- Must visit
Palazzo Abatellis - Regional Gallery of Sicily
Major art museum in a Gothic-Catalan palace, known for Antonello da Messina's works and important Sicilian medieval and Renaissance art.
Cheapest price
$16
Average price
$17
Fastest journey
2 h 40 m
Average duration
3 h 26 m
Buses per day
6
Distance
192 km
The best way to find a cheap bus ticket from Messina to Palermo is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Messina to Palermo will cost around $17 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only $16.
Of the 6 buses that leave Messina for Palermo on Sat, May 30, 6 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
On Sat, May 30 the direct buses cover the 192 km distance in an average of 3 h 26 m but if you time it right, some buses will get you there in just 2 h 40 m .
On Sat, May 30 the slowest buses will take 4 h 35 m and usually involve a change or two along the way, but you might be able to save a few pennies if you’re on a budget.










Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Messina to Palermo among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from $13. For those with little time consider booking a bus which can get you there in 3h 14m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.1 - 0.2kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of $13, and a train costs an average of $20.
Distance: 119 miles (192 km)
| Bus | Most popular Train | Driving |
|---|---|---|
$19 Average price Cheapest | $21 Average price | $60 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
3h 44m Average total duration Fastest 3h 14m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 3h 50m Average total duration 3h 20m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 3h 34m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
0.2 - 0.5kg CO2 emissions | 0.1 - 0.2kg CO2 emissions Lowest | - CO2 emissions |
![]() Most popular bus company | ![]() Most popular train company | Your own car or car rental |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.
This is compared to other travel options from Messina to Palermo:
A bus is $2 (€2) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Messina to Palermo costing on average $21 (€17).
Other travel options to Palermo take longer:
Train takes on average 3h 20m.
Ferry takes on average 5h 25m.
You'll arrive about 20m sooner (3h 14m by bus vs 3h 34m by car) and save roughly $41 (€33) compared to fuel and tolls ($19 (€15) vs $60 (€48)). You also skip the drive itself — no traffic stress, no parking, and you can use the time to work, nap, or catch up on a series with the onboard Wi-Fi.
Direct coaches are operated by Sais Regional, Itabus, SAIS, FlixBus, Infobus, BlaBlaCar.
Driving is still worth considering if you're travelling with bulky luggage, need flexibility on departure times, or plan to stop along the way.
| Operator | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Departure days | Cheapest price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 04:25AM | Arrival Time 09:00AM | Duration 4h35 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $18 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 04:30AM | Arrival Time 07:15AM | Duration 2h45 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 04:35AM | Arrival Time 07:20AM | Duration 2h45 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:00AM | Arrival Time 07:20AM | Duration 2h20 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 05:25AM | Arrival Time 10:00AM | Duration 4h35 | Departure days Wed, Thu | Cheapest price $16 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 06:25AM | Arrival Time 11:00AM | Duration 4h35 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $22 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 06:30AM | Arrival Time 09:15AM | Duration 2h45 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 06:35AM | Arrival Time 11:00AM | Duration 4h25 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $29 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 06:35AM | Arrival Time 09:10AM | Duration 2h35 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 07:00AM | Arrival Time 09:50AM | Duration 2h50 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 08:55AM | Arrival Time 12:55PM | Duration 4h00 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $18 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 09:00AM | Arrival Time 11:50AM | Duration 2h50 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 09:05AM | Arrival Time 11:45AM | Duration 2h40 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 09:15AM | Arrival Time 01:15PM | Duration 4h00 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $24 