Backpacking Diplomacy by Andy A blog dedicated to sharing world culture, travel tips and building community.
Traveling between the French and Italian islands
Are you looking to travel to and from Sardinia or Corsica — or perhaps vice versa from Corsica to Sardinia? The ferry service between the two islands is relatively straightforward and accessible for travelers of all types. We recently made the journey and wanted to share our experience.
Overview
If you plan to travel to the islands of Corsica and Sardinia, then you won’t be disappointed. Both are beautiful islands with splendid history. The great benefit of this region is that the islands are geographically located very close to one another. In fact, at their closest point, they are only approximately 9 nautical miles (or 17 km) apart, which makes visiting both of them on the same trip relatively easy and straightforward. You can easily see both shores from either side.
Alternatively, you can travel to other ports and even other countries around.
Visiting Sardinia
Sardinia, or Sardigna in the Sardo language (Sardegna as it is known in Italian), is a beautiful and lesser known of the two large Italian islands. Similarly to Sicily, Sardinia has a deep history well before the Roman empire was a thing. The island of Sardinia is covered with Nuragic ruins and glimpses of a prior time when life was slower.
If you would like to travel from Corsica to Sardinia by commercial ferry, then you essentially have three primary options: Bonifacio, Propriano Bastia and Ajaccio. The shortest distance would be between Bonifacio to Santa Teresa di Gallura. It takes about 45 minutes to one hour.
Alternatively there are options from Cagliari which bring you to a wide range of other destinations.
To and from Sardinia from other destinations
By ferry, Sardinia can be accessed from:
- Mainland Italy
- Mainland France
- Corsica
- Elba Island (Italy)
- Sicily (Italy)
- Spain
- Other destinations via the port of Cagliari
Visiting Corsica
You can travel to Corsica from three ports in Sardinia: Porto Torres, Santa Teresa di Gallura and Golfo Aranci. The easiest and fastest route is from Santa Teresa to Bonifacio. Bonifacio, the city of many spellings — Bunifaziu, Bonifaziu, Bonifaciu, Bunifazziu and Bunifaciu — is a beautiful hilltop city located only 17 kilometers (~9 nautical miles) from the port of Santa Teresa di Gallura.
To and from Corsica from other destinations
By ferry Corsica can be accessed primarily from:
- Mainland France
- Mainland Italy
- Sardinia
- Spain
- Possibly other destinations through various ports.
Elba Island Ferry
Although not part of either Corsica or Sardinia, Elba island is included in some of these ferry trajectories. Elba, officially part of the Tuscan archipelago, is located much closer to the mainland of Italy.
Corsica ferries and Moby both offer options to get to Elba island. You can travel from Piombino to Portoferraio, Cavo or Rio Marina and back.
Book your ferry tickets
There are three primary ferry companies that you can book with: Corsica Ferries, Ichnusa Lines and Moby. All companies typically offer multiple services a day for commuting between the islands. This makes a day trip possible, if you want.
Corsica Ferries
Corsica ferries is by far the most robust of the companies operating between the islands. Offering routes between the islands as well as to France, Spain and Italy, Corsica ferries can get you to a range of places. For example, Corsica Ferries can be an interesting option for backpackers traveling from Spain to France or Italy. In theory, you could travel from Barcelona to the Balearic Islands then to one of those islands.
From their website, Corsica ferries offers two tracts, Mainland to the Islands or travel between islands.
To book with Corsica ferries, check out their official website here. Keep in mind that for longer a longer journey, like those leaving from Golfo Aranci for example, do not travel directly between the islands.
Mainland France and Italy to Corsica
There are many travel combinations for travel to and from the mainland with Corsica ferries.
