“How do we get to the island of Corsica?” That’s probably the question we’ve been asked the most! We’ve traveled to Corsica many times – and the ways we’ve gotten to the island have been very different. We’ve both flown and taken ferries from several destinations…
The easiest solution is, of course, to fly and then rent a car on the island to get around. But if you’d like to bring your own car (and maybe also that extra luggage), you can drive through Europe down to the Mediterranean and then take a ferry to the island.
But where should you sail from?
Read our guide here, based on our own experiences. The examples we’ve used in our research are as follows:
Road trip from Denmark with 2 adults, 2 children under 18
1 car – Fiat Punto Grande
Search dates: July 5–8
But first, a few words for those of you who don’t feel like taking the long road trip…
Flying to Corsica
If you want to avoid the long drive through Europe, you can fly directly to Ajaccio or Bastia. Another option is to fly to Alghero in Sardinia, where you can rent a car and drive/ferry across to Bonifacio in Corsica. These days, however, the easiest destinations to fly to are usually the larger cities on the island itself – Ajaccio and Bastia.
Check your flight options to Corsica here: Skyscanner.
Drive and Take the Ferry to Corsica
Of all the times we’ve traveled to Corsica, we’ve only chosen to fly twice! Instead, we usually drive through Europe by car and then take the ferry across the Mediterranean to Corsica. There are several reasons for that.
The first reason we’ve chosen the longer route through Europe is that we wanted to experience more adventures along the way. On our journey south, we’ve stayed overnight in different cities such as Strasbourg, Bergheim, Lyon, Basel, Genoa, Savona, Pisa, Valsolda, Luxembourg and Göttingen.
The second reason we’ve chosen the ferry instead of the plane is that there’s something truly special about sailing to an island. On the ferry, you can walk around, breathe in the sea air out on deck, play cards, enjoy food and coffee, or take a nap. For us, the ferry crossing has something magical about it – especially when the cliffs and mountains of Corsica slowly appear on the horizon. It gives us a very special feeling every single time.
Where should you sail from?
You can choose to drive to Italy and take a ferry from, for example, Genoa, Savona, or Pisa. We’ve sailed to Corsica from both Genoa and Savona, and those crossings were longer compared to when we departed from Pisa (on our way back home). In both cities, we chose to spend the night and then get up early the next morning to catch the first ferry to Corsica. The ferry rides from these cities are a bit longer than from Pisa – but in return, we found that the drive by car was shorter.
You can also choose to drive further south towards Nice and Marseille, but then the road trip becomes even longer. That said, we have sailed to Nice a few times on our return journeys to enjoy a bit more of France as part of our summer adventure.
Below, you’ll find our overview of the main ferry routes to Corsica – but first, here’s the story of why we’ll never again sail from Genoa!
Why we’ll never sail from Genoa again
The last time we sailed from Genoa, the experience was so stressful that we’ve now decided never to sail from there again! Here’s the story of why:
We were scheduled to take an early morning ferry (to Bastia) and had carefully checked in advance where the ferry port in Genoa was located and exactly where we needed to drive the car the next morning to board. We had the GPS route ready, we knew precisely how long it would take to get from our hotel to the ferry, and we had double-checked our ticket for the required check-in time before departure. Everything was planned and prepared – and as we drove out of the street from our hotel, our spirits were still high.
The main roads in Genoa run on several levels, with thousands of exits leading to both small streets and major highways! But within just two minutes, we had already taken a wrong turn. Luckily, we quickly found our way back, since there wasn’t much traffic at that early hour. We eventually made it to the ferry terminal and lined up to be guided down to the ship. High-fives all around! But that’s when everything started to go completely wrong.
Don’t assume you’re in the right place until you’re actually onboard!
The line was long, and we were approaching the time we needed to check in at the ferry when a police officer suddenly directed the entire queue – including us – onto a new road. Panic set in immediately, because we had a ferry to catch. And rightly so, as the traffic now led us away from the port and onto a major road that quickly accelerated us straight onto a highway. The highway!
We were now driving on a highway away from the city! And the ferry departure time was fast approaching! Sweat dripped down our faces, and Sebastian was told to sit completely still – we were running out of good ideas. Eventually, with help from the GPS, we managed to exit the highway, turn the car around, and drive back toward the city, only to find ourselves in another huge, completely standstill traffic jam.