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 11:00AM | Arrival Time 03:55PM | Duration 4h55 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $18 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 11:15AM | Arrival Time 03:15PM | Duration 4h00 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $24 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 12:00PM | Arrival Time 02:45PM | Duration 2h45 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Sun | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 12:05PM | Arrival Time 02:45PM | Duration 2h40 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Sun | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 02:00PM | Arrival Time 07:20PM | Duration 5h20 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $23 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 02:15PM | Arrival Time 04:55PM | Duration 2h40 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 02:20PM | Arrival Time 04:55PM | Duration 2h35 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:30PM | Arrival Time 06:00PM | Duration 2h30 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $20 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 04:00PM | Arrival Time 06:50PM | Duration 2h50 | Departure days Mon, Wed | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 04:05PM | Arrival Time 06:50PM | Duration 2h45 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 05:00PM | Arrival Time 07:45PM | Duration 2h45 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:20PM | Arrival Time 08:00PM | Duration 2h40 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $19 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 05:30PM | Arrival Time 08:10PM | Duration 2h40 | Departure days Tue, Sun | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 05:35PM | Arrival Time 08:10PM | Duration 2h35 | Departure days Tue, Sun | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 06:00PM | Arrival Time 08:40PM | Duration 2h40 | Departure days Mon, Sat | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 06:05PM | Arrival Time 08:40PM | Duration 2h35 | Departure days Mon, Sat | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 06:30PM | Arrival Time 09:10PM | Duration 2h40 | Departure days Tue, Sun | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator SAIS | Departure Time 06:35PM | Arrival Time 09:10PM | Duration 2h35 | Departure days Tue, Sun | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator Regionale | Departure Time 08:17PM | Arrival Time 04:33AM | Duration 8h16 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $20 |
Operator Regionale | Departure Time 09:17PM | Arrival Time 05:33AM | Duration 8h16 | Departure days Wed, Thu | Cheapest price $20 |
Operator Regionale | Departure Time 10:17PM | Arrival Time 06:33AM | Duration 8h16 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $20 |
Operator | Departure Time 10:17PM | Arrival Time 06:33AM | Duration 8h16 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $20 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 11:30PM | Arrival Time 02:00AM | Duration 2h30 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $25 |
The table below shows live departures for Messina to Palermo buses for today, Friday, May 29. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated bus journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Regionale 12919 · treno 12919 effettuato con bus PA401 · Regionale 12851 | 10:17 PM Messina Centrale | 8h16 | 6:33 AM Palermo Centrale | 2 transfers | |
Regionale 12919 · treno 12919 effettuato con bus PA401 · Regionale 12851 | 10:17 PM Messina Centrale | 8h16 | 6:33 AM Palermo Centrale | 2 transfers | |
| Saturday, May 30 | |||||
FlixBus | 6:25 AM Messina, Piazza Della Repubblica (Stazione Centrale) | 4h35 | 11:00 AM Palermo, Via Tommaso Fazello (Terminal Bus) | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 6:35 AM Messina, Piazza Della Repubblica (Stazione Centrale) | 4h25 | 11:00 AM Palermo, Via Tommaso Fazello (Terminal Bus) | 1 transfer | |
8859 | 9:00 AM Messina, Piazza Della Repubblica (Stazione Centrale) | 2h45 | 11:45 AM Palermo, Oreto - Orsi | 0 transfersDirect | |
8859 | 9:00 AM Messina, Piazza Della Repubblica (Stazione Centrale) | 2h50 | 11:50 AM Palermo, Via Tommaso Fazello (Terminal Bus) | 0 transfersDirect | |
8859 | 9:05 AM Messina, Viale Boccetta (Chiesa di San Francesco all'Immacolata) | 2h45 | 11:50 AM Palermo, Via Tommaso Fazello (Terminal Bus) | 0 transfersDirect | |
