- Must visit
Museo Mandralisca
Small local museum presenting Sicilian traditions and the work of artisan Salvatore Franco. A good stop for folk culture.
Cheapest price
£6
Average price
£7
Fastest journey
45 m
Average duration
48 m
Trains per day
41
Distance
59 km
The best way to find a cheap train ticket from Palermo to Cefalù is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid travelling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Palermo to Cefalù will cost around £7 if you buy it on the day, but you can find cheap train tickets today for only £6.
Of the 41 trains that leave Palermo for Cefalù every day 21 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
These direct trains cover the 59 km distance in an average of 48 m but if you time it right, some trains will get you there in just 45 m .
The slowest trains will take 52 m and usually involve a change or two along the way, but you might be able to save a few pennies if you’re on a budget.
Regionale Veloce 5364
Regionale 5352
Regionale 21866
Regionale Veloce 5360
Regionale 12928
Regionale Veloce 5350
Regionale Veloce 5368
Regionale 5352
Regionale Veloce 5354
Regionale Veloce 5364Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Palermo to Cefalù among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the coach with prices starting from £6. For those with little time consider booking a train which can get you there in 47m. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a coach costs an average of £6, and a train costs an average of £6.
Distance: 59 km
Most popular Train | Coach |
|---|---|
£7 Average Price | £6 Average Price Cheapest |
1h 17m Average total duration Fastest 47m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 1h 48m Average total duration 1h 18m Onboard + 30m Additional time* |
![]() Most popular train company | ![]() Most popular bus company |
Direct Options | Direct Options |
The table below shows live departures for Palermo to Cefalù trains for today, Wednesday 26 August. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated train journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Changes | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Regionale 21846 | 13:33 Palermo Centrale | 1h10 | 14:43 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale 21698 · Autobus SM021 | 14:10 Palermo Centrale | 1h30 | 15:40 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale 21698 | 14:10 Palermo Centrale | 0h55 | 15:05 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale 21698 · Autobus SM121 | 14:10 Palermo Centrale | 1h33 | 15:43 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale 5358 | 14:25 Palermo Centrale | 1h02 | 15:27 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale 12906 · Autobus SM123 | 15:52 Palermo Centrale | 1h46 | 17:38 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale 12906 · Autobus SM023 | 15:52 Palermo Centrale | 1h43 | 17:35 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale 12906 | 15:52 Palermo Centrale | 0h58 | 16:50 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale Veloce 5360 | 16:28 Palermo Centrale | 0h58 | 17:26 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale 21866 | 17:52 Palermo Centrale | 0h55 | 18:47 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale Veloce 5364 · Autobus SM125 | 18:33 Palermo Centrale | 1h45 | 20:18 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale Veloce 5364 · Autobus SM025 | 18:33 Palermo Centrale | 1h42 | 20:15 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale Veloce 5364 | 18:33 Palermo Centrale | 0h52 | 19:25 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale 12922 | 19:43 Palermo Centrale | 0h54 | 20:37 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale Veloce 5368 | 20:13 Palermo Centrale | 0h46 | 20:59 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale 12928 | 21:33 Palermo Centrale | 0h57 | 22:30 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
| Thursday 27 August | |||||