Here’s a list of some possible travel options and combinations according to their site:
- Mainland France to Corsica and back
- Toulon to Ile rousse
- Ile rousse to Toulon
- Nice to Bastia
- Bastia to Nice
- Toulon to Bastia
- Bastia to Toulon
- Toulon to Ajaccio
- Ajaccio to Toulon
- Toulon to Propriano (via Ajaccio)
- Proprian to Toulon (via Ajaccio)
- Toulon to Porto-Vecchio
- Porto-Vecchio to Toulon
- Sète to Ile rousse
- Ile rousse to Sète
- Toulon to Ile rousse
- Mainland Italy to Corsica and back
- Savona to Bastia
- Bastia to Savona
- Livorno to Bastia
- Bastia to Livorno
- Savona to Bastia
- Mainland France to Sardinia and back
- Toulon to Porto Torres
- Porto Torres to Toulon
- Toulon to Porto Torres
- Mainland Italy to Sardinia and back
- Livorno to Golfo Aranci
- Golfo Aranci to Livorno
- Livorno to Golfo Aranci
- Menorca (Spain) to Majorca (Spain)
- Corsica to Balearic Islands (via mainland)
- Sardinia to Balearic Islands (via mainland)
Note: All routes do not seem to run daily. It’s likely that the most frequent routes will be between the larger cities. Other routes, may be less frequent. Check your dates ahead of time to ensure the ferry will get you where you need between the mainland and the islands.
Travel between islands
Ichnusa Lines
Ichnusa is exclusively a Sardinia to Corsica and back ferry. Ichnusa has daily journeys between the ports of Santa Teresa di Gallura and Bonifacio and from Bonifacio to Santa Teresa di Gallura. Pending weather, it’ll be one of your most reliable options between the two ports.
Departures times from Santa Teresa di Gallura to Bonifacio are:
- 9:00
- 12:30
- 17:30 (that’s 5:30PM for the Americans)
Departures times from Bonifacio to Santa Teresa di Gallura are:
- 10:30
- 15:30 (3:00PM)
- 19:00 (7:00PM)
To book with Ichnusa Lines check their official website here.
Note: There is likely to be seasonality between some of these ferry lines. Be sure to check their website in advance of your travel, particularly if you are traveling in a shoulder season or off season.
Moby Lines
Moby Lines, or just Moby for short, is a ferry system focuses primarily on travel from Mainland Italy to Corsica or Sardinia as well as travel between Sardinia and Corsica. They have limited options but are another trusted local ferry source with reliable daily offerings.
Mainland Italy to Sardinia (and back)
- Genoa to Olbia
- Olbia to Genoa
- Livorno to Olbia
- Olbia to Livorno
- Civitavecchia to Olbia
- Olbia to Civitavecchia
- Genoa to Porto Torres
- Porto Torres to Genoa
Travel Sardinia and Corsica:
- Bonifacio to Santa Teresa di Gallura
- Santa Teresa di Gallura to Bonifacio
Daily travel times from Bonifacio to Santa Teresa di Gallura (Monday through Friday):
- 8:30
- 12:30
- 17:00 (5:00PM)
Daily travel times from Bonifacio to Santa Teresa di Gallura (Sundays and holidays):
- 8:30
- 12:30
- 17:00 (5:00PM)
- 20:20 (8:20PM)
Daily travel times from Santa Teresa di Gallura to Bonifacio (Monday through Friday):
- 7:00
- 10:20
- 15:30 (3:30PM)
- 18:50 (6:50PM) (Saturdays only*)
Daily travel times from Santa Teresa di Gallura to Bonifacio (Sundays and holidays):
- 10:20
- 15:30 (3:30PM)
- 19:00 (7:00PM)
To book a ferry with Moby Lines, check their official website here.
Note: The above times are general taken from the time when we traveled there. It seems like these times apply during the dates of April 2nd and June 14th and also between September 14th and October 31st. This suggests that they may have other times during peak summer and also deep winter. Just make sure you check the times before traveling so you know what to expect. Their website should have a good timetable for you.
Ensamar
Ensamar is a local ferry line that focuses on intra-Sardinia travel. With Ensamar you can essentially visit the island of Asinara from Porto Torres.
Keep in mind that the frequency of the ferry service between Porto Torres and Asinara Island varies according to the season. Below is an overview of your seasonal options.
Low Season – (From October 1st to April 30th)
Three times-weekly service guaranteed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only, with two pairs of trips per day.
