Messina Reggio Calabria hydrofoil: timetables and day trip

From Messina to Reggio Calabria the Liberty Lines hydrofoil takes 30 minutes and on weekdays it leaves 19 times, from 5:30 to 22:30. On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays departures drop to 7-8 in each direction. If you stay in Taormina add about an hour by train to Messina Centrale: leaving early in the morning you have the whole day in Calabria and return in the evening.

In this guide you will find timetables, prices, walking distances from the port of Reggio and two examples of the day, with the data verified on October 5, 2026 on the Liberty Lines timetable in force from October 1, 2026.

Messina-Reggio Calabria hydrofoil: timetables, duration and frequency

The fast passenger connection between Messina and Reggio Calabria has been operated by Liberty Lines since 1 October 2023, with a four-year public service contract. The crossing takes 30 minutes from Messina and 35 minutes from Reggio. Blu Jet, the FS Group company, left this route on the same date and today connects Messina with Villa San Giovanni.

How many trips are there on weekdays and weekends

From Monday to Friday: 19 departures from Messina (first at 5:30 am, last at 10:30 pm) and 18 from Reggio (first at 6:20 am, last at 11:20 pm). In the central hours of the day, an average of one hydrofoil leaves per hour.
Saturday: from Messina at 6:20 am, 7:20 am, 8:25 am, 10:00 am, 11:30 am, 2:20 pm, 5:30 pm and 10:30 pm. From Reggio at 7:10 am, 8:10 am, 9:00 am, 10:50 am, 12:20 pm, 3:10 pm, 6:20 pm and 11:20 pm.
Sundays and holidays: from Messina at 6:20 am, 7:20 am, 10:00 am, 11:30 am, 12:45 pm, 2:20 pm, 5:30 pm and 10:30 pm. From Reggio at 7:10 am, 8:10 am, 10:50 am, 12:20 pm, 3:10 pm, 6:20 pm and 11:20 pm.

On the weekend, three hours can pass between one ride and another. Choose the return before leaving and build the day around that time.

How much does the ticket cost and where to buy it

At the start of the service, in October 2023, the single journey cost €4 and the return €7 . The fares follow the territorial continuity contract: the price of the day can be seen on the Liberty Lines online booking. The ticket can also be purchased at the ticket offices at the port.

Messina: Rizzo pier, open Monday to Friday from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.
Reggio Calabria: Maritime Station, via Candeloro, open from Monday to Friday from 5:30 to 23:30. On weekends it opens in slots: from 6:30 to 12:30 on Saturdays and at 13:30 on Sundays, then from 14:30 to 18:30 and from 22:30 to 23:30.

In order not to depend on the hours of the Reggio ticket office, on the weekend buy the return to Messina or online.

How to get to Messina from Taormina

By regional train from Taormina-Giardini to Messina Centrale it takes from 40 minutes to 1 hour and 20, with a ticket starting from €5.50 (October 2026). On weekdays there are about twenty trains a day, the first at 5:52. On Sundays there are 13 and the first leaves at 6:05.

From the center of Taormina: the Taormina-Giardini station is located on the sea, below the town. Trenitalia sells the bus plus train solution from the center: in total from 1 hour and 10 to 2 hours to Messina Centrale, depending on the connection.
By bus: on the same route, Trenitalia also sells some bus rides, from 58 minutes and €5.40. Interbus connects Taormina and Messina with its lines: timetables can be consulted on the company's website.
In Messina: the Liberty Lines ticket office is located about 400 meters from Messina Centrale station, 5 minutes on foot.

The alternative: Messina-Villa San Giovanni with Blu Jet

Blu Jet connects Messina to Villa San Giovanni in 20 minutes, with up to 16 departures per day from Messina according to the timetable in force from 5 September 2026. The single ride costs €2.50, the return in the same day €4.50. From Villa San Giovanni the regional train to Reggio di Calabria Lido takes 11 to 26 minutes and costs €2.10. It is convenient when the direct hydrofoil does not have comfortable rides for your schedule.

Where does the hydrofoil arrive in Reggio and how far is it from the center

In Reggio Calabria the hydrofoil docks at the port, next to the Maritime Station in Via Candeloro, north of the seafront. From here the Museum and Piazza Indipendenza are a 10-minute walk away. We calculated the walking distances on OpenStreetMap:

National Archaeological Museum (Piazza De Nava): about 800 meters, 10-11 minutes.
Piazza Indipendenza, meeting point of the Scilla Experience: about 800 meters, 10-11 minutes. The square is in front of the Museum.
Reggio di Calabria Lido station: about 750 meters, 10 minutes.
Arena dello Stretto: about 1.4 km, 18 minutes along the Lungomare Falcomatà.
Piazza Duomo, meeting point of the Reggio City + Museum Tour: about 2.2 km, 30 minutes.

What to see in Reggio Calabria between one hydrofoil and another

If you have two or three hours: the walking tour of the center

A ring of about 6 km starts from the port and touches the Museum, the seafront, the Greek walls, the Duomo and the Aragonese Castle. The route: port, Museum (800 m), Arena dello Stretto (1.1 km), Greek walls on the seafront (700 m), Piazza Duomo (550 m), Aragonese Castle (350 m), Piazza Italia (550 m), Museum again (950 m) and port. At a leisurely pace it is about 80 minutes of walking, to which you can add the stops.

