How to Get from Lamezia Terme Airport to Tropea?
Lamezia Terme Airport (SUF) is the closest airport to Tropea, located about 60 km away. Getting from Lamezia to Tropea can be done by train, by renting a car, or by booking a private transfer.
1. By Train
If you want to use public transportation, the train is the best way to travel from Lamezia to Tropea (see also our article with tips for traveling by train in Italy).
From the airport, you will first need to take a shuttle bus, which brings you to Lamezia Terme train station in just 5 minutes. From the station, you have several direct train options heading to Tropea.
You can buy tickets from the automated machines or online via the Trenitalia website. To purchase a combined ticket (bus + train), select Lamezia Terme Aeroporto as your departure point.
The price of a combined ticket (bus and train) is €6.50. Total travel time is around 1.5 hours (5 minutes from the airport to the station, roughly 50 minutes from the station to Tropea, plus the wait time between the bus arrival and train departure).
A tip: leave yourself a generous buffer of time for your return trip to the airport. Trains in Calabria are very frequently delayed. It is much better to arrive early than to miss your flight. If you have an early morning departure with few trains available, booking a private transfer or renting a car might be a safer choice.
2. By Rental Car
A rental car eliminates the stress of train delays and comes in handy for exploring other spots around Calabria.
If your accommodation in Tropea is right in the historic center, keep in mind that you won't be able to drive into it, as the center is a ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone). Several paid parking lots - both public and private - are located on the edge of the center. Public parking costs around €2 per hour, so for longer stays, leaving your car in a private lot (€15 to €50 per day, depending on the area and the season) is much more cost-effective.
There is also the option to park in the free parking area near the port, though you will need to walk up about 200 stairs to reach the historic center.
3. By Private Transfer
A private transfer is a pricier option, but far more comfortable. It is especially worth considering for your return trip if there aren't many reliable train connections to get you to the airport on time.