- Departure times from Porto Torres: 8:30 AM and 3:30 PM;
- Departure times from Asinara Island: 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
Mid Season (From May 1st to July 20th and also from September 1st and September 30th)
Daily service with two pairs of trips per day:
- Departure times from Porto Torres: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM;
- Departure times from Asinara Island: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
High Seasons (Between July 21st and August 31st)
Daily service with three pairs of departures per day:
- Departure times from Porto Torres: 8:15 AM, 11:30 AM, and 4:30 PM;
- Departure times from Asinara Island: 9:45 AM, 1:00 PM, and 6:00 PM.
To book a trip with Ensamar, please check their official website.
Tirrenia
Tirrenia is another line specializing in interesting journies including options from mainland Italy to Tunisia in North Africa. With the exception of Tunisia, Tirrenia is an exclusively intra-Italian line offering ferry service from the mainland of Italy to Sardinia. Therefore, there aren’t any specific routes to Corsica.
To book a trip with Tirrenia, check out their official website here.
Travel from mainland Italy to Sardinia and back:
- Genoa to Porto Torres
- Porto Torres to Genoa
- Civitavecchia to Olbia
- Olbia to Civitavecchia
Ferry travel from mainland Italy to Tunisia:
- Genoa to Tunisia
- Tunisia to Genoa
Grimaldi Lines
Regardless of the destination, Grimaldi Lines operating primarily out of the Port of Cagliari offers a diverse list of destinations to visit from Sardinia. Grimaldi Lines does not operate exclusively from Sardinia though. They have many other destinations spread out around the Mediterranean.
If you are looking to travel to or from Spain, Greece, Sicily, Tunisia or the Balearic Islands then Grimaldi Islands could be an interesting ferry company to look into.
To book or plan your trip with Grimaldi Lines, check out their official website here.
To or from Sardinia
- Livorno – Olbia
- Civitavecchia – Olbia
- Civitavecchia – Porto Torres
- Naples – Cagliari
- Palermo – Cagliari
- Civitavecchia-Arbatax
To or from Mainland Spain
- Civitavecchia (Mainland Italy) – Barcelona
- Porto Torres (Sardinia) – Barcelona
To or from Greece (from Italy)
To or from Sicily
- Livorno – Palermo (Sicily)
- Salerno – Palermo
- Cagliari – Palermo
- Naples – Palermo
To or from Tunisia
To or from Balearic Islands (Spain)
Share your ferry experience
If you have recently taken the ferry between the two islands can you share your experience in a comment below? Sharing your travel experience helps other travelers to get the most up to date and relevant information. It also helps us to keep the information on this blog post relevant and current.
Let us know how your ferry journey goes!
Ferry FAQ
There are currently two main active routes: Santa Teresa Gallura → Bonifacio (the shortest crossing) and Porto Torres → Ajaccio. From Golfo Aranci, connections to Bastia and Ajaccio are also sometimes listed, though availability varies by season — always verify before booking.
Yes. Ferry crossings between Sardinia and Corsica run 7 days a week, all year round. The three main Sardinian departure ports are Santa Teresa Gallura, Porto Torres, and Golfo Aranci, connecting to Bonifacio, Ajaccio, Propriano, Bastia, and Porto Vecchio in Corsica.
Three companies operate the route: Moby Lines, Ichnusa Lines, and Corsica Ferries. All offer around 7 weekly crossings, with Ichnusa Lines being the most budget-friendly. As of 2026, prices typically start from €17.05, Corsica Ferries from €21.67, and Moby Lines from €34.52. Note: these prices are subject to fluctuations and changes. They are meant to be an estimation.
The fastest crossing is Santa Teresa Gallura (Sardinia) to Bonifacio (Corsica), taking just 50 minutes. The Moby Lines vessel Bunifazziu operates this route and is the quickest option between the two islands.
At their closest point, Sardinia and Corsica are separated by the Strait of Bonifacio, roughly 16 km (10 miles) wide, between the towns of Santa Teresa Gallura and Bonifacio. This short distance is why the ferry crossing takes under an hour.