Regionale 21800 | 4:44 Palermo Centrale | 1h19 | 6:03 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale Veloce 5350 | 5:01 Palermo Centrale | 0h45 | 5:46 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale Veloce 5350 · Autobus SM001 | 5:01 Palermo Centrale | 1h44 | 6:45 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale Veloce 5350 · Autobus SM101 | 5:01 Palermo Centrale | 1h47 | 6:48 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale 5352 | 6:17 Palermo Centrale | 0h47 | 7:04 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale 12860 · Autobus SM105 | 6:36 Palermo Centrale | 1h42 | 8:18 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale 12860 | 6:36 Palermo Centrale | 1h07 | 7:43 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale 12860 · Autobus SM005 | 6:36 Palermo Centrale | 1h39 | 8:15 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Intercity 736+ Autobus SM005 | 7:00 Palermo Centrale | 1h15 | 8:15 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Intercity 736+ Autobus SM105 | 7:00 Palermo Centrale | 1h18 | 8:18 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Intercity 736 | 7:00 Palermo Centrale | 0h52 | 7:52 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale Veloce 5354 · Autobus SM009 | 8:22 Palermo Centrale | 1h53 | 10:15 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale Veloce 5354 | 8:22 Palermo Centrale | 0h49 | 9:11 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale Veloce 5354 · Autobus SM109 | 8:22 Palermo Centrale | 1h56 | 10:18 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale 12878 | 9:31 Palermo Centrale | 0h52 | 10:23 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale 22176 · Autobus SM011 | 9:45 Palermo Centrale | 1h30 | 11:15 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale 22176 | 9:45 Palermo Centrale | 1h00 | 10:45 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale 22176 · Autobus SM111 | 9:45 Palermo Centrale | 1h33 | 11:18 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Intercity 730 | 10:10 Palermo Centrale | 0h58 | 11:08 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale 21664 · Autobus SM013 | 10:45 Palermo Centrale | 1h30 | 12:15 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale 21664 | 10:45 Palermo Centrale | 1h00 | 11:45 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
Regionale 21664 · Autobus SM113 | 10:45 Palermo Centrale | 1h33 | 12:18 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale 12888 · Autobus SM115 | 11:47 Palermo Centrale | 1h31 | 13:18 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale 12888 · Autobus SM015 | 11:47 Palermo Centrale | 1h28 | 13:15 Cefalù | 1 change | |
Regionale 12888 | 11:47 Palermo Centrale | 1h04 | 12:51 Cefalù station | 0 changesdirect | |
This is the last train of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
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Trains from Palermo to Cefalù run on average 33 times per day, taking around 47m. Cheap train tickets for this journey start at £6 but you can travel from only £6 by coach.
There are 18 trains per day. The earliest train runs at 01:00, the last at 23:25. The fastest train covers the 59 km distance in 41m.
Distance 59 km |
Average train duration 47m |
Cheapest ticket price £6 |
Trains per day 33 |
Direct trains 18 |
Fastest train 41m |
First train 1:00 |
Last train 23:25 |
Cheapest Month Jan |
Cheapest Day Fri |
High Season Jul - Sept |
Low Season Jan - Mar |
Busiest Day Sat |
Least Busy Day Thu |
Best time to book 84 days |
Discover the best of Cefalù — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Cefalù trip today.
Small local museum presenting Sicilian traditions and the work of artisan Salvatore Franco. A good stop for folk culture.
Museum inside the cathedral complex with liturgical art, treasury objects and access to parts of the monumental buildings.
Archaeological area and museum route on La Rocca with ancient remains, fortifications and interpretation of Cefalù’s early history.
Historic seafront square beside the cathedral. A pleasant place to pause, admire the façade and absorb the town’s atmosphere.
Long sandy beach backed by the old town. It is ideal for a walk, sea views and classic panoramas of Cefalù.
Promontory above Cefalù with walking paths, ruins and sweeping views. It combines nature, archaeology and one of the town’s best viewpoints.
Pasta with sardines, wild fennel, pine nuts and raisins. A hallmark Sicilian dish that blends Arab and Mediterranean influences common on this coast.
Baked pasta timbale with aubergine, tomato, cheese and often meat. A celebratory Sicilian classic closely associated with festive family cooking.
Rice balls filled traditionally with ragù, peas and cheese, then crumbed and fried. One of Sicily’s most iconic street foods, widely eaten in Cefalù.
Refined seafood restaurant near the historic centre, known for polished Sicilian cooking and a romantic atmosphere.
Casual venue known for Sicilian street food, arancine, panelle and quick local bites in the historic centre.
Established seafront spot serving fresh fish, pasta and Sicilian classics in a relaxed setting with sea views.
Moderate for Sicily: dining is fair value, but summer rooms rise sharply. Local buses are cheap, and everyday coffee and snacks are affordable.
