Travelling by ship

The ship is a little expensive, colourful and resting means of transport and at times it is necessary in order to reach the small islands that encircle Italy.
Besides the connections with the Italian islands, ferries of various navigation companies join the peninsula to the main states of the Mediterranean (Greece, Turkey, Former Yugoslavia, Corsica, Malta). Also the hydrofoils turn out to be quite a fast means of transport even if more expensive.
In most of the connections it is possible to embark cars, caravans and motorcycles, but during the summer months it is necessary to reserve with wide advance the tickets, above all if the destinations are Island of Elba, Corsica, Greece, Sardinia and Sicily.

The one who leaves with a vehicle on end must be at embarking points with advance (from a minimum of 2 hours to a maximum of 3); if you don't respect the previewed boarding times fixed by the company, you lose the right of boarding and the cost of the ticket.

Many navigation services are operative at night and the travellers can choose between sleeping in cabin or in stall. Sleeping on the bridge (without being obliged to reserve in cabin or a seat) is allowed just in summer and on some boats. The ships of big dimensions have a bar, restaurants and recreational services such as the cinema.

It is possible to inquire directly on routes and rates in the travel agencies or in headquarters of the navigation companies.
The ticket prices vary according to the day of departure and to the timetable, the accomodation (cabins, numbered seats or place on bridge), to the possible vehicle on the end. Moreover the return journey turn out to be discounted.
It is possible to make the reservation in the travel agencies, in the agencies and branchs of the ferries companies and also in Internet, in the web site of the navigation companies or in those of the travel agencies.

Main harbours

Navigation Companies
Here you find the list of the main Navigation Companies with the geographic area of reference:

