How To Get From Cagliari To Olbia: 4 Best Ways To Travel

If you are looking for information on how to get from Cagliari to Olbia you are in the right place. I do this trip on a regular basis and I have tried all the possible ways to travel to Olbia from Cagliari, so you could say I am an expert!

Let me start by saying that Olbia has its very own airport – Olbia Costa Smeralda International Airport (one of the three airports of Sardinia), which connects the city to the rest of Italy and that also has direct flights to a number of European destinations. The airport serves the north and north-east of Sardinia.

However, if for any reason you find yourself flying to Cagliari Elmas Airport or planning a trip around Sardinia and need to make your way to Olbia from Cagliari, you will surely want to know about the best Cagliari Olbia connections.

Since I travel this route all the time, I am ready to explain how to get from Cagliari to Olbia.

How To Travel From Cagliari To Olbia

You have several ways of traveling between the two cities. Let me outline them all below.

Cagliari Olbia by car

This is the easiest way to travel between the two cities. You can just load your car, fill up your tank and leave whenever you are ready. You don’t have to worry about schedules, delays etc.

If you’re in Cagliari city center, you will have to leave the city and take E25/SS131 (State Road 131) until you reach Olbia. To get on the SS131 from the center of Cagliari where the City Hall is located, follow the directions to the airport first. You will be driving along Viale la Playa.

You will have to stay on that road all the way to Abbasanta. Once there, you can stop at the gas station for a coffee, to use the bathrooms and to stretch your legs. Soon after that, there’s an intersection on your right pointing you towards Nuoro and Olbia and the SS131 Bis. That’s where you need to turn.

The overall Cagliari to Olbia drive takes about three hours with regular traffic. But there often are roadworks along the way. These will slow you down, so you can factor in a bit extra time for your drive from Cagliari to Olbia. This is just in case there is heavy traffic and you stop along the way too.

I have come across posts that suggest that it only takes two hours to travel to Olbia from Cagliari. I wonder if the authors have ever been to Sardinia (probably not). Indeed, unless you have a Ferrari and break all the speed limits, that is impossible!

If you’re landing in Cagliari Elmas and need to travel directly to Olbia, you will need to rent a car from one of the many rental car shops. From the airport, take SS391 and then follow SS131 and SS131 Bis all the way to Olbia.

I recommend using Discover Cars to check the prices of car rental in Sardinia. This is my favorite comparison site for car rental, and I have used it widely all over the world. Make sure to pick a company with good ratings (minimum 8) to ensure good service.

You should also read my post A Guide To Renting A Car In Cagliari. It shares all the best local tips and hacks to land a good deal on your car rental.

Cagliari Olbia by bus

Direct bus from Cagliari Central Bus Station

Direct buses to Olbia depart from Cagliari Central Bus Station located in Piazza Matteotti. That’s the same square were you’ll find the Central Train Station and the City Hall.

Once you’re at the station, go out and look for a bus stop called “Cagliari Piazza Matteotti – Esterno”.

The bus from Cagliari to Olbia leaves twice a day at 6:00 am and 2:30 pm from Monday to Saturday. It leaves once a day only at 6:00 am on Sundays. The Cagliari to Olbia bus route is managed by a company called “Turmo Travel”. You can buy the tickets directly on board. They cost €16,50.

It will take you to Olbia from Cagliari in about 4 hours and 20 minutes.

You can get to Cagliari Central Train Station from Cagliari Elmas Airport by train in under 10 minutes. There are departures every 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the time of day. For more details, read my post How To Get From Cagliari Airport To The City Center.

There is no direct bus from Cagliari Elmas Airport to Olbia unless you’re part of a private tour group. You will find the bus terminal outside the baggage claim area: just follow the “to the bus” signs.

Combination of buses from Cagliari Elmas Airport

You can also get to Olbia from Cagliari Airport if you’re okay having to change buses a few times. You can take the ARST buses departing from Cagliari Elmas Airport: a two-bus change route leaves the airport at 3:50 pm.

There are other buses during the day, but this itinerary is the only one that will guarantee all the connections without having to wait too much between them.

This way of traveling to Olbia from Cagliari is a bit more complicated, so be sure to follow these steps:

1. Exit the Arrivals terminal at the airport and go to the “Aeroporto Elmas Arrivi” bus stop. Take line 9342 towards Nuoro Stazione ARST;
2. Get down at Nuoro Stazione ARST (around 6:05 pm);
3. Wait for about 20 minutes for the next bus that should depart at 6:30 pm from the same bus stop;
4. Take Linea 514 towards Olbia Corso Vittorio Veneto 3C-Capolinea;
5. Get off at Olbia Corso Vittorio Veneto 3C-Capolinea. It’s the last stop. This last part of the trip will take about 3 hours and 30 minutes.

The overall trip takes about 7 hours and costs €16,50. You will need to buy two separate tickets: one for the bus from Cagliari Elmas Airport to Nuoro and one for the bus from Nuoro to Olbia.

There is no need to type in or ask for the exact bus stops when buying the tickets: it works differently than train tickets, so just use the general city names. You can buy the bus tickets at the kiosks, vending machines at the airport and stations, and in some tabacchi and coffee shops (bar, in Italian) that also sell tabacchi.