Service is often included or modest. Round up or leave €1-2 in cafés, 5-10% in restaurants for good service, and round up taxi fares.
Due to the short distance between them, trains from Palermo to Cefalù all take less than an hour. They run about 40min to 1h apart during peak times and between 1_2h apart at off_peak times. Trains are available throughout the day, beginning in the early morning and ending in the mid_evening. None of these trips make stops on the way, so you won’t have to change trains when travelling to Cefalù from Palermo.
There are just over 15 trains from Palermo to Cefalù each day, Monday through Sunday, giving roughly 100 to choose from every week. They run in a concertina pattern, with the smallest intervals between trains during rush hours. The first leaves at around 05:10, with the last one of the day departing at roughly 21:35. To avoid too long a wait at the station, arrive about 15min before your train departs – the Palermo train station isn’t too busy compared to many others.
Trains from Palermo to Cefalù all take under an hour to make the trip. The quickest of them will get you to Cefalù in about 42min. These are available at various intervals during the day. Other trips take 48min, 51min and 55min. The longest you can expect to spend on a train trip from Palermo to Cefalù is around 1h 02min. As you can easily see, these are very small margins, so if you count on the journey taking about an hour, you’ll be pretty spot on, no matter which train you choose.


Abbaye d'Abbeville. Source: Shutterstock
="Young woman sitting on bench enjoying the view of the coast of Cefalu at sunrise.">Departure train station: It’s pretty simple to travel by trains to Cefalù from Palermo, as all of them leave from a single departure point, Palermo Centrale Station. It has step_free access and further wheelchair accessibility, and left luggage service. There are a few fast_food outlets and cafés, and a news stand. You can also use the passenger lounge free of charge. This is the main railway station in the Palermo, and you can get there from the city centre on a local Trenitalia RE train in about 18min. Otherwise, there are AMAT Palermo buses that take around 26min on the No. 102 and 124 lines.
Arrival train station: All incoming trains from Palermo end up at Cefalù Railway Station. It has a few basic amenities but is quite a small station, so there aren’t wheelchair facilities or limited mobility assistance. There is a paid luggage storage facility in the small ticket office, but otherwise, it consists mainly of the platform itself. Unfortunately, there isn’t any public transport from the station to the centre of this small Sicilian town, so you’ll either have to hire a car or taxi, which will take about 1min, or just walk the 14min distance.
Trenitalia runs all the trains from Palermo to Cefalù, using its Intercity, Regionale and Regionale Veloce services. There’s not much to choose between these different train services when it comes to speed – they’re all high_speed models that will get you to Cefalù in under an hour. They don’t make any stops or changes on the way and run at staggered intervals throughout the day. The train service begins at about 05:00 and runs all day at intervals that range from about 40min to 2h. Given that they all take roughly the same amount of time, the only decision you need to make on which of these services to use is what time of the day you want to travel. This will determine the type of Trenitalia train you’ll board – and there is no disadvantage to simply travelling whenever you want during the Palermo Centrale Station’s operating hours.
The Trenitalia trains that run from Palermo to Cefalù are the fastest available on this route, which is good news, given that they’re the only ones available. These are all high_speed trains that travel directly to your destination, so you won’t waste any time at intervening stops or by having to change trains on the way. There are about 15 available each day, and they take between about 40min and around 1h 10min. You can choose between three of Trenitalia’s train services: Regionale Veloce, Regionale and Intercity.
Trenitalia’s short_distance high_speed trains are focused on commuter efficiency, so they’re comfortable but don’t waste effort (or your ticket money) on unnecessary extras. Each train has a bar carriage where you can get snacks and drinks, and you the trip will seem to take no time at all once you’ve logged in to the Trenitalia FRECCE online entertainment platform through your laptop or mobile device. The Wi_Fi connection for this is free, and you can watch movies, series or the latest news. There is no luggage limit, but to be on the safe side, don’t bring more than two hold luggage items or suitcases, plus a bag or rucksack that you take on board with you. You can also bring a pet with you, as long as its small enough to fit into the regulation_sized container. You can also bring a foldable bicycle, or disassemble it and take it with you in bike bag. Limited mobility assistance is also available during your trip.
