Cinque Terre Region
How to Get Around Cinque Terre Region
Getting Around
The train is the answer to almost everything. A line runs through the cliffs linking all five villages plus Levanto and La Spezia, with journeys of a few minutes and frequent service. The Cinque Terre Card covers unlimited travel and the maintained paths.
Boats run between the villages from roughly April to October, calling everywhere except Corniglia, which has no harbour. They are slower than the train and much the better way to understand the coastline.
Walking is the third option and the traditional one. The coastal Sentiero Azzurro connects the villages, though sections close after rockfall and some require a ticket; higher routes are free, harder and far emptier.
Driving is the option to avoid. The villages are effectively closed to non-resident traffic, parking is scarce, expensive and above the villages, and the approach roads are narrow switchbacks.
Connections from Cinque Terre Region
How easily, and at what cost, can you combine the region’s main destinations?
| Route | Best option | One-way time | Travel Smart take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinque Terre Region and Genoa | Traininexpensive | ~1 hr 1 min–2 hr 13 min scheduled service | Better as a separate stay than a day trip. |
| Cinque Terre Region and La Spezia | Traininexpensive | ~6–22 min scheduled service | Comfortable as a day trip. Cinque Terre Region is a workable base for La Spezia. |
Cost compares the options for each route rather than quoting a fare: inexpensive means the price is not a factor in planning, moderate cost means a real line in the budget, and the expensive option is one worth weighing against the alternative. Fares change from year to year; the ranking between them does not.