The MArRC is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 8 pm, with last admission at 7:30 pm, and closes on Mondays. The ticket costs €10, €2 from 18 to 25 years old and is free under 18 years old. On the first Sunday of the month, admission is free.

If you have half a day: the Reggio City + Museum Tour

The Reggio City + Museum Tour lasts 3 and a half hours and departs from Piazza Duomo. It combines a guided walk in the historic center, on the traces of ancient Rhegion, with a visit to the Archaeological Museum with the Riace Bronzes, two bronze warriors from the fifth century BC found in the sea of Riace in 1972. It takes place in Italian or English and costs from €85 per person, with a 25% discount from 6 people upwards. The museum closes on Mondays: for this tour choose a day between Tuesday and Sunday.

If you want to see Scilla: the Scilla Experience

The Scilla Experience departs from Piazza Indipendenza, a 10-minute walk from the hydrofoil, and lasts about 5 hours. It includes round-trip transport to Scilla, about 22 km away, and a walk through the fishermen's houses of Chianalea, under the Ruffo Castle. It is an accompanied excursion, without a tour guide. It costs from €40 per person and €32 for children up to 12 years old, with a progressive discount of up to 32% for groups.

Two examples of a day from Taormina

On a weekday (Tuesday, October 6, 2026 hours)

Regional train from Taormina-Giardini at 7:01 am, arrival in Messina Centrale at 7:50 am.
Hydrofoil from Messina at 8:40 am, arrival in Reggio at 9:10 am.
At 9:20 you are in Piazza Indipendenza: if you ask for departure in the morning, go to Scilla with the Scilla Experience.
Afternoon at the Museum or on the seafront.
Hydrofoil from Reggio at 18:20, arrival in Messina at 18:55.
Train from Messina Centrale at 19:34, arrival at Taormina-Giardini at 20:28.

On Sundays (hours of Sunday 11 October 2026)

Train from Taormina-Giardini at 7:01 am, arrival at Messina Centrale at 7:53 am.
On Sundays there is no 8:25 hydrofoil: the first useful leaves at 10:00 and arrives in Reggio at 10:30.
From about 11 am, Scilla Experience or Reggio City + Museum Tour.
Return by hydrofoil at 18:20 from Reggio, arrival at 18:55.
Train from Messina Centrale at 20:15, arrival in Taormina-Giardini at 21:24.

The last hydrofoil from Reggio, at 23:20, arrives in Messina at 23:55: at that time there are no more regional trains to Taormina. If you sleep in Taormina, on weekdays the last useful ride is the 21:20 from Reggio: it arrives at 21:55 and leaves 22 minutes for the 22:17 train.

How to book with Athena ETC

Athena ETC services are reserved for members: registration is done online from the Join us page. The experiences are on request: choose the date, indicate how many people you are and receive confirmation. In the notes of the request write the time of the arrival and return hydrofoil, so the departure time of the experience is set according to your trips.

Scilla Experience, from Piazza Indipendenza.
Reggio City + Museum Tour, from Piazza Duomo.
Transport to and from ports and stations, with price on request.

For information write to info@athenaetc.com or call +39 379 14 92 736.

Frequently asked questions about the Messina-Reggio Calabria hydrofoil

How long is the crossing from Messina to Reggio Calabria?

30 minutes from Messina to Reggio and 35 minutes in the opposite direction, according to the Liberty Lines timetable in force from 1 October 2026.

Who manages the hydrofoil between Messina and Reggio?

Liberty Lines, from 1 October 2023, with a four-year public service contract. Blu Jet operates on the Messina-Villa San Giovanni route.

How many rides are there on Sundays?

8 departures from Messina, from 6:20 to 22:30, and 7 from Reggio, from 7:10 to 23:20.

How much does the Messina-Reggio hydrofoil cost?

At the launch of the service in 2023, the single journey cost €4 and the round trip €7. The updated price is verified on Liberty Lines' online booking.

How far is the port of Reggio from the Riace Bronze Museum?

About 800 meters, 10-11 minutes walk along the waterfront.

What is the day trip from Taormina to Reggio Calabria?

Yes. Train to Messina Centrale (40 minutes to 1 hour and 20, €5.50), 5 minutes walk to boarding and 30 minutes by hydrofoil.

Is the Archaeological Museum of Reggio open on Mondays?

It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 8 pm, with last admission at 7:30 pm.

Where does the Scilla Experience start from?

From Piazza Indipendenza to Reggio Calabria, about 800 meters from the hydrofoil. It lasts about 5 hours with round-trip transport included.

How many passengers cross the Strait of Messina?

According to ISTAT, in 2024 there will be over 11 million passengers between embarkations and disembarkations on the Messina-Reggio Calabria route, 2.6% more than in 2023. The figure includes the port of Villa San Giovanni, so it concerns the entire Strait, including ferries.

From Messina to Reggio Calabria in a day: crossing the Strait for an excursion