The ESP2024 is hosted at the Department of Physics and Astronomy "Ettore Majorana" (DFA) of the Catania University.
Address: Via Santa Sofia 64, 95123 Catania
LINKS: Position on Google Maps | DFA website
The Department of Physics and Astronomy is located inside the University Campus (Cittadella Universitaria).
It can be reached from the city center by taxi and public transport, such as Metro Shuttle from the Milo Metro Station and BRT1 Bus. Detailed information are given below in this page.
We do not recommend walking from the city center to the meeting venue, partly because the road is uphill and because the crossing of "Viale Andrea Doria", the road at the bottom of the campus, is quite dangerous. In case you want to climb via Etnea toward the campus, we recommend to use the underpass close to Via Passo Gravina n. 145.
Be aware that it is challenging to park in the campus area. We strongly suggest to avoid using your car to reach the meeting venue.
How to reach Catania
Catania has an International airport (CTA) 15 m by car (20 m by bus) to the city center. Direct flights are offered from many airports in Europe. Connecting flights from Rome (FCO) and Milan (LIN) are frequent during the whole day.
Catania is also connected via railway with the most important cities in Italy.
For more information about Catania visit "More about Catania".
If you are thinking to make some tourism before of after the conference, you may visit our suggestion about the "Sicilian East Coast". Please be aware that Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with 4.8 million inhabitants. Public transportation in the island, especially outside the urban contest, is not at the standard most of you are used, so for going around Catania and visit other locations in Sicily we strongly suggest you to rent a car.
How to reach the city center and the meeting venue from different locations
From Catania Airport
Catania “Vincenzo Bellini” International Airport (called also Fontanarossa Airport) is close to the city center (<15 min by car in no traffic condition).
Connection airport downtown can be done by taxi or bus.
LINKS: Airport Website | Position of the Fontanarossa Airport on Google Maps | Airport Parking Map
- BY TAXI (recommended)
You can take a taxi at the normal taxi queue exit from the arrival.
However, we recommend you to call Radio-taxi (+39 095 330966), which is available h 24/24.
Call for radiotaxi (they talk also En) when you are ready to leave the baggage claim area.
The taxi picks you up in few minutes at the airport on the Departure level (1st floor): after leaving the baggage claim area, go left and take the escalator (or the lift) to the 1str floor. Then exit on the right and wait for your taxi (its code is told you when you call).
The fare to the center is about €22-24 (it depends form the location in the town; ask for the fare when you call). Taxi fare to the meeting venue is €30. - BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
The AMT “Alibus” Bus Service leave every 25 minutes from 4:40 am to midnight, from the Airport to the city center.
Bus ticket (€4) can be purchased: at the Airport; from authorized AMT retailers and AMT vending machines; on the bus; online with the UpMobile App. Remember to stamp the ticket upon getting on the bus.
At the Fontanarossa Airport we suggest you use the bus stop located outside the Terminal A at the Arrival level (ground floor), as reported on the Airport Parking Map.
If you need to go directly to the meeting’s venue, stop at Central Train Station (Piazza Papa Giovanni XXII), take the metro till the “Milo” station + the free metro shuttle to the “Cittadella"; alternatively, stop in Via Etnea/Piazza Stesicoro and take the rapid bus BRT1 to the “Cittadella”.
About routes and prices of the public transport for connecting the city center to the meeting’s venue, see the following section.
LINKS: Alibus timetable and route – Price €4
From Catania Central Railway Station
Arriving by train at the central railway station (Stazione Centrale FS - Piazza Giovanni XXIII), it is possible to reach the Department in either of two ways:
- by taxi: a ride by taxi should cost about €25 – €30 depending on timing and traffic;
- by bus, using the lines:
- 432 - up to the entrance located in Via S. Sofia 64. The Department is immediately visible on the right, about 100 m after the Western entrance.
- 449 e 638R - the bus stop is located in front of the Southern entrance, at Viale Andrea Doria 6. After entering the Cittadella, turn left and climb the hill up to the first crossroad (after about 100 m). Then turn left and walk for about 80 m. The Department is on the left.
The bus ticket must be purchased either inside the central station, or in any newstand outside the station. One ticket costs about 0.80 EUR and has a duration of 90 min.
LINKS: Central Station Website | Position of the Central Station on Google Maps
From the city center to meeting venue (and vice versa)
By taxi/car
- Radio-taxi (+39 095 330966)
Taxis are available h 24/24.
This service is highly recommended when you chose an accommodation far from the metro/bus stops or far from the city center.
All taxi by law accept credit card, but it is better to inform the driver you want pay by credit card during the early part of the travel, so they switch on the device on time.
If you plan to reach the venue by car, inside the Cittadella parking is subject to a fee and spaces are limited, so it is advised to park outside the Cittadella or use the parking areas connected by shuttle/bus services ("Milo" Metro Station, BRT1 "Due Obelischi", Via Santa Sofia FCE Parking). Reach the venue by taxi or public transport is recommended.
By public transport
- By Metro + Metro Shuttle
The closest metro stop to the DFA is the “Milo” one, from where you can reach the venue by a free Metro Shuttle service, stopping at “Cittadella Universitaria (Ovest)” bus stop (note that, once in Milo, it is possible to take either the metro shuttle or the BRT1, depending on which arrives first). After crossing the entrance in Via Santa Sofia n. 64, the DFA is on the right after a 5-minutes walk.
The Metro Shuttle to the Milo Station can be reached inside the Cittadella: the metro stop is in front of the Math Department, on the right after 2-minutes walk from the DFA.
The metro trains have a frequency of one train every 10 minutes until 15:00; then the frequency will be one train every 15 minutes.
The shuttles have frequency of a bus every 10 minutes.
LINKS: Metro Timetable – Price €1,00 (90 minutes) | Metro Shuttle Timetable | Map of the Metro and Shuttles route (in red: the metro route; in yellow: shuttle route) | Metro Shuttle route and stops inside the Cittadella
- BRT1 BUS
The rapid bus BRT1 connects downtown to the entrance of the Hospital area. Be careful that there are two different bus stops to use depending on if you are coming to the Observatory (“Policlinico”, close to the main entrance of the hospital) or going back downtown ("Cittadella Est", which can be reach by walking through the university campus).
Buy a ticket also for the return trip. There are no places where to buy a ticket close to the Observatory, however you can directly buy your tickets using the AMTS Catania mobile application.
BRT1 Timetable - €1.00 (90 minutes)
LINKS: BRT1 Timetable - €1.00 (90 minutes)
