🇮🇹 Same-country drive · Italy
Driving from Palermo to Messina
A practical guide to driving the A19 and A20 across Sicily from Palermo to Messina, covering tolls, road conditions, and coastal scenery.
- Drive time
- 2h 41m
- Distance
- 223 km
- Same day?
- Yes, half day
- under 4 h
- Fuel cost
- ≈ €30
- petrol · diesel ≈ €27
- Tolls
- ≈ €17
- per-km
- EV charging
- Plenty fast
- 20 of 58 ≥50 kW
On this page
Route map
Route options
Other paths OSRM found between the two cities — handy when traffic, tolls, or scenery matter more than raw speed.
Avoids motorways
+2h 7m- Distance:
- 255 km (+33 km)
- Duration:
- 4h 49m
Via: SS113 · Via Messina Marine
How else can you make this trip?
Driving is the focus of this guide; here's how cycling, coach, and (soon) train and plane stack up for the same pair.
What the drive is like
Drafted from the route's computed data on May 1, 2026 and reviewed against the route summary card. Read our methodology.
You depart Palermo by picking up the A19 heading southeast toward Enna before pivoting onto the A20 to shadow the Tyrrhenian coast. This route across the Sicilian interior involves a climb to a modest peak of just under 350 meters, meaning that while you are traversing rugged terrain, you will not encounter true Alpine passes or the severe winter snow risks found further north in the Apennines. The transition from the Palermo urban sprawl to the quiet, mountainous interior sections of the A19 is abrupt, and you should be prepared for sudden changes in light as you move through the numerous tunnels that characterize this stretch of the autostrada. Once you bank north onto the A20 near Tremonzelli, the character of the drive shifts toward the coast. The road winds aggressively through the hills, demanding your attention; keep your speed within the 130 km/h limit, dropping to 110 km/h if the Mediterranean coastal mists roll in. Be aware that the A20 is a distance-based toll road, so keep your entry ticket handy for the automated payment booths as you approach the Messina area. The driving style here can be assertive, and lane discipline often lapses, so maintain a defensive posture. As you near Messina, the highway offers dramatic glimpses of the coastline and the Strait of Messina. Remember that Italy enforces a strict blood alcohol limit and police patrols are common on these major transit arteries. Service areas are frequent enough, though fuel prices tend to be slightly higher at stations directly on the motorway compared to those in the towns you pass, so time your refueling stops accordingly.
Route highlights
- The tunnel-heavy sections of the A20 offering periodic, stunning views of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
- The central Sicilian interior landscape near Enna, which offers a stark, rugged contrast to the coast.
- The final approach into Messina, where the autostrada provides a panoramic vantage point over the Strait of Messina.
Trip plan
How to think about the drive: one day, split, or overnight.
Easy one-day drive
Comfortable as a single day for one driver. Leave after breakfast, arrive with time to settle in.
- Distance:
- 223 km
- Duration:
- 2h 41m (free-flow, no traffic)
Where to stop
Places along the route that make natural breaks for coffee, lunch, or a night.
-
Cefalù 🇮🇹 it
≈74 km≈ 9.5 km detour from the main route
-
Patti 🇮🇹 it
≈149 km≈ 11.5 km detour from the main route
Key moves
Things to know before you set off — borders, sides of the road, tolls.
Tolls on motorways in IT
Budget for motorway tolls — France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal charge per-km, Croatia and Greece by section. Contactless cards work almost everywhere; have one loaded.
Must-know before you go
The things a driver from another country wouldn't think to ask about — fines, stickers, payment cards, opening hours.
City access & emission zones
ZTL cameras read your plate from any country
Must knowItalian historic centres (Florence, Rome, Milan, Bologna, Pisa, Siena, Verona, Naples, Turin, Palermo and dozens more) are ringed by automatic Zona Traffico Limitato cameras. Driving in without a permit triggers €80–120 per crossing, and the fine reaches your home address up to a year later via cross-border collection. Treat any city centre as off-limits unless you've confirmed your hotel offers a permit, and ask the hotel to register your plate the day you arrive.
Italian historic-centre ZTL — confirm your hotel registers your plate
Must knowPalermo
This city's old town is encircled by automatic ZTL cameras. Crossing without a permit triggers €80–120 per pass. Ask your hotel the day you arrive: "Can you register my plate for ZTL access?" Some only register the entry, not parking — clarify both. Cameras read plates from any country and Italian fines reach foreign addresses up to a year later.
