How to get to Puglia

FLIGHTS

There is now plenty of choice for flights to and from Puglia, not only from the UK but within Italy and Europe.

Ryanair have expanded 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 Gatwick with 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 about 3 hours away.

NEW FOR 2011

Ryanair flights to Bari operate evenings on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with Wednesday flights in August. Departures Stansted around 5pm, Bari around 9pm.

To Brindisi, Ryanair are operating Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, plus Sundays through the summer and Mondays in August. Departures Stansted around 7am, Brindisi around 11am.

British Airways continues to fly to Bari from Gatwick Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, with departures from Gatwick around 9am and from Bari around 1pm.

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.

Of 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 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 low-cost airlines, 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.

Flights Summary

TO/FROM BARI

Ryanair serve -
Bologna, Brussels Charleroi, Cagliari, Dusseldorf Weeze, Frankfurt Hahn, Genoa,
Karsruhe, Kos, London Stansted, Madrid, Malta, Milan Orio Al Seria, Paris BVA, Pisa,
Rome CIA, Seville, Torino, Treviso, Valencia, Venice, Verona

Other airlines serve -
Barcelona, Berlin, Bucarest, Budapest, Catania, Cologne , Dusseldorf, Hanover, Luxembourg, Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa (Easyjet), Monaco, Olbia, Prague, Riga, Rome FCO, Tirana, Zurich

TO/FROM BRINDISI

Ryanair serve -
Bologna, Brussels Charleroi, Eindhoven, Girona Barcelona, London Stansted, Milano Orio Al Serio, Paris, Pisa, Rome CIA, Stockholm, Turin, Treviso, Venice, Verona

Other airlines serve -
Berne, Cologne, Frankfurt, Geneva (Easyjet), Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa (Easyjet), Monaco, Nurnberg, Paris orly (Easyjet), Rome FCO, Zurich

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.