How to get to Olbia Costa Smeralda airport (OLB) using only public transport and without needing to rent a car?
Public transport in Sardinia, sometimes underestimated, is a great alternative to the car in the more populated areas. Buses are cheap and allow you to reach many locations on the northeast coast of Sardinia starting from Olbia airport. If your destination isn’t served by buses, we’ll also look at an alternative method with private shuttles.
Getting from Olbia airport by Bus
Where to catch the bus at Olbia airport
The stops for all the companies serving the airport are easy to reach. Once you exit the doors of the Olbia airport arrivals area, turn right and walk to the end of the sidewalk. You’ll find yourself facing a series of numbered bays, like in the photo below. Each company has one (or more) assigned bays, which we’ll look at case by case.
From the airport to Olbia center
Getting to Olbia center from the airport is super easy and costs only €1. You can get there using lines 2 and 10 of the urban service company ASPO. Services are frequent, about every 20 minutes, and the journey only takes about ten minutes.
Here you can find the timetables for all urban lines in the city of Olbia served by ASPO. Urban buses stop at bay number 3 at Olbia airport (the very central one in the photo above).
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Tickets can be bought from the automatic ticket machines around the city or with the ASPO app.
From Olbia airport to Porto Rotondo by bus
Getting to Porto Rotondo is also super easy. Just take the line 10 urban bus by ASPO mentioned in the previous point and get off at Via Mameli (takes 10 minutes): from the same street, the urban line 05PR also runs, going to Porto Rotondo (about 30 minutes).
Since it’s the same company, the journey costs you only €1, as just one urban ticket with a maximum duration of 90 minutes is enough. You can find the timetables for both lines always here.
From the airport to San Teodoro or Nuoro
To get to San Teodoro from Olbia airport, there are several options. You can take the ARST line 514 bus with about ten services a day, or the direct line by the Deplano company with another 5 services. These lines reach various locations like San Teodoro, Budoni, Siniscola, and Nuoro.
ARST intercity buses usually stop at bay number 4 at the airport, while Deplano stops at bays 1 or 2, you can see one on the right side of the photo above (but always check the signs attached to the posts for any changes).
Deplano company tickets are bought directly on the bus; the fares can be found on the official website along with the timetable summary. For ARST, you can use the Dropticket or Around Sardinia app).
From the airport to Palau or S.Teresa di Gallura
In this case, there are two possibilities, offered by ARST with line 601, or by the Turmo Travel company. I talk about these lines and how to get to the Maddalena archipelago (which is usually the final destination for those heading to Palau) in a separate guide.
Again, you should wait for the bus at bay number 4 for ARST or bay number 5 for Turmo Travel (you can see it on the left side of the photo).
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From the airport to Sassari
If your destination is along Sardinia’s railway line, like Sassari for example, you can take the urban bus mentioned earlier to reach Olbia center, get off at the stop near the railway station, and take the train to Sassari.
The same applies to reaching Cagliari, but since it’s a train journey of over 4 hours, it’s definitely more convenient to choose a flight to Cagliari airport instead of Olbia.
How to reach any other destination
If your destination in Sardinia isn’t listed among those seen so far, you can easily search for connections using Google Maps. This is because most public service companies in Sardinia have also uploaded their line schedules and prices to this platform. By indicating departure point, time, and destination, you can easily see the exact route, stops, and necessary changes!
Usually, it’s enough to reach Olbia center with the urban bus for €1, get off at Corso Vittorio Veneto (which is an avenue that acts as Olbia’s “bus station”), and from there take one of the numerous intercity lines that run from Olbia around the Costa Smeralda or the northeast of Sardinia.
Transfer to/from Olbia airport and the Costa Smeralda
If figuring out bus schedules for Olbia airport stresses you out, and renting a car isn’t for you or costs too much, the solution to reach the city center or locations on the Costa Smeralda is a shuttle or a private transfer to/from Olbia airport. This will take you directly to your accommodation like a taxi would, but usually at lower prices. Let’s see some examples.
Transfer service in Olbia: Welcome Pickups
The Welcome Pickups service is a transfer service similar to a taxi: the driver waits for you in the arrivals area of Olbia airport and takes you directly to your accommodation or destination.
This service, available in various European cities and islands, can be convenient if you have a lot of luggage and it’s cheaper than public transport if you’re traveling in a group, as you can split the cost. You can check the exact price for your destination here and book online.
Getting around the Costa Smeralda by car: watch out for parking!
Finally, if none of the tips seen so far have worked out, or if you plan to visit several beaches in coastal areas not served by public transport, the last remaining option is a car (or a scooter for shorter distances).
Keep in mind that parking in Sardinia costs a fortune, so besides the price of a rental car, you’ll also need to prepare for hefty parking charges, which average between €2 and €3 per hour.
To try and save as much as possible at least on the car rental, try doing a search with this price comparison tool to see all the quotes for your dates.
Now that you know everything about getting around the Costa Smeralda… it’s also time to find the best price for your flight using the box below!
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