Tolls, vignettes & road payment
Telepass saves you the toll-booth queue
UsefulItalian autostrade work like France: ticket on entry, pay on exit. Contactless cards work at most modern lanes (look for "Carte" — avoid yellow "Telepass" lanes without the device). For long routes, a Telepass EU transponder works in IT/FR/ES/PT and pays for itself across two days; at minimum, keep your insurance card and registration in the door pocket — booth attendants occasionally ask.
What your car must carry
Hi-vis vest mandatory before stepping out
Must knowItalian law requires you to wear a reflective vest before exiting the vehicle on a motorway shoulder, day or night. One warning triangle in the boot is also required. Both items are typically €15 at any Autogrill or fuel station — don't arrive without them.
Fuel stations
"Servito" pumps cost about €0.20/L more
UsefulItalian fuel stations split between fai-da-te (self-service) and servito (attended). The same station typically offers both, with attended pumps charging a 10–15% premium. Off-hours, attended turns into self-service automatically. If a pump is out of paper or won't take your card, try the next station — Italian banking sometimes refuses foreign chip cards on first attempt.
Contactless cards work at virtually every motorway pump
TipMajor brand stations (Shell, Total, BP, Repsol, Cepsa, OMV, Eni, Esso) take Visa and Mastercard contactless without an issue. American Express and Diners are spotty south of the Alps. A €100 pre-authorisation hold is normal — it releases within 5 days. Carry €50 cash for the rare independent station.
Off-motorway stations close at lunch and on Sundays
TipOutside motorways, expect 12:30–15:30 closures and most of Sunday off. Motorway service areas (autogrill) run 24/7. If you're cutting through a small town in the early afternoon, fuel before noon or push to the next motorway entrance.
Money & connectivity
EU roaming covers calls, texts and data at no extra cost
TipYour home EU SIM works at home rates across every EU member, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The "fair use" cap on data only applies if you're abroad more than four months. For a 2-week road trip, just use your phone normally — but switch off "data roaming" if you're leaving the EU into UK / CH for any segment.
Emergency & breakdown
112 works everywhere in the EU and continental neighbours
TipSingle number for police, ambulance, fire — works from any phone, any network, any country. On motorways, the orange SOS pillars every 2km connect direct to the regional traffic control centre and pinpoint your location. Use them over your phone if you can — it speeds the response.
Rules, fees, and thresholds change. Always verify against the official source the day before you drive — this page is a checklist, not a legal reference.
Main roads
The highways this route spends the most kilometres on.
-
A20 Autostrada Messina-Palermo151 km
-
A19 Autostrada Palermo-Catania37 km
Route character
How much of the drive is motorway vs. secondary vs. rural.
Motorway drive — fast, predictable, uneventful.
- Motorway
- 94%
- Secondary
- 0%
- Other / rural
- 6%
Drive difficulty
At-a-glance feel: how demanding is this drive for one driver?
Overall
Easy
Straightforward drive. One driver, one day, little to worry about beyond fuel and a toilet stop.
- No major complicating factors — motorway-heavy, single country, comfortable length.
Elevation profile
Highs, lows, and the total climb / descent along the route.
- Lowest point
- 5 m
- Highest point
- 346 m
- Total ascent
- ↑ 1,353 m
- Total descent
- ↓ 1,350 m
Fuel & tolls
Rough cost expectation for a typical EU passenger car. Treat as an estimate — pump prices change weekly.
Petrol (RON 95)
≈ €30
16.7 L × €1.79 / L · 7.5 L/100 km
Diesel
≈ €27
13.4 L × €2.05 / L · 6 L/100 km
Electric (DC fast)
≈ €25
39 kWh × €0.65 / kWh · 17.5 kWh/100 km
Public DC fast charging — slower AC charging at home or hotels typically costs about half.
Motorway tolls & vignettes
≈ €17
- IT — €0.08/km on the motorway network (≈ 223 km in-country ≈ €17)
Prices last refreshed 2026-05-04.
Fuel and EV charging along the route
Stations within a few kilometres of the road, sampled at evenly-spaced waypoints.
EV charging
20 at 50 kW or above (fast / ultra-fast).
Fastest first
- Ionity Eni — Palermo PA 350 kW
- Ewiva — Termini Imerese 300 kW
- Ewiva Parco Corolla — Milazzo 300 kW
- Ewiva — Messina 300 kW
- Tesla Supercharger Forum Palermo aperto a veicoli non Tesla — Palermo 250 kW
- Ewiva Monreale — Monreale 100 kW
- Ewiva — Cefalù 100 kW
- Ewiva — Santo Stefano di Camastra 100 kW
- EnelX Fast Foro Italico Umberto I — Palermo 50 kW
- EnelX Fast Via Terrasanta — Palermo 50 kW
- Enel X Way Eni — Palermo 50 kW
- EnelX EVA+ Negozio Enel di Palermo — Palermo 50 kW
Weather by month
Average daytime high / overnight low and typical monthly rainfall, over the past five years.