The crossing time depends on the route. Bonifacio ↔ Santa Teresa Gallura takes 50 min to 1 hour. Ajaccio ↔ Porto Torres takes between 4h 15min and 4h 45min. Propriano ↔ Porto Torres is around 3h 45min. Routes involving Bastia with a stopover can take over 12 hours.
Foot passenger tickets range from €17.05 to €37.52, depending on operator, route, and season. Car transport starts at around €38. Booking early and traveling outside peak summer months can significantly reduce costs, especially for foot passengers. Note: these prices are subject to fluctuations and changes. They are meant to be an estimation.
For the best rates, book between November and February. Operators like Moby Lines and Corsica Ferries regularly launch early-booking offers during this window. Booking ahead is especially important if you’re traveling with a vehicle or want a cabin during the high season in July and August.
Yes — a day trip is very much possible. The fastest crossing from Santa Teresa Gallura to Bonifacio takes just 50 minutes, leaving enough time to explore either side and return the same day. Be sure to factor in check-in time and potential customs clearance, particularly during busy summer months.
Yes — ferries on both the Sardinia–Corsica and Corsica–Sardinia routes have vehicle decks accommodating cars, motorcycles, camper vans, and caravans. However, most car rental companies will not permit you to take a rental vehicle across the border on the ferry, so check your rental terms before booking.
It depends on where you’re coming from and where you want to go in Corsica:
– Santa Teresa Gallura is the most popular and convenient — a small, walkable port in the far north of Sardinia with free parking nearby and up to 7 daily crossings to Bonifacio. It’s ideal for a quick crossing or day trip.
– Porto Torres is a larger, better-connected port served by road and rail, making it the better choice if you’re arriving from central or southern Sardinia and want to reach Ajaccio or Propriano.
– Bonifacio is the closest Corsican port to Sardinia and the most popular, served by frequent daily crossings to Santa Teresa Gallura.
– Ajaccio and Propriano connect to Porto Torres in Sardinia, making them better options if you’re based on Corsica’s west coast.
– Bastia also has connections, though these may involve a stopover and the journey can exceed 12 hours.
On the short Bonifacio–Santa Teresa Gallura crossing, cabins are not available due to the brief duration, but you’ll find indoor and outdoor seating and bar service. On longer routes such as Ajaccio–Porto Torres, ferries offer deck-lounge seats, numbered reclining chairs, and several cabin categories including inside cabins, sea-view cabins, suites, and accessible cabins for passengers with reduced mobility.
Yes — pets are welcome on all ferries between the two islands. Add your pet to the booking and pay a small supplement. Dogs must have a lead and muzzle; smaller animals must stay in their carrier. On Moby Lines and Ichnusa Lines, pets are restricted to outdoor decks. Corsica Ferries allows pets in most common areas. Pet-friendly cabins are available on some longer routes.
The Santa Teresa Gallura–Bonifacio route runs year-round with up to 7 daily crossings — making it the most reliable connection between the two islands regardless of season. The Porto Torres–Ajaccio route is more seasonal, typically running 2 to 4 times per week in summer and potentially reduced or suspended outside peak months — always verify the timetable before planning your itinerary around this route.
During high season there are approximately 50 weekly crossings across all routes combined, dropping to around 22 crossings per week in the off-season. The first departure from Santa Teresa Gallura is at 07:00, and the last is at 19:00. Check the specific timetables at the various companies mentioned above.
Night ferries are not available on the Sardinia–Corsica route. All crossings between the two islands operate as daytime sailings. Overnight ferry options do exist from Sardinia to mainland Italy (Genoa, Livorno, the the port of Civitavecchia) if a longer overnight journey suits your itinerary.
Yes it absolutely can. On the first day that I wanted to travel, the ferries were closed due to inclement weather. It was extremely windy and the waves were simply too large for the ferry boat to make the trip. They cancelled all ferries on that day and resumed services the next. Therefore you may want to check the weather in advance to ensure your travels won’t be interrupted or just to be flexible enough for changes.
G. Aranci is an abbreviation for Golfo Aranci which is a small port city on the northeastern coast of Sardinia in Italy.
