Visitors arriving in Sardinia by air are likely to be routed through the international airport in Cagliari. The airport boasts an annual throughput of more than 2.6 million passengers and handles flights to and from mainland Italy as well as to several international destinations across Western Europe. There are also smaller regional airports in Alghero and Olbia, both of which operate a limited roster of international or charter flights.

Cagliari-Elmas Airport boasts a recently opened terminal with the capacity to accommodate an increasing number of tourists in coming years. Facilities include a bank and ATMs, a post office, restaurants, hire car firms and several shops.

Taxis are on hand to carry passengers from all three of these airports to virtually every corner of the island.

It is also possible to get to Sardinia by boat. Ferries from Corsica and the Italian mainland disembark at Porto Torres (to the north) and Cagliari (to the south). Passengers can also arrive on the island via chartered yacht from the mainland. It may be to some traveller’s advantage to acquire a TrenItalia rail pass, which allows non-Italians to purchase a certain number of transportation days (rather than pay point-to-point transactions) within a two-month period.

Once stationed on the island, getting around is primarily handled by bus and train. Trains connect major cities like Alghero and Cagliari, with a special summertime tourist train that runs twice a week between Sassari and Tempio.

Buses ply many of the same routes and offer the most affordable means of public transportation. In many ways (given the island’s size) public transportation can become cumbersome, prompting many visitors to hire a car from the airport. Doing so opens up much of the interior to exploration and daytrips.