How to get from Alghero airport to the center?
Well, this article will be particularly short compared to others, because there’s a simple, practical, quick, and cheap method for just €1: the city bus to Alghero airport.
How much does it cost to go from Alghero to the airport?
The city bus on the “ALFA” line takes you from Alghero airport to the center and back every hour for the price of a normal city ticket (€1), without the usual surcharges that many European cities apply.
How to buy tickets for Alghero airport
You can buy bus tickets in two ways.
The first is buying them from the ARST company’s automatic ticket machines located in the airport arrivals area before you exit.
The second, and perhaps the most practical (also because it might not be immediately obvious where the machines are in the airport, I admit I had trouble finding them), is buying tickets via smartphone.
To do this, make sure you’ve downloaded the Dropticket app (for Android or Apple) before your trip: this app will be useful not only for the journey to and from Alghero airport, but also for buying tickets for urban and intercity journeys with the same ARST company if you decide to get around by public transport as I suggest in my 4-day Alghero itinerary.
Read also: Best areas to stay in Alghero
Once you’ve downloaded the app and selected the city of Alghero, you’ll have the option to buy city tickets or intercity tickets (by selecting the desired route) using a card. For the ALFA line bus, you’ll need to buy the €1 urban ticket.
Once purchased, the ticket isn’t valid yet until when you activate it via the app. This allows you to buy the ticket in advance without stress and activate it only when the bus is right in front of you. When boarding, just show the driver the following screen, which shows the remaining validity time of the ticket:
Bus lines and timetables for the airport
As mentioned, the urban service to/from Alghero airport is operated by the ALFA urban line of ARST, where you’ll always find the updated timetables. Buses normally run every 60 minutes.
However, you might find another bus at the stop with the ARST logo heading to Alghero which isn’t the urban line, but rather an intercity bus that, after stopping in Alghero, continues to other destinations (like Bosa, for example).
If you ask the driver and there’s space, the intercity line might also pick you up: however, since these lines have a different fare structure, the cost to reach the center here is €1.30 (and in the Dropticket app, you need to select the intercity ticket instead of the urban one). Consequently, don’t start arguments with the driver about the price difference or if, for logistical reasons, they say no and advise you to wait for the specific urban line. 😉
Where to catch the bus at Alghero airport
It’s not hard to find the bus stops: Exiting the arrivals area of Alghero airport, turn right, and after a few steps, you’ll notice some bus lanes and private hire vehicles (NCC) like in the photo below. Wait for the ALFA line to arrive.
Where to catch the bus from the city center
The terminus from which the ALFA buses depart towards Fertilia-Airport is viale Catalogna (an avenue just a short walk from the historic center walls that serves a bit like the “city bus station”).
You can board from this avenue or alternatively at one of the many stops north of the center, for example along via Garibaldi, if it’s closer to your accommodation. The stops are recognizable by the signs below (the brown one for urban line stops, the blue one for intercity lines).
All ARST stops and lines are also loaded onto Google Maps, so just using Maps will be enough to see the suggested nearest stop and the next available times.
Fast transfer to Alghero airport for your group
Finally, if your schedule doesn’t align with the buses we’ve seen, here you can see the price for a private transfer between the airport and your hotel! It may be a cost-effective option if you are in large group, if you have much luggage or if you don’t feel like waiting buses.
Now that you know everything about getting to/from Alghero airport, don’t forget to check out the other guides:
- Where it’s best to stay in Alghero to avoid breaking the budget or ending up in an inconvenient area for getting around;
- The best beaches in Alghero with a map and tips for visiting them;
- The itinerary for visiting Alghero getting around only by bus, spending little, and without needing a car! 🙂
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