). It’s the largest one in Europe with its 438 km (271 miles).
Of course, this isn’t really a way of getting around Sardinia: the train travels at just 20km/h so it’s more like a tourist attraction to explore some unique lesser known destinations.
There are currently 5 routes you can pick from, but departures don’t really work around much of a schedule and there often are shutdowns, so it’s difficult to plan a journey if your dates aren’t flexible.
By bus
The bus is a convenient and budget-friendly way of getting around Sardinia wherever the train doesn’t go.
Public buses in Sardinia are operated by ARST, which has stations in Cagliari, Sassari, Alghero, Nuoro, Olbia, Iglesias and Oristano and connects these to a multitude of other small towns around the island.
Of course, if you want to explore the many beaches on the island you are still better off renting a car, but there are bus stops along some beach hubs in Sardinia – for example Costa Rei, Chia and Villasimius in the south, and San Teodoro and Stintino in the north.
ARST buses have dedicated seats for travelers with disabilities, but you are required to communicate your route to the company 36 hours before traveling.
You can get tickets directly at the bus station or at a local kiosk (we call it “tabacchino” in Italian) and other than the station, you can catch the bus at the bus stop (“fermata” in Italian). Alternatively, you can also get tickets online via the apps Drop Ticket or TabNet.
My guides on public transport in Sardinia
I have written more detailed posts that help you plan how to get around Sardinia by public transport:
By ferry to smaller islands
If you want to visit any of the islands off the coast of Sardinia such as La Maddalena National Park in the northeast, Asinara National Park in the northwest, Isola di San Pietro in the southwest and Tavolara close to Olbia, you will need to hop on a ferry.
Here’s a quick overview of the companies and the routes they operate:
- DELCOMAR – It operates the ferry to San Pietro Island from either Calasetta or Portoscuso, to La Maddalena from Palau and to Asinara from Porto Torres. These are all car ferries, with the exception of the ferry to Asinara National Park, where private cars can’t circulate.
- MADDALENA LINES – It operates the ferry to La Maddalena from Palau. This is a car ferry.
- TAVOLARA TRAGHETTI E GITE – It operates the ferry to Tavolara from Porto San Paolo. This is a tourist ferry only as no cars are allowed on Tavolara Island.
You don’t need to get tickets in advance for the ferry to La Maddalena, San Pietro Island or Asinara as ferries leave on a regular basis, but you are better off booking tickets in advance for the ferry to Tavolara.
Read my full guide on Where To Take The Ferry To Sardinia.
By bike
In recent years, biking has become a more popular way of getting around Sardinia and I often hear of organized biking group tours that go around the island.
The network of cycling lanes in Sardinia is slowly increasing, and there are some fantastic panoramic roads that are hardly trafficked. I recommend to avoid biking along Sardinia’s coastal roads in the peak summer months as there is a lot of traffic, and it may feel quite intimidating.
If you come to Sardinia with your bike, be advised that you may have to pay a small additional fee to take your bike on the bus or on the train.
Useful Resources
These other guides will help you plan how to get around Sardinia:
- How To Get From Cagliari To Alghero
- How To Get From Cagliari Airport To Cagliari City Center
- How To Get From Alghero Airport To Alghero City Center
- How To Get From Alghero To Olbia
- How To Get From Olbia Airport To The City And Beyond
- How To Get From Sardinia To Corsica
- How To Get From Corsica To Sardinia
Fun Itineraries For Your Sardinia Trip
If you don’t feel like planning, my itineraries are 100% free to read and will take the burden away – you will only need to pack your bags. These are my most popular itineraries:
- 3 Days In Cagliari Itinerary
- Alghero Itinerary For A Long Weekend
- South Sardinia Itinerary
- 10-Days Sardinia Itinerary
- Itinerary For 10 Days In North Sardinia
- 2-week Sardinia Road Trip
I also have incredibly detailed itineraries that you can purchase for a minimal fee. They include the driving distances, daily activities, the best accommodation and restaurant options in each destination visited, and the best local resources.
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