How to Travel to & Around Abruzzo by Plane, Train, Bus & Car

Abruzzo stretches 90km east of Rome across the centre of Italy to the Adriatic Coast, encompassing Italy’s highest peak, the Corno Grande in the Gran Sasso Mountains of Abruzzo, and to the south the Majella Mountains that stretch from L’Aquila down to Chieti.

Abruzzo’s Provinces

Abruzzo comprises 4 provinces.  Like all of Italy they are similar but different in their local dialects, food & of course history as well as terrain:

North: Teramo – Mountains & Coast

South: Chieti – Mountains & Coast

East: Pescara – Mountains & Coast

West: L’Aquila – Mountains

How to get to Abruzzo

By Plane

We generally recommend flying direct to Abruzzo International Airport based in Pescara, which is approximately 3 km outside the main city centre.  If you drive there you will need to get off the A14 Autostrada at Pescara Ovest, from the A25 off at the Sambuceto junction.  For reference the airport code is (PSR/LIBP).

Pescara Airport is served by mostly lo-cost carriers like Ryanair.  You can fly direct to Abruzzo from international destinations that include: London,  Barcelona, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Bucharest, Brussels  Warsaw, Krakov, Prague &  Tirana.

To view all destinations and their serving airline and realtime timetables click here

If you are looking to travel during school holidays do check out flights to both Rome and Ancona which are slightly more reasonable unless you can book a year in advance.

Driving

There are 3 main autostrade that connect Abruzzo to the rest of Italy; these are toll roads and you can check the charges of the tolls you will pay on AutoStrada Italia for your journey in English here.

A14 -This is a coastal road that runs from Bologna in the North, to Bari in the South, and runs through each of Abruzzo’s coastal provinces.

A24 – This is also known as the Autostrada dei Parchi and runs from Rome through to Teramo via L’Aquila.  You need to take exit 14 on the Rome ring road, the GRA to connect to this autostrada, follow signs for L’Aquila.

A25 – This runs from L’Aquila through to Pescara.

Driving from Northern Europe

If you are driving from the UK or Northern Europe allow 22 hours of driving with proper breaks for you to get to Abruzzo’s northern province of Teramo.  The most cost-effective way is via Belgium, skirting Eastern France & Western Germany, onto Switzerland and straight down into Milan. It’s a very easy straightforward drive and costs in tolls approximately €80 one way which includes your Swiss Vignette that is valid for a year!   From Milan pick up the A1 to Bologna whereupon you can pick up the A14 straight down to Abruzzo.

Recommended Hotels to Stay at Along the Way:

Milan – For a great little pet friendly hotel, 5 minutes walk to from Navigli’s restaurants & 20 minute walk to the Duomo, c€80 per night for double including breakfast

Hotel Milano Corso Genova, Via Conca del Naviglio, 20 20123 – www.hotelmilancorsogenova.com

Metz – For a sweet little ** pet friendly hotel near the station, 5 minute walk to the Cathedral, opposite 3 very good patissierie shops, wonderful service, c€58 per night for double not including breakfast

Hotel Metropole, 5 Place du Général de Gaulle, 57000 Metz, France – www.hotelmetropole-metz.com

Car Hire

We recommend Hertz out of all the car hire companies that we have tried. They are the most cost-effective, recharge your deposit on the day and FRIENDLY (particularly at Pescara Airport).  Most importantly they don’t go overboard in the sense of charging you if you, unfortunately, have an incident.  If you are coming from the UK, book via the Ryanair website and you get a further discount than just booking direct via Hertz’s own website. To fill up a car like a Fiat Panda in Italy costs £51/€65

Trains

The trains in Italy don’t have the greatest reputation, perhaps that is why so much freight goes by truck rather than train… anyway to get to Abruzzo from Rome by train you need to get to Tiburtina Railway station, from here you will be able to get out to Sulmona & Pescara but it takes almost 4 hours. From Pescara you can change and get up to Teramo via the coastal train that runs right along the Adriatic coast with stops at the most important beach areas in Abruzzo.

If you are considering catching the train from London through to Abruzzo, it is possible; Eurostar to Paris, change,  get an overnight sleeper down to Pescara via Milan & Bologna the third part of the of the journey taking over 7 hours that  includes 3 hr transit  – look at Seat61 for advice

Example – Stage 1 Leave London 14.04, arrive Paris cross to Gare de Bercy  – Stage 2 -take 18.52 sleeper that arrives in Bologna at 05.58, Stage 3 change at Bologna train departs for Pescara at 09.50 to arrive at  12.49 at Pescara Central

Trenitalia website

Local bus & Coach Companies (TUABRUZZO)

If you intend to travel from Rome to Abruzzo, the station you will catch your Express or Stopping coach will be from Staz. Tiburtina.  Expect to pay about €15 return for an Abruzzo destination.

Local Abruzzo public transport isn’t bad, but in saying that unless you are an early bird or are governed by your stomach, your holiday travel plans without a car will naturally have to fit in with local Abruzzo work and dining times (8.00am-1.00pm & 4.00pm-12noon; at lunchtime 13.00-16.00 everything closes completely!).  Our advice is to rent a car to make the most of your time in Abruzzo.

Useful Local Bus Website Information

Interactive TUABRUZZ Bus Timetable

Roddy Newlands
Author: Roddy Newlands

Roddy Newlands is an Associate Member of Life In Abruzzo, as well as antique book dealer and web and graphic designer. Abruzzo allows him to get his mountain-air fix, & satisfy his passion for pasta & panettone.


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