The journey between the airport and the city takes about an hour. My favourite option is the train. Trains from the airport to Palermo Centrale run regularly every 30–60 minutes, depending on the time of day. The station is located directly inside the airport, and tickets can be purchased either online through the Trenitalia or Trainline app, or at the ticket office and ticket machines on the platform. At the moment, a one-way ticket costs €7.
If you enjoy looking out of the window while you travel, the airport bus is another good option. The price is about the same. You’ll find the buses just outside the airport exit on the right-hand side, and the ticket office is located there as well.
Both trains and buses go to Palermo Centrale, but they also make several stops in the city centre along the way. It’s worth asking your hotel which stop is the most convenient for you, so you don’t have to walk through the city with your suitcase.
Taxi As I often tell our guests: there are no taxis in Palermo. Of course, that’s not entirely true, but it’s quite common to walk out of the airport and not see a single taxi waiting. If you already know that you’d like to travel by car, arranging a transfer through your hotel is usually the most comfortable option. Just keep the price in mind—around €50 per car is the standard rate.
Speaking of taxis, most of the vehicles here are actually minivans designed for larger groups. On my last trip to the airport, I noticed that some taxi drivers were putting together shared rides. The price was €8 per person—about the same as public transport—but with drop-off directly at your address. I’m only sharing this as something I’ve observed because I haven’t tried it myself yet and don’t know exactly how it works in practice. As soon as I do, I’ll update this article.