Getting to Cagliari is easier than getting to most of Sardinia, because the airport is seven kilometres from the centre and there is a train from inside the airport grounds that reaches the city in about six minutes. Getting around once you are there splits neatly: the city is a walking city, the beach is a bus ride, and everything else needs a car.
Here is the whole thing, with the actual times and costs.
The train from the airport
Cagliari Elmas (airport code CAG) sits 7 km northwest of the centre, and the best connection is the regional train.
The station is called Elmas Aeroporto and it is inside the airport grounds, linked to the terminal by a covered walkway of a few hundred metres. That is five or six minutes on foot with no luggage and a little more with cases, and it is flat and sheltered the whole way.
- Journey time: about 6 minutes to Cagliari Centrale.
- Frequency: roughly every 20 minutes.
- Fare: 1.30 euros.
- Tickets: machines at the station, the Trenitalia app, or contactless with Tap&Tap.
Cagliari Centrale is at the bottom of the city, a flat walk from Marina and the port, and a steep one from Castello.
Taxis have a minimum daytime fare of about 17 euros and typically run 20 to 25 into the centre. Worth it late at night or with a lot of luggage, and hard to justify otherwise. Bus services from the airport exist but are limited, so the train is the daytime answer.
Arriving by sea
Cagliari is a port city and the ferry terminal is in the middle of it, which makes arriving by sea genuinely pleasant: you walk off the boat and you are in Marina.
Grimaldi Lines runs the mainland routes year round.
- Civitavecchia to Cagliari: about 13 hours, roughly 3 sailings a week, fares from about 43 euros.
- Naples to Cagliari: about 15 hours, several a week, from about 35 euros.
- Palermo to Cagliari: about 12 hours, 1 to 2 a week, from about 42 euros.
These are overnight crossings. The published fares are for a seat, and I would treat a cabin as part of the cost rather than an upgrade, because the difference between arriving rested and arriving wrecked is the whole first day of your trip.
Foot passengers do well here, because the centre is walkable from the quay. If you are bringing a car from the mainland, book early for July and August, when vehicle space sells out long before seats do.
Whether you need a car
In the city, no. Cagliari is compact, the historic centre is walkable end to end, and a car in Castello is a liability: the lanes are narrow and steep, and parking is genuinely difficult.
Outside the city, yes, and I would not pretend otherwise. Nora, Barumini, Villasimius, Costa Rei and Chia are all materially harder without one. Public transport to the beaches exists in summer but it is slow and infrequent, and it turns a half day into a full one.
The sensible pattern for a short trip is to spend your city days on foot and hire a car for one or two days only, picking it up in the lower town rather than keeping it parked while you sightsee.
If you would rather not drive at all, guided day tours from Cagliari to Su Nuraxi di Barumini run about five to six hours, include hotel or port pickup, and start somewhere around 75 to 80 euros with entry included.
Getting to the beach
Poetto is on the city bus network and it is easy.
- Buses PF and PQ (and QS) from Piazza Matteotti, just off Via Roma.
- 15 to 20 minutes, around 1.30 to 1.50 euros.
- The same buses reach the flamingo park: get off at Ospedale Marino and walk about ten minutes to the gate.
Buy tickets before boarding from a tabaccheria or a machine, and validate on board.
Getting around the city
Walk. The historic centre is small, and the only real effort is vertical: Castello sits on a ridge and you will be climbing to it repeatedly.
There is a public lift and there are stepped shortcuts that cut the climb considerably, and if you are staying in the upper town it is worth spending your first evening finding the one nearest your door. It changes the trip.
Taxis exist but you will rarely need one inside the centre.
Hiring a car, and what to know before you do
Three things about driving here that are not obvious from a booking page.
Take the smallest car you can live with. The roads out to the beaches and up into the Marmilla are fine, but village streets and beach car parks are not, and a large estate is a liability in both.
Fuel stations close. Outside the city, many are unattended in the evenings and on Sundays, taking cards at a machine rather than cash. Fill up before you head inland rather than assuming you will pass something.
The roads are better than the map suggests. The main routes out of Cagliari are fast dual carriageway for a good part of the way, so the hour to Villasimius or Barumini is a real hour rather than an optimistic one. Where it slows is the last few kilometres, on the coast roads and the village approaches.
Book ahead in July and August, when island-wide supply genuinely runs out, and check whether your accommodation has parking before you commit, because very little in the historic centre does.
Onward, to the rest of Sardinia
Cagliari is the south, and Sardinia is a big island. Some honest distances:
- Nora (Pula): about 35 km, roughly 45 minutes.
- Villasimius: about an hour east.
- Costa Rei: about an hour, and only about 15 minutes beyond Villasimius.
- Su Nuraxi di Barumini: about an hour inland.
- The Costa Smeralda: roughly 300 km north, and a serious drive of around three and a half to four hours. These are opposite ends of the island and should be treated as two trips, not one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get from Cagliari airport to the city centre?
Take the train from Elmas Aeroporto station, which sits inside the airport grounds a few hundred metres from the terminal by covered walkway. It reaches Cagliari Centrale in about six minutes for 1.30 euros, roughly every twenty minutes. A taxi costs around 20 to 25 euros.
Do you need a car in Cagliari?
Not for the city, which is walkable, and where parking in the upper town is difficult. You do need one for Nora, Barumini and the beaches beyond Poetto. Hiring for one or two days rather than the whole trip is usually the best value.
Can you get to Cagliari by ferry?
Yes, year round with Grimaldi Lines from Civitavecchia (about 13 hours), Naples (about 15 hours) and Palermo (about 12 hours), with fares from roughly 35 to 45 euros for a seat. All three are overnight crossings and the terminal is in the centre of the city.
How do you get to Poetto beach from Cagliari?
The PF and PQ buses from Piazza Matteotti, just off Via Roma, take fifteen to twenty minutes and cost around 1.50 euros. The same route serves the flamingo park at Molentargius: get off at Ospedale Marino and walk about ten minutes.
Read also: Where to Stay in Cagliari | The Best Day Trips from Cagliari | The Complete Guide to Cagliari