8859 | 9:05 AM Messina, Viale Boccetta (Chiesa di San Francesco all'Immacolata) | 2h40 | 11:45 AM Palermo, Oreto - Orsi | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixBus | 11:15 AM Messina, Piazza Della Repubblica (Stazione Centrale) | 4h00 | 3:15 PM Palermo, Via Tommaso Fazello (Terminal Bus) | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixBus | 2:00 PM Messina, Piazza Della Repubblica (Stazione Centrale) | 5h20 | 7:20 PM Palermo, Via Tommaso Fazello (Terminal Bus) | 0 transfersDirect | |
8860 | 2:15 PM Messina, Piazza Della Repubblica (Stazione Centrale) | 2h45 | 5:00 PM Palermo, Via Tommaso Fazello (Terminal Bus) | 0 transfersDirect | |
8860 | 2:15 PM Messina, Piazza Della Repubblica (Stazione Centrale) | 2h40 | 4:55 PM Palermo, Oreto - Orsi | 0 transfersDirect | |
8860 | 2:20 PM Messina, Viale Boccetta (Chiesa di San Francesco all'Immacolata) | 2h40 | 5:00 PM Palermo, Via Tommaso Fazello (Terminal Bus) | 0 transfersDirect | |
8860 | 2:20 PM Messina, Viale Boccetta (Chiesa di San Francesco all'Immacolata) | 2h35 | 4:55 PM Palermo, Oreto - Orsi | 0 transfersDirect | |
8863 | 6:00 PM Messina, Piazza Della Repubblica (Stazione Centrale) | 2h40 | 8:40 PM Palermo, Oreto - Orsi | 0 transfersDirect | |
8863 | 6:00 PM Messina, Piazza Della Repubblica (Stazione Centrale) | 2h45 | 8:45 PM Palermo, Via Tommaso Fazello (Terminal Bus) | 0 transfersDirect | |
8863 | 6:05 PM Messina, Viale Boccetta (Chiesa di San Francesco all'Immacolata) | 2h35 | 8:40 PM Palermo, Oreto - Orsi | 0 transfersDirect | |
8863 | 6:05 PM Messina, Viale Boccetta (Chiesa di San Francesco all'Immacolata) | 2h40 | 8:45 PM Palermo, Via Tommaso Fazello (Terminal Bus) | 0 transfersDirect | |
This is the last bus of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare train and bus prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.
Buses from Messina to Palermo run on average 11 times per day, taking around 3h 14m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at $13 (€10) if you book in advance.
There are 9 buses per day. The earliest bus runs at 01:11, the last at 22:17. The fastest bus covers the 119 miles (192 km) distance in 2h 40m.
Distance 119 miles (192 km) |
Average bus duration 3h 14m |
Cheapest ticket price $13 (€10) |
Buses per day 11 |
Direct buses 9 |
Fastest bus 2h 40m |
First bus 1:11 AM |
Last bus 10:17 PM |
Cheapest Month May |
Cheapest Day Sun |
High Season Jul - Sep |
Low Season Jan - Mar |
Busiest Day Sat |
Least Busy Day Sun |
Best time to book 70 days |
Discover the best of Palermo — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Palermo trip today.
Major art museum in a Gothic-Catalan palace, known for Antonello da Messina's works and important Sicilian medieval and Renaissance art.
Leading archaeological museum with Punic, Greek and Roman finds, plus one of the most important classical collections in Sicily.
Historic house museum preserving aristocratic interiors, decorative arts and furnishings that show Palermo's noble life across centuries.
Baroque crossroads at the heart of historic Palermo, famous for its theatrical facades and constant street life.
Elegant square known for its monumental Renaissance fountain and surrounding historic buildings in the old center.
The city's famous seaside district, popular for clear water, Liberty-style architecture and a social-media-friendly coastal setting.
Palermo’s iconic fried rice balls, often filled with ragù, butter and ham, or cheese. A classic street food and a point of local pride.
Chickpea fritters served hot, often in a sesame bun. One of Palermo’s most traditional and beloved street foods.
Soft potato croquettes, usually mixed with parsley and fried until crisp. Commonly eaten with panelle in Palermo street food shops.
Well-known restaurant near the historic center serving refined Sicilian cuisine with local ingredients in an elegant but welcoming atmosphere.
Popular modern Sicilian restaurant focused on traditional recipes, seasonal produce, and polished presentations in central Palermo.
Established family-run trattoria loved for hearty Palermitan cooking, generous portions, and a classic local dining atmosphere.
Generally cheaper than Rome or Milan. Meals and transport are reasonable, while central hotels cost more in peak season.
Service is often included or minimal. Tipping is not required, but rounding up or leaving 5-10% for very good restaurant service is appreciated. Round up taxi fares.
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Messina to Palermo by bus. From journey times and ticket prices to direct connections, first and last departures, and even whether the route is scenic, our FAQs cover everything you need to plan your trip. Whether you’re looking for the fastest bus, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Palermo, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

Here are some other resources that might have the information you need