Car Rental Bastia - Getting to Bastia

Bastia is located in the northeast of the island of Corsica, off the French and Italian coasts in the Mediterranean Sea. Bastia's Aeroport International Poretta is 16kms south of town, just off the Route Nationale. Most air travellers will pass through a French connecting airport, and Nice is the closest. Air France and Corsair provide most flights in and out of Corsica from the mainland.

Shuttle buses are timed to coincide with flights and take passengers to the city centre opposite the train station (30 minutes). Taxis will charge around four times the amount for the same trip.

Approaching Corsica by sea is a great experience, and also underscores the island's remote position. From France, the Nice-Bastia route is the fastest and cheapest, taking just three hours on the NGV (high-speed ferry); alternatively, car ferries take nine hours.

Ferries also leave the mainland from Marseille and Toulon, and dock in Bastia and Ajaccio. Leaving from Italy is cheapest, with the Livorno-Bastia trip by NGV taking a lightning-fast two hours, and the regular ferry taking four hours. From Piombino, the journey takes 3 hours, 30 minutes; while the Genoa-Bastia route takes 6 hours, 30 minutes.

You can also leave from Savona and dock in Bastia or Calvi. Heading south, it's a short trip by boat from Bonifacio to Santa Teresa de Gallura in Sardinia. If you want to experience some yesteryear romance on the high seas, reserve an overnight berth in an older ferry. Be sure to book ahead for all ferries in high season.

Ferries arrive at the Nouveau Port in Bastia, just a five-minute walk from the centre of town. Bastia can be reached by bus from most towns on the island and it is also possible to get to and from the main towns, including Calvi, Ajaccio in the south, and Corte in the centre of the island, by rail.