How to Get to Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre Holiday: Detailed Guide, Useful Information, and Tips.
Between the villages of Cinque Terre, you can travel by train, boat, or on foot. There are no buses here, and it's not recommended to use a car because finding parking can be difficult. First, you'll need to reach La Spezia, the largest nearby city, from where you can take a local train and reach the first village, Riomaggiore, in just 7 minutes. By the way, hotels in La Spezia are more affordable, so consider this option.
If you are flying to Italy by plane, it will be useful to know about the nearest and major airports in the country and how long it takes to travel from the airport to Cinque Terre.
- Genoa: one and a half hours by train (limited flights);
- Pisa: 1 hour by train (limited flights);
- Milan: 3 hours from Milan's central station by train, Milan has 3 airports, so you need to add time for the bus between the airport and the central station (30 minutes to an hour);
- Rome: 4 hours with a transfer, not very convenient and expensive.
Getting to Cinque Terre by Train
The most convenient way to get to Cinque Terre is by train. It is not only the most convenient option but also the fastest. You can check the train schedule on the website: www.trenitalia.com. Specify the destination as La Spezia Centrale, from where you can quickly reach any village on local trains. If you are coming from the north, such as Milan or Genoa, you can head straight to Monterosso (almost all trains stop here on the way).
Between the villages of Cinque Terre, trains run every 20-30 minutes in the summer and once an hour in the winter, roughly until midnight. These trains are often displayed on the website only a week in advance, so it's not worth buying tickets online. It is recommended to book tickets online in advance only for long-distance trains, including high-speed trains.
Summer schedules are added to the website in May, so don't worry if you are looking for tickets in advance, and the website shows you limited options.
Keep in mind that trains are often delayed.
Getting to Cinque Terre by Car
Due to the challenging terrain and limited parking spaces in Cinque Terre, we do not recommend traveling around the park by car. You will have to leave your car in one of the nearby towns, such as La Spezia or Levanto, depending on which direction you are coming from. Maps and parking addresses are available on the website:
Visiting by car - www.bestofcinqueterre.com
For example, the distance between Monterosso and Vernazza is just over 2 km / 1.2 miles.
Train will take you there in 4 minutes.
Ferry in 10 minutes.
By car, you would have to drive about 20 km / 12 miles in 40 minutes and then walk for another 15 minutes (if you find parking). Therefore, it's best to leave your car in La Spezia or Levanto!
Getting to Cinque Terre by Boat
Boats operate between Levanto and La Spezia with stops in 4 villages (Corniglia does not have a port) and Portovenere. So, first, you need to get to one of these towns, and then read the information on the “Getting Around by Boat” page.
