Plan · Arriving
Getting to Palau
Olbia airport is 45 km away. The 2026 airport bus times and fares, what a taxi costs, and how to arrive by sea.
By air
Olbia Costa Smeralda is the nearest airport, about 45 km and 45–55 minutes by car from Palau. Alghero (about 145 km, 2 h 15 min) and Cagliari (about 295 km, 4 h 20 min) are worth it only if flights are much cheaper.
Airport bus (Turmo Travel)
The Olbia Airport – Arzachena – Palau – Santa Teresa line is the simplest way to arrive without a car. In 2026:
| 1 June – 30 September | Departures |
|---|---|
| Olbia airport → Palau | 09:30 · 11:00 · 12:00 · 14:00 · 16:00 · 19:00 · 21:00 |
| Palau → Olbia airport | 07:05 · 09:05 · 12:05 · 14:35 · 16:05 · 17:05 · 19:05 |
- Journey time: about 50 minutes. Fare: €15 single (Palau – Santa Teresa €10).
- Winter (1 October – 31 May): one bus a day, airport 11:00 → Palau 11:50, and Palau 14:35 → airport 15:25.
- At the airport: bus area at arrivals, bay 5. Seats can’t be reserved; Turmo’s 2026 notices mention tickets on board (cash), in its app and at partner outlets, so carry cash just in case.
- In Palau the bus stops at the ferry terminal.
Regional ARST buses also run between Olbia town and Palau in about an hour, but few serve the airport directly; check the current timetable at arst.sardegna.it.
By car or taxi
All the major car-hire firms are at Olbia airport. The drive north on the SS125 is straightforward; in July and August allow extra time around Arzachena. Olbia taxis are metered (the airport publishes €3.50 to start, €2.60/km for the first 5 km and €2.40/km after), so the 45 km to Palau costs well over €100.
By sea
Ferries from mainland Italy dock at Olbia and Golfo Aranci. Moby’s 2026 timetable has crossings of about 9 hours from Livorno, 7–8 hours from Civitavecchia and 13 hours from Genoa to Olbia. From Corsica, ferries from Bonifacio reach Santa Teresa Gallura in about 50 minutes, 25 km from Palau.
Onward to La Maddalena
The ferry to La Maddalena leaves from the same terminal where the airport bus stops, every 30–60 minutes. Ferry times and fares.
Questions people ask
How far is Palau from Olbia airport?
About 45 km by road, roughly 45–55 minutes by car depending on traffic around Olbia and Arzachena.
Is there a bus from Olbia airport to Palau?
Yes. Turmo Travel’s Olbia Airport – Palau – Santa Teresa bus runs 7 times a day each way from 1 June to 30 September (about 50 minutes, €15), and once a day the rest of the year. It leaves from bay 5 in the bus area at arrivals; seats can’t be reserved.
How much is a taxi from Olbia airport to Palau?
Olbia taxis are metered: €3.50 to start, then €2.60/km for the first 5 km and €2.40/km after that, with 20% extra at night and on holidays. Over about 45 km that comes to well over €100; private transfers quote around €120–140. Agree the fare before you set off.
Can I get to Palau by train?
Not by regular train. The Trenino Verde tourist line in Gallura currently runs only between Tempio Pausania and Luras, not to Palau.
How do I get from Palau to Corsica?
Drive or take the bus 25 km west to Santa Teresa Gallura (about 30 minutes; Turmo bus €10). Moby sails from Santa Teresa to Bonifacio all year, in about 50 minutes.