This combination of buses sums up how difficult it can be to travel by public transportation in Sardinia so I only recommend it if you really have no other option and can’t even take the train. I still think that, depending on what time you land, it’s better to travel to Cagliari Central Bus Station and opt for the Turmo Travel direct bus or for the train (more about that in a bit).

Cagliari Olbia by train

From Cagliari City Center

Getting from Cagliari to Olbia by train is very easy if you are staying in town, although train travel in Sardinia is often subject to variations due to rail works.

Direct trains from Cagliari city center to Olbia depart several times per day – 6:27 am; 8:35 am; 10:40 am; 12:22 pm; 2:30 pm; 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm. The train journey normally lasts about 3.5 hour.

There also are indirect trains to Olbia from Cagliari, where you’ll be requested to change in Ozieri Chilivani station. If you happen to get one of these trains, don’t worry: the change is seamless as the platforms are right next to each other. However, this adds a bit to the overall travel time which is around four hours.

Cagliari to Olbia train tickets cost €18 and you can get them directly at the station – at the ticket counter or at one of the vending machines you’ll find inside the train station.

Alternatively, you can use the app Omio to book your train tickets online for the same price.

Don’t forget to validate your ticket before getting on board – validation machines are usually located along the platform.

From Cagliari Airport

There are four direct trains from Cagliari Elmas Airport to Olbia. They leave at 6:33 am; 8:42 am; 12:29 pm, and 4:36 pm.

In addition to those, if you are traveling to Olbia from Cagliari Elmas Airport you will also have two trains requiring a change:

• 2:37 pm Regional Train (RE) 4846 towards Porto Torres M.MA. You will have to get off at Ozieri Chilivani and change to bus train 5289 to Olbia. You have a 5 minutes window for the connection but don’t worry, the platforms are literally one next to the other. The trip takes a total of 3 hours and 48 minutes.
• 6:36 pm RE 4850 towards Sassari. You will have to get off at Macomer at 8:22 pm and hop on bus train 4790, which leaves at 8:36 pm. You will get to Olbia at 10:28 pm. The overall trip takes about 4 hours.

You can buy the train tickets for €18 from the ticket vending machines in the arrivals hall or at inside the train station. They work in five different languages.

Alternatively, you can use the app Omio to book your train tickets online for the same price.

Remember to validate your ticket before getting on board – validation machines are usually located along the platform.

The train station inside the airport is quite easy to reach: once you are out of the baggage claim area, turn left and go straight. Pass every shop and keep following the signs “to the trains”. You will find it in about five minutes!

Cagliari Olbia private transfer

You have one last option to travel between the two cities, which is very expensive: a private transfer. I only recommend it in case you really don’t want to drive from Cagliari to Olbia, yet want to travel comfortably and don’t want to rely on the train from Cagliari to Olbia, or on the bus.

Private transfers to Olbia from Cagliari are in the range of €500. If you are traveling in a small group and don’t feel like driving yourself, it may be worth paying the price just to avoid any hassle. Your driver will pick you up from your accommodation, but other pick up locations include Cagliari Airport, the central railway station and the harbor.

You can then ask to be taken to Olbia and even further to the Porto Cervo, Porto Rotondo or Cannigione.

Since we are talking about a private transfer, you will be deciding what time you want to be picked up too. The drive from Cagliari to Olbia will take roughly three hours, depending on traffic, road works and how many stops you ask to make along the way.

One thing to keep in mind if you are visiting Sardinia in the peak summer season is to book your transfer well in advance as availability is often limited.

I recommend using Welcome Pickups to book your private transfer to Olbia from Cagliari. I have used this company widely in many places in the world, and have always found their service great. Once you make your request, you will receive confirmation within minutes. You will be assigned to a driver and their contact will be shared. Drivers are always professional and punctual, and cars always in excellent conditions.

Other Useful Information

How far is Cagliari to Olbia?

The distance from Cagliari to Olbia is 264 km, which is just about 164 miles. It takes just about 3 hours to drive from Cagliari to Olbia, whereas the direct Cagliari to Olbia train takes around 3.5 hours.

How long does it take to get to Olbia from Cagliari?

It depends. The Cagliari to Olbia drive takes around 3 hours with no traffic and respecting the speed limits. But constructions works along the way are very common, so that will slow you down a bit.

If you travel from Cagliari to Olbia by train, you can expect the journey to last around 3.5 hours – more if you have to change trains.

The bus from Cagliari to Olbia takes 4 hours and 20 minutes.

What’s the best way to travel to Olbia from Cagliari?

Personally, I love driving so to me going from Cagliari to Olbia by car is the best option. If you are planning on renting a car for your Sardinia trip, you can drop it off in Olbia.

If you don’t want to drive, the Cagliari to Olbia train is by far the most convenient option both in terms of travel time and costs.

Final Considerations

Unless you are driving, the easiest way to get to Olbia from Cagliari is the direct train from Cagliari to Olbia. Another comfortable and budget friendly option is the Turmo Travel bus from Cagliari Central Bus Station.

No matter what your budget is, getting to Olbia from Cagliari is very easy and I am sure you won’t have any issue traveling between Sardinia’s top holiday destinations.

Further Readings

Make sure to read my other posts:

• How To Get To Sardinia
• How To Travel From Alghero To Olbia
• A Guide To Renting A Car In Sardinia
• A Quick Guide To Olbia
• The Best Hotels In Olbia
• A Great North Sardinia Itinerary
• A Guide To La Maddalena

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