🇮🇹 Same-country drive · Italy
Driving from Siracusa to Messina
Essential tips and road advice for your drive from Siracusa to Messina along the SS114 and A18 motorways in Sicily.
- Drive time
- 1h 57m
- Distance
- 159 km
- Same day?
- Yes, half day
- under 4 h
- Fuel cost
- ≈ €21
- petrol · diesel ≈ €19
- Tolls
- ≈ €12
- per-km
- EV charging
- Plenty fast
- 16 of 79 ≥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
+1h 21m- Distance:
- 166 km (+7 km)
- Duration:
- 3h 18m
Via: SS114
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.
Exit Siracusa via the SS114, feeling the immediate shift from the narrow, sun-drenched streets of the old city to the bustling coastal arteries that hug the Ionian Sea. This initial stretch provides a steady rhythm, but keep your eyes on the road as the route bypasses Catania via the RA15 orbital; traffic here can be unpredictable, with frequent lane merging and local drivers who do not adhere strictly to lane discipline. The transition onto the A18 toward Messina brings a higher pace, though you should expect heavy congestion around the major hubs.
As you head north toward Messina, the A18 transforms into a sequence of dramatic tunnels and viaducts carved into the mountainous terrain that meets the sea. This is a distance-based toll road, so make sure to take your ticket upon entry and keep it accessible for the automated gates at the end of the line. The speed limit is 130 km/h, but the frequent sharp curves and steep gradients often make the 110 km/h rain restriction a much more realistic and safer speed during the unpredictable coastal showers of the shoulder seasons.
Fuel stops are plentiful along the A18, but steer clear of the motorway service stations if you want to avoid the premium pricing typical of such locations. Instead, use the exits to refuel in the smaller towns along the coast to save significantly. Remember that while there is no vignette system in Italy, the tolls accumulate quickly, so have a card ready for payment. The final approach to Messina is defined by the steep descent toward the Strait, where you will see the ferries waiting to cross to the mainland; keep your speed strictly in check here, as the police often monitor the rapid deceleration zones coming out of the motorway tunnels.
Route highlights
- The transition onto the A18 north of Catania
- The series of tunnels and viaducts along the Ionian coast
- The final descent into Messina with views across to the Italian mainland
- The RA15 Catania orbital interchange
Trip plan
How to think about the drive: one day, split, or overnight.
Short hop
Under two hours behind the wheel. Grab a coffee, set the playlist, done before lunch.
- Distance:
- 159 km
- Duration:
- 1h 57m (free-flow, no traffic)
Where to stop
Places along the route that make natural breaks for coffee, lunch, or a night.
-
Catania 🇮🇹 it
≈53 km≈ 8.4 km detour from the main route
-
Fiumefreddo Sicilia 🇮🇹 it
≈106 km≈ 3.9 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.
Long rural stretch on Autostrada Catania-Siracusa
Plan for about 25 km of two-lane country roads. Slower than motorway, but often the pretty part — fewer overtakes after dark.
Long rural stretch on SS114 Strada statale Orientale Sicula
Plan for about 22 km of two-lane country roads. Slower than motorway, but often the pretty part — fewer overtakes after dark.
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.
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.
-
A18 Autostrada Messina-Catania74 km
-
SS114 Strada statale Orientale Sicula22 km
-
RA15 Tangenziale Ovest di Catania17 km
Route character
How much of the drive is motorway vs. secondary vs. rural.
Mixed motorway + secondary — varied pace, some scenic stretches.
- Motorway
- 48%
- Secondary
- 15%
- Other / rural
- 37%
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
- 3 m
- Highest point
- 319 m
- Total ascent
- ↑ 623 m
- Total descent
- ↓ 613 m
Fuel & tolls
Rough cost expectation for a typical EU passenger car. Treat as an estimate — pump prices change weekly.
Petrol (RON 95)
≈ €21
11.9 L × €1.79 / L · 7.5 L/100 km
Diesel
≈ €19
9.5 L × €2.05 / L · 6 L/100 km
Electric (DC fast)
≈ €18
28 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
≈ €12
- IT — €0.08/km on the motorway network (≈ 159 km in-country ≈ €12)
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
16 at 50 kW or above (fast / ultra-fast).
Fastest first
- Ewiva — Messina 300 kW
- Tesla Katanè — Gravina di Catania 250 kW
- Evway Audi Catania — Catania 150 kW
- Enel — Giarre 120 kW
- Enel Stazione — Siracusa 90 kW
- AdS Serramendola Ovest A18 verso Ragusa — Siracusa 75 kW
- Enel — Roccalumera 75 kW
- EVAD Aniene — Siracusa 50 kW
- Enel Fast Green Power Catania — Catania 50 kW
- EnelX Fast @ Ecoil — Misterbianco 50 kW
- Enel X McDonald's — Giarre 50 kW
- EnelX EVA+ Giardini-Naxos — Giardini-Naxos 50 kW
Weather by month
Average daytime high / overnight low and typical monthly rainfall, over the past five years.
🇮🇹 Siracusa
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
16°
9°
|
16°
9°
|
18°
11°
|
20°
12°
|
23°
16°
|
29°
21°
|
34°
24°
|
32°
24°
|
29°
21°
|
25°
18°
|
21°
14°
|
17°
11°
|
| 67mm | 126mm | 56mm | 39mm | 74mm | 17mm | 1mm | 4mm | 43mm | 29mm | 52mm | 53mm |
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 19 manoeuvres
- Viale Teocrito 0.2 km
- —
- Corso Gelone
- Viale Paolo Orsi
- —
- Viale Ermocrate
- —
- —
- Strada statale Orientale Sicula (SS114) 22 km
- Autostrada Catania-Siracusa 25 km
- Tangenziale Ovest di Catania (RA15) 17 km
- Autostrada Messina-Catania (A18) 66 km
- Autostrada Messina-Catania (A18) 3 km
- Autostrada Messina-Catania (A18) 5 km
- Autostrada Messina-Catania (A18) 0.5 km
- —
- —
- Via Cesare Battisti
- Via Ventiquattro Maggio
Cycling from Siracusa to Messina
Touring-pace bicycle route generated by BRouter, with elevation gain and matched against the EuroVelo cycle network.
- Distance
- 178 km
- vs 159 km driving
- Riding time
- 9h 16m
- Touring pace; experienced riders cut this 20–30%.
- Total climb
- ↑ 956 m
Routed on the BRouter trekking profile — balanced for paved leisure tourers; gravel and fast-bike profiles produce different lines.
On the EuroVelo network
Sections of this route follow signed EuroVelo cycle routes — well-maintained, signposted, and bike-friendly:
- EV7 Sun Route · 40.5 km
Total: 40,5 km on EuroVelo (23% of the route).
Show route on map
By coach from Siracusa to Messina
Indicative duration of the fastest direct long-distance coach found in the FlixBus and BlaBlaCar Bus EU schedules.
- Travel time
- 2h 45m
- 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
Are there tolls on the route from Siracusa to Messina?
Yes, the A18 motorway between Catania and Messina is a distance-based toll road. You will collect a ticket at the entry point and pay at the exit.
What is the standard speed limit on the A18?
The speed limit is 130 km/h on motorways under normal conditions, reducing to 110 km/h during rain or adverse weather.
Is the drive difficult for non-local drivers?
The main motorways are well-marked, but the Catania orbital (RA15) can be stressful due to dense traffic and aggressive merging; stay alert and maintain a consistent speed.
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, EuroVelo GPX (ODbL) by the European Cyclists' Federation for the cycle-network overlay, 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.