Circumetnea train around the volcano

The Ferrovia Circumetnea is a narrow-gauge train that circles Etna on the west and north, among lava flows, pistachio groves, olive trees and vineyards, through villages such as Adrano, Bronte, Maletto, Randazzo and Linguaglossa, to Giarre and Riposto on the coast. It is public transport, not a tourist train: you travel with local people, for little money and without booking. It does not run on Sundays or public holidays.

What it is and why it matters

The line opened in sections between 1895 and 1898 to link the villages on the volcano's skirts with Catania and the port of Riposto. It has a 950 mm gauge, is not electrified and reaches its highest point at 976 m, near Rocca Calanna. From the window you see how the landscape changes around the volcano: fields of black lava, the sciare, near Bronte, the pistachios that make the village famous, the vineyards of the northern slope between Randazzo and Linguaglossa and, always, the summit of Etna to one side.

How it works today

The service is no longer what it was, and it is worth knowing before you go:

• The train does not leave from Catania. The section between Catania Borgo and Paternò closed in June 2024 and is covered by buses along the SS 121. Since 16 March 2026 the section from Paternò to Santa Maria di Licodia Sud also runs by bus. The train now starts at Santa Maria di Licodia Sud.
• There is no train that goes all the way round. Since 2021 the service has been split: one section goes as far as Randazzo and another runs from Randazzo to Giarre and Riposto. Some trains terminate at Adrano or Bronte.
• Monday to Saturday. The company's trains and buses do not run on Sundays or public holidays.

The railway timetable in force since 16 March 2026 and the bus timetable from 5 October 2026 are published as PDFs on the Ferrovia Circumetnea website. Download them before you go and check the connections at Randazzo: it is what decides whether the plan works.

A half-day or full-day plan

1. Catania – Santa Maria di Licodia. Replacement bus from Catania, via Paternò.
2. Santa Maria di Licodia – Bronte. Train between olive groves and lava; Bronte is the pistachio town.
3. Bronte – Randazzo. The highest section, among old flows, with the volcano very close. Randazzo, with its medieval lava-stone old town, deserves a stop for lunch.
4. Randazzo – Riposto. Along the northern slope, among vineyards, to the Ionian coast. From Giarre or Riposto you return to Catania on the coastal train or by bus.

For the full circuit, with changes and stops, count on a whole day. If you only have half a day, the stretch from Randazzo towards the coast through the vineyards is the most rewarding; combine it with a visit to the northern slope wineries.

Tickets

Out-of-town tickets are bought at the company's ticket offices and points of sale; the website publishes the list. Fares depend on the section. The company allows bicycles on the train with their own fare, useful if you want to cycle a stretch of the slope and come back by train. Groups have separate conditions.

When to go

All year, Monday to Saturday. In autumn, at harvest time, the vineyards of the northern slope are in full activity. In summer travel in the morning: the heat is oppressive while waiting at stations.

With children

Children like the little train and the lava landscape. Bear in mind that changes between bus and train and the waits can become long: bring water and something to eat.

If you want to get closer to the volcano, the Silvestri Craters are on the southern slope, next to the Rifugio Sapienza, but the train does not go there.