We started to consider whether we could get tickets for a later ferry and saw our planned overnight stays turning into expensive new ones in Genoa. After what felt like an eternity stuck in traffic, we somehow, almost magically, rolled calmly down to the port again, from a new angle, and drove directly onto the ferry. We made it!
After that experience, we decided never to sail from Genoa again!
So, what do you think – are you ready for Genoa, or are you considering sailing from another city? Check the overview of ferry routes below:
Sailing from Italy to Corsica
Genoa (Italiy) – Bastia (France)
Ferry: Moby Lines
Duration: The trip takes between 7½ and 10 hours. It’s worth checking the ferry schedule if you’d like a slightly faster crossing.
Savona (Italy) – Bastia (France)
Ferry: Corsica Ferries
Duration: Note that travel times vary greatly – the crossing can take anywhere from 5 hours 45 minutes to 11 hours. It’s a good idea to check which ferry you’re taking.
We’ve sailed this route just once. It was a bit stressful finding the ferry terminal, but we don’t remember the Savona route being nearly as stressful as sailing from Genoa.
Livorno (Italy) – Bastia (France)
Ferry: Corsica Ferries and Moby Lines
Duration: The crossing takes about 4½ hours
Piombino (Italy) – Bastia (France)
Ferry: Corsica Ferries
Duration: The trip takes about 2 hours 45 minutes and is the shortest of the routes included in this guide
Santa Teresa di Gallura (Sardinia) – Bonifacio (Corsica)
Ferry: Moby Lines and Ichnusa Lines
Duration: The crossing takes between 50 minutes and 1 hour
Sailing from France to Corsica
If you want to sail from France, you can choose to depart from Nice, Toulon, or Marseille.
Nice (France) – Bastia (France)
Ferry: Corsica Ferries and Corsica Linea
Duration: Travel times vary greatly – the crossing can take anywhere from 6 to 12½ hours. It’s worth checking which ferry you’re taking.
Toulon (France) – Ajaccio (France)
Ferry: Corsica Ferries
Duration: Travel times vary significantly – crossings take between 8 and 16 hours. It’s a good idea to check which ferry is sailing.
Toulon (France) – Porto Vecchio (France)
Ferry: Corsica Ferries
Duration: Travel times vary – the crossing takes between 12 and 16 hours. Be sure to check which ferry is operating.
Sailing home from Corsica
If the cities you depart from when sailing to Corsica are stressful and confusing, you can look forward to sailing from Corsica itself. Here, everything is well organized, and it’s easy to navigate your way to the ferry, even when the terminal is located right in the middle of the city. There’s a sense of calm, and we’ve always felt in good hands whenever we had questions or needed advice from the ferry staff on the quay. Our experiences are based on the cities of Bastia and Bonifacio.
The wait to board the ferry with the car has always carried a certain bittersweet feeling of leaving the island, but the calm allowed us to simultaneously dream ahead to the new adventures awaiting us on our journey back through Europe.
We hope our guide helps you decide which way you’d like to get to Corsica. There are surely more options than we’ve included here, so please feel free to write to us if you know of other great ways to visit the island.
Otherwise, all that’s left to say is:
Have a wonderful trip!
Tips and tricks for a smooth ferry trip
- Check your ferry ticket carefully to see exactly where you need to check in.
- Check your ticket for how long before departure you need to arrive.
- Plan your route in advance using your GPS.
- Give yourself PLENTY of time.
- Consider how much water you drink beforehand, as waiting at the ferry can be long and there may not be toilets immediately available.
- Bring your own food and drinks if you like, as onboard catering can be very expensive.
Advantages and disadvantages of flying to Corsica
Advantages
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You don’t spend as much time on transportation.
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You save money on overnight stays and meals while traveling through Europe.
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You save money on fuel and tolls.
Disadvantages
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You may have less luggage with you.
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You can’t get around the island in your own car.
Advantages and disadvantages of sailing to Corsica
Advantages
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You can bring more luggage.
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You can get around the island in your own car.
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You experience more adventures beyond just Corsica.
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You have flexibility with the length of your trip – for example, you can extend or shorten your holiday on the mainland.
Disadvantages
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It takes several days to get there.
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Time on the ferry can sometimes feel long.
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You spend money on overnight stays and meals while traveling through Europe.
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You spend money on fuel and tolls.
Useful links
This is where you’ll find Corsica
