From the Italian mainland
The Italian mainland offers the most ferry connections to Sardinia - from northern Italy to the south, there are various departure ports to choose from.
Genoa
The port of Genoa in Liguria offers ferry connections to northern Sardinia. From here, Moby Lines (including Tirrenia) and Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) travel to Olbia on the north-east coast and Porto Torres in the north-west.
The crossings take around 10 to 12 hours depending on the port of destination and are mainly night ferries. In the high season, there are usually daily departures per route (mostly in the evening), and occasionally additional day trips in summer.
Genoa - Olbia
2 Ferry CompaniesGenoa - Porto Torres
2 Ferry CompaniesLivorno
Livorno in Tuscany is another important port of departure. From Livorno, Grimaldi Lines, Moby Lines and Corsica Ferries operate services to Olbia and the nearby port of Golfo Aranci (also in north-eastern Sardinia).
Journey times are slightly shorter than from Genoa - typically 7 to 9 hours - and both day and night ferries are available. In the summer season, there are up to three departures a day on the main Livorno-Olbia route (combined across all shipping companies). Golfo Aranci is served somewhat less frequently (usually once a day), mainly by Corsica Ferries.
Livorno - Olbia
2 Ferry CompaniesLivorno - Golfo Aranci
Piombino
The Tuscan port of Piombino, located south of Livorno, serves as a starting point for fast crossings in summer. Moby Lines offers a seasonal connection to Olbia (mainly in the summer months). The journey time is only around 5 to 6 hours, which makes for a quick day trip without an overnight stay in a cabin.
Corsica Ferries also operates a ferry from Piombino to Golfo Aranci in high summer - this crossing takes around 7 to 7½ hours and takes place approximately once a week. Both Piombino routes are mainly operated during the vacation season (July/August); outside these peak times, they are not available or only to a limited extent.
Piombino - Olbia
Piombino - Golfo Aranci
Civitavecchia (Rome)
Civitavecchia, the port of Rome, offers the most varied Sardinia routes. From here there are connections to Olbia, Porto Torres, Arbatax and Cagliari. The ferry routes are operated jointly by Grimaldi Lines and Tirrenia (Moby) - and in some cases also by GNV.
The most frequent is the fast route to Olbia, which runs up to 23 times a week in summer and only takes around 5½ hours (some high-speed ships). The other routes are less frequent: There are around 2 departures per week to Porto Torres (in the north-west) with a journey time of around 7¾ hours; Arbatax on the east coast is reached around twice a week in around 9 hours.
The longest route is to Cagliari in southern Sardinia (around 13 hours journey time, around 3 departures per week). This southbound route is usually operated as a night ferry - departing from Civitavecchia in the evening and arriving in Cagliari the next morning. The connection to Arbatax is also usually a night crossing. The shorter crossings (to Olbia and sometimes Porto Torres), on the other hand, often take place during the day.
Civitavecchia - Olbia
3 Ferry CompaniesCivitavecchia - Porto Torres
Civitavecchia - Arbatax
Civitavecchia - Cagliari
Naples (Napoli)
There is also a direct connection to Sardinia from southern Italy: A ferry sails from Naples to Cagliari several times a week. This route is mainly operated by Grimaldi Lines and is offered around 3 times a week all year round.
The crossing takes around 13 to 15 hours and is overnight - the ferry typically leaves Naples in the early evening (around 7 pm) and reaches Cagliari around 10 am the next morning. Cabins are usually available for the overnight journey, as a continuous seated journey is less comfortable for this duration.
Naples - Cagliari
From France
There are ferries to northern Sardinia from mainland France, which offer an alternative to traveling via Italy.
Toulon
Corsica Ferries offers ferry connections to Sardinia from mainland France from Toulon. The main route Toulon - Porto Torres (northwest Sardinia) takes around 9-10 hours depending on the ship and is usually operated as a night ferry. There are usually two departures per week in the summer season.
In addition, there is a weekly ferry from Toulon to Golfo Aranci (north-east Sardinia) in high summer with a journey time of around 12-13 hours - this crossing is also mainly overnight.
Toulon - Porto Torres
Toulon - Golfo Aranci
Nice
There is also a direct ferry connection to Sardinia from Nice on the French Côte d'Azur. Corsica Ferries sails from Nice to Porto Torres in the summer season and takes around 10 hours for the crossing.
In the high season, there are typically two departures per week, usually in the evening, so that the ferry sails overnight to Sardinia. The journey time and timetable are comparable to the connection from Toulon.
Nice - Porto Torres
From Spain
From Barcelona, there is the only direct ferry connection from Spain to Sardinia - ideal for travelers who want to combine both regions.
Barcelona
From Barcelona, there is a ferry connection to north-western Sardinia. Grimaldi Lines connects Barcelona with Porto Torres, which is particularly attractive for travelers who want to combine Sardinia with a vacation in Spain.
The crossing takes around 12 to 14 hours and usually takes place overnight (the ferry leaves Barcelona in the evening and arrives in Porto Torres the next morning). Depending on demand, departures are offered once or twice a week in summer, and sometimes more frequently in high season. This route offers one of the longest ferry passages to Sardinia and is also one of the few direct connections from Spain.
Barcelona - Porto Torres
From other islands
The neighboring islands of Corsica and Sicily offer additional travel options to Sardinia, some with very short crossings.
Corsica
There are several ferry connections to Sardinia from the neighboring island of Corsica (France). The most frequently used route connects Bonifacio (southern Corsica) with Santa Teresa Gallura on the northern tip of Sardinia. It is served by smaller car ferries operated by Moby Lines and Ichnusa Lines, with numerous departures several times a day, especially in summer. The crossing is very short and only takes around 50-60 minutes - ideal for a day trip between the two islands.
There are also longer direct island routes: Corsica Ferries offers a connection from Ajaccio (southern Corsica) to Porto Torres in summer. This crossing takes around 4 to 5 hours; it operates approximately once a week (usually as a day trip).
Note: There is also a seasonal ferry from Porto-Vecchio (South Corsica) to Porto Torres, although very rarely (around once a week in high summer) and with a similar journey time of around 5 hours.
Bonifacio - Santa Teresa di Gallura
2 Ferry CompaniesAjaccio - Porto Torres
2 Ferry CompaniesSicily
There is also a direct ferry connection to Sardinia from the Italian island of Sicily. Grimaldi Lines operates the Palermo - Cagliari route once a week, which connects the two island capitals.
The ferry usually departs from Palermo on Monday mornings and reaches the port of Cagliari in the evening after a 12-hour crossing. This connection is mainly available in summer and enables a comfortable onward journey from Sicily to Sardinia, including the transportation of vehicles. As the crossing takes place during the day, passengers can enjoy the view of the Mediterranean; cabins are available as an option.