FLIGHTS
There
is now plenty of choice for flights to and from
Puglia, not only from the UK but within Italy and
Europe. Ryanair are expanding their base in the
region, with exciting new opportunities for easy
and economical travel for Puglia residents and
visitors.
Direct
flights from the UK remain to Bari and Brindisi
from Stansted with Ryanair, and to Bari from
Gatwickwith British Airways, but there is an
increasing range of attractive indirect options,
especially from regional airports.
There
are also many direct flights from Bari and
Brindisi to other European destinations - see SEAP (the
Puglia airports authority) site for schedules.
Other
Italian airports within easy reach of Puglia
include Pescara (about 3 hours drive to central
Puglia) and Naples (about 3 hours). New Ryanair destination
Lamezia in Calabria is also bout 3 hours away.
NEW
FOR 2010
RyanAir
are expanding their Puglia base, demonstrating a
significant investment in the area. New routes in
2010 give a whole range now of options getting to
Puglia.
Od
particular interest, they have also increased
flights from Milan(Bergamo) to
Bari to three per day, making this a very
convenient change for indirect flights, with also
three flights a day from Milan (Bergamo) to
Stansted. There are some very low fares on this
route. They also now fly to Bergamo from
Brindisi.
From
the UK, as well as from Stansted Ryanair also fly
to Bergamo from Bristol, East Midlands, Glasgow Prestwick and
Liverpool airports, which could make the flight
route via Bergamo an attractive option for you if
you have easier access to these regional airports
than to Stansted.
Ryanair are now
flying to Pisa from Brindisi as well as Bari.
With a whole range of flights from Pisa to UK
airports this route is well worth considering for
indirect flights.
Seap's web site gives all schedules for
flights from Bari and Brindisi, with other
low-cost carriers as well as Ryanair and Easyjet.
Ryanair flights
summary-
Ryanair fly
daily in the summer to Bari and Brindisi.
Additional Ryanair
destinations from Puglia are -
Bari
to/from-
Bologna, Bratislava, Brussels (Charleroi),
Cagliari, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Genova,
Karlsruhe, London Stansted, Malta, Milan(Orio al
Serio = Bergamo), Paris, Pisa, Turin, Trapani,
Treviso, Zadar.
Brindisi to/from
Billund, Bologna, Brussels(Charleroi), Eindhoven,
Barcelona(Girona), London Stansted, Milan(Orio al
Serio = Bergamo), Pisa, Torino, Treviso
British
Airways summer schedules include return
flights Tues Thurs and Sat, lunchtime departures
Gatwick, afternoon return flights from Bari.
Easyjet
fly ffrom Bari to Milan (Malpensa). They also fly
to Milan Malpensa and Genevafrom Brindisi
airport.
Ryanair
fly to Pisa daily, and Pisa is now
becoming a good connection for Bari, with many
flights from Pisa to the UK. They also fly to
Bologna
A number of other
carriers, including Airone (under
Alitalia's wing and no longer low-cost),
fly from Puglia to other Italian and European
destinations - see the very useful SEAP website
for schedules from Bari or Brindisi, but note
this may not be fully accurate for advance
planning because of seasonal or other schedule
changes, as it shows current schedules only.
Connections to eg
Paris or Amsterdam might be useful especially for
connections to UK regional airports.
Jet2com might be a
useful budget airline for connecting flights to
northern UK regional airports from Pisa, Milan or
Rome.
Bari
Airport (Palese- BRI)
Is situated about
11 km west of Bari, just off the state road SS16
(E55). In 2005 a new terminal building opened,
regarded as a great improvment and a sign of
Puglia's investment.
It will normally
be necessary to hire a car, as getting around
rural Puglia is not very easy by public
transport, which is still relatively undeveloped
outside the main train lines.
Car hire companies
present in the airport terminal include Europcar,
HolidayAutos, Avis and Hertz. Cars are best and
easiest ordered in advance from the UK through
the internet. Hertz offer special prices to
RyanAir customers - see also the RyanAir web
site. Check your excess damage agreement to make
sure it suits your requirements. Agencies
including AutoEurope also offer one-stop search
for value, but we would recommend contracting
directly with the provider rather than through an
agency which may occasionally change your
agreement or swap provider after booking.
From the airport
it is a straightforward journey to Alberobello
and the Itria Valley, on dual-carriageway for
most of the way, continuing down the SS16 as far
as Fasano. Alternatively from the Bari ring road
you can take the SS100 towards Taranto and cut
across-country from Casamassima. For the Ostuni
area carry on further down the dual carriageway
(which now has motorway status).
Brindisi Airport (BDS)
Is situated a few
kilometers north-west of Brindisi, off the state
road SS379 (E55). Also now it has a new terminal
buuilding, although smaller than Bari's.
Car hire companies
are present in the airport terminal. Again cars
are best and easiest ordered in advance from the
UK through the internet - try Herz and AutoEurope
for good prices. Because of the times of the
Stansted flights not all offices are open at
arrival time.
From the airport
to Alberobello and the Itria Valley is on
dual-carriageway (motorway status) for most of
the way, continue up the SS379/SS16 as far as
Fasano. For Ostuni and Cisternino areas the
travel time is shorter.
Rail
Bari is served by
express trains northward via Pescara (3 hours) to
Milan or Venice, also across to Rome (about 4
hours). Trains from Bari continue along the
Adriatic coast down via Fasano and Ostuni to
Brindisi and Lecce, and from Bari there are
(slow) trains via Alberobello and Martina Franca
to Taranto. But please note because of lack of
public transport options locally it is pretty
essential to have your own transport, and car
hire is difficult outside Bari and Brindisi and
their airports.
By car
If you want to
bring your own car, it will take about 20 to 22
hours driving time from Calais by motorway
through France and Italy, or
France(Belgium/Luxembourg)/Switzerland/Italy,
perhaps best done over three days.
|
