Hi there,
We will be in Puglia in April next year. We will be arriving from Amalfi Coast to Bari then want to go to Alberobello for a couple of days then to Matera again for a couple of days. We then want to take a train to Reggio Calabria & onwards to Palermo. My problem is that as I see it the train to Calabria goes through Taranto . I figure it would be easier to catch it from there rather than going back to Bari. Can someone please tell me if there are trains or buses that run from Matera on a Saturday or Sunday to Taranto. Or alternatively is there a better way to get to Calabria. ?
We will be in Puglia in April next year. We will be arriving from Amalfi Coast to Bari then want to go to Alberobello for a couple of days then to Matera again for a couple of days. We then want to take a train to Reggio Calabria & onwards to Palermo. My problem is that as I see it the train to Calabria goes through Taranto . I figure it would be easier to catch it from there rather than going back to Bari. Can someone please tell me if there are trains or buses that run from Matera on a Saturday or Sunday to Taranto. Or alternatively is there a better way to get to Calabria. ?
1
There are almost NO buses on Sunday. Monday to Saturday, some buses run from Matera to Taranto and some others to Ferrandina or Pisticci railway station (scalo) from where you can go on by train either to Metaponto or to Potenza. There are also trains and buses of the Ferrovie Appulo-Lucane from Matera to Potenza Centrale (also called Potenza Inferiore). From Potenza you can continue via Battipaglia, whereas from Taranto - Metaponto, you can travel via Cosenza (shorter, but often not faster).The best connection would be:
Matera dp (Monday-Sat) 12.30 - Metaponto 13.20/15.25 - Sibari 16.35/16.50 - Castiglione Cosentino 17.47/18.17 - Reggio di Calabria ar 20.50
or take a taxi from Matera to Ferrandina,leave there at 14.59 by Rome bound train up to Battipaglia ar 17.23, dp 17.50 (train from Rome) and arrive at Reggio at 22.00.
All that is very time consuming. I suggest to go back to Bari and to fly from there to either Catania or Palermo. Fares start at 40 EUR.
http://www.blu-express.com/
Flights can be booked until end March. Wait a month or so and you will be able to book for April.
If you don't want to fly, check the direct buses:
Bari dp 8.15am - Taranto dp 9.45am - Palermo ar 8.15pm
http://www.arem.puglia.it/pdf/servizi/autobus_nazionali/PUGLIA-SICILIA.pdf
Connecting train to Bari, Matera dp 6.37
Connecting bus to Taranto, Matera dp 6.25
Links to local timetables (will probably change until April):
http://www.sitasudtrasporti.it/#
http://www.sitasudtrasporti.it/public/tpl/basilicata/matera/SITA_354.pdf
http://www.sitasudtrasporti.it/public/tpl/basilicata/matera/SITA_710.pdf
http://www.fal-srl.it/it/pdf/TRx05092012bis.pdf
http://www.fal-srl.it/it/pdf/AutBADisp251012bis.pdf
http://www.fal-srl.it/it/pdf/AUTMT29102012.pdf