🇮🇹 Palermo
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
16°
10°
|
15°
9°
|
18°
11°
|
19°
13°
|
23°
16°
|
28°
21°
|
32°
25°
|
31°
24°
|
28°
22°
|
25°
19°
|
20°
15°
|
17°
11°
|
| 100mm | 82mm | 67mm | 58mm | 111mm | 48mm | 4mm | 26mm | 55mm | 82mm | 68mm | 96mm |
hot mild cold
🇮🇹 Messina
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
15°
9°
|
15°
9°
|
17°
10°
|
19°
11°
|
22°
15°
|
28°
19°
|
33°
22°
|
31°
22°
|
28°
20°
|
24°
17°
|
20°
13°
|
16°
10°
|
| 112mm | 64mm | 94mm | 57mm | 104mm | 34mm | 19mm | 25mm | 68mm | 58mm | 112mm | 70mm |
hot mild cold
Next 5 days at Messina
Live forecast — refreshes every few hours.
-
Tue 12
⛅
17° / 17°
—
-
Wed 13
🌧️
23° / 15°
47.3mm
-
Thu 14
☀️
20° / 15°
13.9mm
-
Fri 15
⛅
22° / 14°
—
-
Sat 16
🌧️
19° / 17°
11.4mm
Forecast: MET Norway
Directions
Turn-by-turn summary of the main manoeuvres, generated by OSRM.
Show all 18 manoeuvres
- Via Roma 0.7 km
- —
- Corso dei Mille 4 km
- —
- — 0.2 km
- — 0.6 km
- Autostrada Palermo-Catania (A19) 37 km
- Autostrada Messina-Palermo (A20) 23 km
- Autostrada Messina-Palermo (A20) 11 km
- Autostrada Messina-Palermo (A20) 9 km
- Autostrada Messina-Palermo (A20) 5 km
- Autostrada Messina-Palermo (A20) 14 km
- Autostrada Messina-Palermo (A20) 3 km
- Autostrada Messina-Palermo (A20) 11 km
- Autostrada Messina-Palermo (A20) 56 km
- Galleria Sant'Antonio (A20) 5 km
- Autostrada Messina-Palermo (A20) 14 km
- Via Ventiquattro Maggio
Cycling from Palermo to Messina
Touring-pace bicycle route generated by BRouter, with elevation gain and matched against the EuroVelo cycle network.
- Distance
- 258 km
- vs 223 km driving
- Riding time
- 14h 7m
- Touring pace; experienced riders cut this 20–30%.
- Total climb
- ↑ 1.645 m
Routed on the BRouter trekking profile — balanced for paved leisure tourers; gravel and fast-bike profiles produce different lines.
This route doesn't follow any EuroVelo network sections — expect mixed local cycle paths and quiet roads.
Show route on map
By coach from Palermo to Messina
Indicative duration of the fastest direct long-distance coach found in the FlixBus and BlaBlaCar Bus EU schedules.
- Travel time
- 4h 10m
- Direct
- Operator
- FlixBus-eu
- Departures / day
- ~1
- Approximate based on the published schedule.
Show coach corridor on map
Schedules sourced from the FlixBus and BlaBlaCar Bus GTFS feeds via transport.data.gouv.fr. Times are indicative; verify on the operator's site before booking.
Booking link coming soon.
Frequently asked
Is the drive from Palermo to Messina dangerous?
The route is standard Italian motorway driving, but the A20 is particularly tunnel-heavy and requires focus. Stick to the speed limits, especially in tunnels and on tight curves.
Do I need a vignette to drive on Sicilian motorways?
No, there is no vignette system in Italy. Instead, you pay distance-based tolls at plazas when entering or exiting the motorway network.
Are winter tires required for this route?
While the elevation reaches only 346 meters, Sicily can experience cold snaps. Winter tires or snow chains are technically required by regional ordinance in many mountainous areas during the winter months, so verify current local signage if traveling between December and March.
How this page is built
Compiled by COD Solutions Oy from open European data — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for the route geometry, BRouter for the bicycle route, Open-Meteo for monthly climate normals, OpenTopoData SRTM 30m for elevation, Open Charge Map for EV charging stations, and Google Gemini drafts the narrative and FAQ from the computed route data. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.