Palermo Airport

Flying is the most convenient way to reach beautiful Sicily, thanks to numerous affordable air connections. Palermo Airport (PMO), located approximately 35 km from the centre of Sicily’s capital, specifically in the Punta Raisi area within the municipality of Cinisi, represents the best starting point for exploring the island.

It is also known as Palermo-Punta Raisi Airport due to its geographical location and as Falcone and Borsellino International Airport in memory of the two judges killed by the mafia.

Equipped with all essential services, including shops, bars and restaurants, tourist information, banking services, wifi and baggage wrapping, the airport confirmed itself as Italy’s ninth airport with over 9 million passengers in 2025. In the summer season 2026, Falcone and Borsellino connects Palermo with 105 destinations across 28 countries, served by 37 airlines.

Getting from the airport to Palermo city centre

Falcone-Borsellino airport is well connected to Palermo by train, bus and taxi.

Train

The most practical way to reach Palermo city centre from the airport is the Trinacria Express train, the metropolitan railway service operated by Trenitalia. The railway station is located on the basement level of the terminal, easily accessible on foot.

The train connects the airport to Palermo Central Station (Piazza Giulio Cesare) in approximately 45 minutes, with intermediate stops including Palermo Notarbartolo, useful for those heading to the northern part of the city. Trains run approximately every 15-20 minutes and the service operates daily.

A ticket costs €6.80 for adults and €3.50 for children and young people aged 4 to 12 years. For families and small groups of two to six people, a 50% discount on tickets is available for young people aged 12 to 18 years. Tickets can be purchased at the station ticket office at the airport or on the Trenitalia website.

With the Genio Express service, some trains only stop at Palermo Notarbartolo, reducing the journey time to just over half an hour.

Bus

You can reach Palermo city centre from the airport by bus operated by Prestia e Comandè, running daily with a frequency of approximately 30 minutes. Buses depart from the airport between 05:00 and 00:30 (until 01:00 from May to October), whilst from the city centre they depart between 04:00 and 22:30. The journey takes approximately 50 minutes.

The bus makes several stops in the city centre, including Piazza Giulio Cesare (Central Station), Via Roma (Rinascente) and Piazza Ruggero Settimo (Politeama). Tickets can be purchased online, at the ticket office at the airport or directly on the bus.

Buses also serve other towns in Sicily, such as Trapani, Agrigento, Porto Empedocle, Menfi, Sciacca and Ribera. In these cases, the frequency is lower and it is advisable to check timetables before departure.

Taxi

If you prefer to travel in more comfort, you can take a taxi from the exit of the airport arrivals terminal.

The taxi service from Palermo airport operates in conjunction with flight arrivals; at other times it is possible to book a taxi by contacting a local taxi cooperative, with an estimated waiting time of approximately 20 minutes.

The cost of a taxi from Palermo airport to the city centre is around €45 during daytime hours. The fare varies depending on the time of day and day of the week, with surcharges for night-time and public holiday journeys.

A more economical alternative is taxi sharing, which involves sharing a taxi with other passengers: the fare is €10 per person, subject to a minimum of 4 passengers. At the exit of the arrivals area you will find two designated spaces for vehicles offering this service.

Private transfer

An alternative to TAXIs is to book in advance a private transfer to or from Palermo Airport airport. A driver will pick you up at the airport arrivals (thus avoiding taxi queues), at your hotel or wherever you prefer, to take you to the desired address.

It is the best solution if you do not want to waste time, do not want to use public transport, have a lot of luggage or are travelling in a group. To book a private transfer to or from Palermo Airport airport visit this site.

Car hire

If you have your own car or wish to hire a car at the airport you can reach Palermo city by taking the A29 motorway; heading in the opposite direction you can reach Trapani. The motorway exit closest to Palermo airport is Puntaraisi.

To rent a car in Palermo we always recommend comparing the rates of all companies with DiscoverCars because in our opinion it offers the best prices, allows cancellation up to 48 hours before rental and offers a very cheap comprehensive insurance policy.

Arrivals and Departures

Recommended hotels

Below is a list of recommended hotels near Palermo Airport.