Bari airport to the city centre, Matera and the rest of Puglia
Translated from the Italian original. Facts and figures are checked on the original.
Short answer
The easiest way from Bari airport to the city is the train: it reaches Bari Centrale in about 15 minutes, costs €5.30 and runs 34 times a day. Alternatives are the shuttle to the station (25-30 minutes), city bus 16 or a fixed-fare taxi: €25 to the old town, the Murat district, the station or the port. For Alberobello, Locorotondo, Martina Franca and the Castellana Caves there are train plus bus links that leave straight from the airport; for Matera there is the Puglia Airbus coach.
When to go
If you land in daylight and travel light, take the train: it is the fastest and drops you in the centre.
When to avoid
Getting into a taxi without asking for the fixed fare first, and counting on the shuttle if your flight is very late: its times follow the flight schedule.
Bari airport is where almost every trip to Puglia begins. The good news: you need neither a car nor a pre-booked transfer. Trains, buses and fixed-fare taxis leave a few steps from arrivals.
The train to Bari Centrale
This is the easiest option. The station is connected to the terminal: follow the signs from arrivals and in about 15 minutes you are at Bari Centrale, in the heart of the city.
- Price: €5.30 per journey.
- Frequency: 34 trains a day.
- Ticket: valid for one journey on the date shown, and you need it to pass the turnstiles. Buy it through Trenitalia (website, app, ticket offices, machines, authorised tobacconists) or on the airport website.
The line is run by Ferrotramviaria. At Bari Centrale you will find all the trains to the coast, the Itria Valley and Matera: we explain them in Getting around without a car.
Shuttle, city bus and taxi
- Tempesta shuttle: from the airport to the central station in 25-30 minutes. Its times follow the flight schedule.
- AMTAB city bus line 16: from the arrivals terminal to piazza Moro, in front of the station. It is slow, because it crosses the city with many stops.
- Fixed-fare taxis, all supplements included:
- €25 to Bari Vecchia, the Murat district, the central station or the port;
- €28 to Carrassi, Poggiofranco or Madonnella;
- €30 to Japigia;
- €40 to Torre a Mare.
From the airport straight to the sights
For some of the most popular day trips you do not need to go through the centre at all. Trenitalia runs train plus bus connections that start at the airport:
- Trulli Link: to Alberobello, Locorotondo and Martina Franca.
- Grotte Link: to the Castellana Caves.
- There are also connections to Ostuni.
For Matera there is Puglia Airbus, the coach linking the Puglia airports with the city of the Sassi. Buy the ticket online, or on board if seats are free. Times change: check them on its website before you travel.
Our advice
If you arrive during the day, take the train: in a quarter of an hour you are in the centre, and everything else leaves from Bari Centrale. If you land late, with children or lots of luggage, the fixed-fare taxi takes the stress away. Before you go, read our Bari guide for your first day in the city.
FAQ
How much is the train from Bari airport to the city centre?
€5.30 to Bari Centrale. The ticket is valid for one journey on the date shown and also opens the airport turnstiles. Buy it on the Trenitalia website or app, at ticket offices and authorised outlets, or on the airport website.
How much is a taxi from Bari airport?
Taxis have fixed fares with all supplements included: €25 to Bari Vecchia, the Murat district, the central station or the port, €28 to Carrassi, Poggiofranco or Madonnella, €30 to Japigia, €40 to Torre a Mare.
How do I get from Bari airport to Matera?
With the Puglia Airbus coach, which links Bari airport with Matera. Tickets are sold online or on board if seats are available. Check the timetable on its website before you travel. Otherwise take the train to Bari Centrale and the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane from there.
Can I go to Alberobello straight from the airport?
Yes, with Trenitalia's Trulli Link, a train plus bus connection that starts at the airport and serves Alberobello, Locorotondo and Martina Franca. For the Castellana Caves there is the Grotte Link.
Bus 16 or train?
The train is much faster. City bus 16 stops in front of the arrivals terminal and ends in piazza Moro, opposite the station, but it makes many stops across the city.
Sources
- Aeroporti di Puglia, treni da e per l'aeroporto di Bari
- Aeroporti di Puglia, bus da e per l'aeroporto di Bari
- Aeroporti di Puglia, taxi e tariffe fisse
- Trenitalia, collegamento aeroporto di Bari
Facts checked on 8 November 2026. How I check facts.
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