Given how little time trains take to travel from Palermo to Celafu, there aren’t any night trains, as such. There is a train that leaves during the mid_evening, however, so if you prefer to travel after dark you can catch this one. It departs from Palermo Station at about 21:35, and takes about 50min to make the journey.
Trenitalia, like the other high_speed train services in Italy, has implemented a thorough long_term sustainability policy. Part of this is that all trains are constructed with at least 20% recycled materials, in order to reduce carbon footprint averaged out over many trips. Calculated this way, Trenitalia’s trains use up to 30% less energy on the trip from Palermo to Cefalù. Its engines also have kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS), which converts braking energy into electrical energy, feeding 15% of the energy the train uses back to the grid.
The easiest way to quickly find cheaper tickets is to scan the Omio live timetables for train trips that take the longest or that require changes on the way. These often come with a lower ticket cost. You can also wait until the last minute to buy your tickets – that way you’ll be able to benefit from tickets put on sale quite shortly before the train leaves, which are often discounted. You can also book far in advance of your trip, to take advantage of early_bird offers that the train operators often offer to entice passengers to start filling their trains well ahead of their departure dates.


Abbaye d'Abbeville. Source: Shutterstock
="Roman catholic church and basilica of Cefalu.">The most prominent and popular tourist landmark in Cefalù its cathedral, which is a fascinating example of hybrid Sicilian architecture. It was consecrated way back in 1267 but took so long to build that it contains a veritable history of the architectural epochs in the region. It contains Sicilian, Latin, Greek, and Arab influences, with Byzantine columns and 16th_century Renaissance sculptures. This town in northern Sicily is also a beach resort, and to enjoy it at its best, rent yourself a lido at Lungomare Giuseppe Giardina, the longest beach in the town. At one end you’ll find Porta Pescara, the best place from which to watch the sun setting over the sea. To see more of the archaeological and artistic history of the area, visit Museo Mandralisca, housing collections of art and artefacts from excavations in the region. These are made from materials including ceramics, bronze work, marble, and Murano glass. We have more ideas for you in our online travel magazine, The Window Seat.
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Palermo to Cefalù by train. From journey times and ticket prices to direct connections, first and last departures, and even whether the route is scenic, our FAQs cover everything you need to plan your trip. Whether you’re looking for the fastest train, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Cefalù, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

Most Palermo to Cefalù trains use the Palermo Centrale to Cefalù station pair, with some services arriving at Cefalù, Cefalu' Ospedale. Use this guide to compare Palermo and Cefalù train stations on this route, check city-centre transport, alongside checking practicalities like train station facilities and services.
Cefalù, Hotel Santa Lucia is 2 km from Cefalù city centre. Public transport options include:
Cefalù, Hotel Santa Lucia has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Parking, Dining, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, Shower and Ticket Office.
Food options include: Nearby dining options available.
Wi-Fi is available at Cefalù, Hotel Santa Lucia. ATMs are available at Cefalù, Hotel Santa Lucia.
Ticket office support is available at Cefalù, Hotel Santa Lucia.
Available at Cefalù, Hotel Santa Lucia: Parking, Taxis, WC.
Accessibility facilities are available at Cefalù, Hotel Santa Lucia.
Cefalù, Cefalu' Ospedale is 1 km from Cefalù city centre. Public transport options include:
Cefalù, Cefalu' Ospedale has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Parking, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, Shower and Ticket Office.
Wi-Fi is available at Cefalù, Cefalu' Ospedale. ATMs are available at Cefalù, Cefalu' Ospedale.
Ticket office support is available at Cefalù, Cefalu' Ospedale.
Available at Cefalù, Cefalu' Ospedale: Parking, Taxis, WC.
Accessibility facilities are available at Cefalù, Cefalu' Ospedale: The station is accessible for individuals with disabilities.
Here are some other resources that might have the information you need