• ADRIATICA DI NAVIGAZIONE - Albania, Greece, Italy
  tel. +39041/781611- +39041/781894 (Venice)
  http://www.adriatica.it
• AGOUDIMOS LINES - Greece (Paxi, Igoumenitsa, Corfù)
  tel. +390831/529091-0831/529092 fax: +390831/529217 (Brindisi)
  http://www.agoudimos-lines.com - E-mail: niarchos@libero.it
• ALILAURO - Capri and Ischia
  tel. +39081/5522838 (Naples)
  http://www.alilauro.it
• ANEK LINES - Greece
  tel. +39040/3220561 (Trieste)
  http://www.anek.gr/
• CAREMAR - Capri, Ischia, Procida
  Information and Reservation Centre: tel. 892.123
  Mobile telephony and international line: tel. +39 081/0171998
  http://www.caremar.it
• CORSICA FERRIES - Corsica
  tel. +39019/2160041 (Savona)
  tel. +390586/881380 (Livorno)
  http://www.corsicaferries.com
• CORSICA MARITTIMA - Corsica
  tel. +39010/589595 (Genoa)
  tel. +390586/211101 (Livorno)
  http://www.corsica-marittima.com
• GRANDI NAVI VELOCI - Sardinia, Sicily, Tunisia, Spain
  tel. +39010/25465 (Genoa)
  http://www.gnv.it
• GRANDI TRAGHETTI - Sicily
  tel. +390586/409804 (Livorno)
  tel. +39091/587801 (Palermo)
• HAPPY LINES - Bastia
  tel. +390187/564530 fax: +390187/564364 (La Spezia)
  http://www.happylines.it - E-mail: info@happylines.it
• MARESI SHIPPING COMPANY LTD - Malta, Catania, Reggio calabria
  tel. +39095/325081 fax: +39095/71593850 (Catania)
  tel. +390965/23891 fax: +390965/332455 (Reggio Calabria)
  E-mail: maresi@sms.com.mt
• MARLINES - Greece
  tel. +39080/5231824-080/5275447 (Bari)
  http://www.marlines.it - E-mail: santelia@tin.it
• MINOAN LINES - Greece
  tel. +39041/2712345 (Venice)
  http://www.minoan.gr
• MOBY LINES - Sardinia, Corsica, Elba
  tel. +390586/826823-4-5 (Livorno)
  tel. +390565/936111-o565/916758 (Portoferraio)
  tel. +39081/5520808-081/5513080-081/918101 (Naples)
  tel. +39010/2541513 (Genoa)
  http://www.mobylines.it
• SARDINIA FERRIES - Sardinia, Corsica
  tel. +39010/593301 (Genoa)
  tel. +390565/881380 (Livorno)
  tel. +390789/25200-24146 (Olbia)
  http://www.corsicaferries.com/corsicahtml/it/index.asp
• SIREMAR Sicilia Regionale Marittima - Ustica
  tel. +39091/6902555-582403
  http://www.siremar.it
• SNAV ALISCAFI - Capri, Ischia, Procida, Pontine Islands, Eolie e Sicily
  tel. +39081/7612348 (Naples)
  tel. +39091/586066 (Palermo)
  tel. 199/123199
  http://www.snav.it
• SNCM Ferryterranee - Corsica, Sardinia, Tunisia
  tel. +39010/589595 (Genoa)
  http://www.sncm.fr
• STRINTZIS - Greece
  tel. +39071/2073992 (Ancona)
  tel. +39041/2712660 (Venice)
  tel. +390831/562200 (Brindisi)
  http://www.ferries.gr/Strintzis/ - E-mail: bluestar@ferries.gr
• SUPERFAST FERRY - Greece
  tel. +39071/202033 (Ancona)
  http://www.superfast.com - E-mail: info.anconaport@superfast.com
• TIRRENIA - Sardinia, Sicily, Tunisia, minor islands
  For information and reservations:
  - tel. 199/123199 every day from 9.00 to 20.00
  - tel. +39081/3172999 for calls from cellphone or from a foreign country
  For assistance during the journey: toll number tel. 800/834952, or for calls from a foreign country tel.+39039/6899965 (24 hours out of 24)
  http://www.tirrenia.it
• TOREMAR - Elba, Capraia, Giglio, Pienosa, Gorgona
  Created as a postal service,it serves the islands of the Tuscany archipelago with departures from Livorno, Piombino, Porto Santo Stefano.
  For information and reservations: tel. 199/123199
  http://www.toremar.it - E-mail: toremar@infovoce24.it
• TRAGHETTI LINEE LAURO - Ischia, Tunisia, Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily
  tel. +39081/5513352 (Naples)
  http://www.lineelauro.it
• TRAGHETTI POZZUOLI - Ischia Island
  tel. +39081/5267736 (Pozzuoli)
  tel. +39081/992803 (Ischia)
  http://www.traghettipozzuoli.it
• TRIS TRAGHETTI - Palau and Porto Torres
  tel. +39010/5762411 Genoa
  http://www.tris.it
• VETOR - Hydrofoils for Ponza and Ventotene (Lazio)
  tel. +390771/80549 (Ponza)
  tel. +390771/85195-6 oppure 0771/85253 (Ventotene)
  http://www.vetor.it - E-mail: helpdesk@vetor.it

Useful References:

Links to other navigation companies:

• http://www.traghettionline.org
  First Italian Portal on ferries from all Mediterranean.
  It contains information on the routes, the timetables and the rates of all the Italian and foreign ferries.
  Through a ticket office online it is possible to reserve the ticket with extreme easyness and to pay in the favourite way: credit card or credit transfer.
• http://www.ferrytravel.de
  In English. Ferry Companies of the Web offers a general idea of the main companies of ferries in Europe, America, Asia and in the world.
• http://www.youra.com/intlferries/index.html
  In English. Ferry World Travelguide on line proposes the list of ferries companies subdivided into geographic area.
• http://www.portfocus.com
  In English. The site contains a database on the ports of all the world.
• http://www.aliscafi.it
  The site gives indications on fast navigation in Italy (timetables, destinations, lodgings, tourism)
• http://www.fun.informare.it
  Through the site, it is possible to carry out research for navigation company , destination (abroad/italy) and port of destination (cruises)
• http://www.reservation.it
  Reservation system of places on ship for the Mediterranean area
• http://www.initaly.comtravel/info/tranlink.htm
  In English. Initaly Online has been created by a group of travel agents (with correspondents in Italy): it is composed of various sections that provide information on the Italian life, transport, etc.
• http://www.traghetti.com
• http://www.traghettionline.net
• http://www.traghettiamo.it
• http://www.onlineferries.com