Field note · Italy · Liguria

Cinque Terre

Five villages on a cliff coast with no useful road between them. Almost everyone moves by the local train, which runs in a tunnel behind the villages and takes two to eight minutes between stops; in high season it is branded Cinque Terre Express and costs a flat €8 a hop, in winter it reverts to an ordinary regional at €2.70. Everything else is a supplement to it: a seasonal ferry that calls at four of the five villages and skips Corniglia because Corniglia sits 100 m up a cliff with no harbour, a shuttle bus that saves you the 33 flights of steps from Corniglia station, small ATC buses up to the hill hamlets and the park-and-ride car parks, and the coastal footpath, which needs a paid Cinque Terre Card and is closed in parts more often than not. Cars cannot get into the villages and there is nowhere to leave them, so the sane approach is to park at La Spezia or Levanto and use the train.

Researched: 22 September 2026
Reviewed: not yet
Ways of moving: 7, 22 sources
Not confirmed: 7
Fares seen: 2026

The place

The Cinque Terre is a coastal area within Liguria, in the northwest of Italy. It lies in the west of La Spezia Province, and comprises five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Vernazza is also one of "I Borghi più belli d'Italia".

Adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The place page has what to see, do and eat, and every way there from the planner.

How transport works here

7 ways of moving, each with its rule

We confirmed six ways of moving to, from or around Cinque Terre: one by rail and cable, one by water, two by road, one under your own steam and one hired or on demand, from 22 sources. One entry is not a service at all but a rule that decides whether travel happens: a permit, a closure, a border, a season or an authority's say-so.

The fares were seen in 2026; a fare from an older year is a floor, not a price. We rate 5 of the 7 high confidence, our own judgement of the sources. The entry was checked on 22 September 2026, and ends with seven things we could not confirm.

One way

By rail and cable

train

Cinque Terre Express, the local train

La Spezia Centrale – Riomaggiore – Manarola – Corniglia – Vernazza – Monterosso – Levanto, with some trains running through to La Spezia Migliarina, Sestri Levante or Genova

Every village has its own station, and in Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia and Vernazza the station is effectively the village entrance – the line runs in tunnel and the platform is a slot in the cliff. In high season the trains that matter are the 229xx series, which Trenitalia sells as 5 Terre Express; ordinary 12xxx regionals to Sestri Levante and Genova stop at the same platforms and cost the same. Buy from the Trenitalia app or a machine before boarding, then look for the station name on the platform sign rather than counting stops, because the tunnels make every stop look identical. Corniglia's station is at sea level and the village is not – see the shuttle bus below.

When: In high season roughly every 15 to 30 minutes in each direction. Checked live for 25 September 2026, southbound departures from Riomaggiore towards La Spezia ran at 09:02, 09:32, 10:02, 10:32 and so on, with northbound towards Levanto at 08:58, 09:28, 10:28, 11:03, 11:28. First trains around 05:50, last around 22:35. In December the same route thins to roughly hourly
Takes: 2 minutes Riomaggiore to Manarola, about 17 minutes Riomaggiore to Monterosso, 6 to 8 minutes La Spezia Centrale to Riomaggiore
Fare 2026: €8.00 for any single journey inside the Cinque Terre zone in high season, including the two-minute hop Riomaggiore to Manarola and La Spezia Centrale to Riomaggiore (booked live for 25 September 2026). Out of season the same journey is an ordinary regional at €2.70 (booked live for 10 December 2026). Unlimited travel is bundled into the Cinque Terre Treno Card

SeasonYear-round. The Express branding and the €8 fare apply in the main season; winter reverts to standard regional fares and a thinner timetable. BookingNone needed. Buy on the Trenitalia app, at station machines or at the park Infopoint in the station building. Regional tickets are not seat-reserved. Run byTrenitalia.

One way

Rules, permits and closures

permit

Cinque Terre Card, Trekking and Treno

Valid across the five villages, plus the La Spezia – Levanto rail corridor on the Treno version

Sold at the park Infopoints in the station buildings of all five villages and at Levanto and La Spezia Centrale, or online at card.parconazionale5terre.it. Two versions. The Trekking Card covers the paid coastal trails, the Via dell'Amore, the local buses inside the villages, park guided walks, station toilets and a few museums. The Treno Card adds unlimited second-class regional trains between La Spezia and Levanto. It is personal and non-transferable and you must be able to show ID with it. Note what it does not cover: buses to La Spezia or Portovenere, and the ferries.

When: Sold for 1, 2 or 3 days, valid to midnight on the last day whatever time you first use it
Takes: n/a
Fare 2026: Trekking Card adult 1 day €10.00, or €15.00 on high-attendance days; 2 days €17.00 / €26.70; 3 days €23.50 / €37.50. Treno Card adult 1 day €22.00 low band, €29.50 middle, €35.00 high band; 2 days €36.50 / €51.00 / €61.00; 3 days €49.00 / €68.00 / €81.00. Those Treno bands run 14 March to 1 November 2026; from 2 November to 31 December 2026 a 1-day adult Treno Card is €17.30. Reduced rates for ages 4 to 12, over 70s, families and guests of park-label hotels, who pay €5.00 for a 1-day Trekking Card. Under 4s free

SeasonYear-round, with three demand bands that make the same card up to 60 percent more expensive on busy days. BookingBuy online to skip the Infopoint queue. Not refundable except on an official park weather alert or a train strike, and the date can be moved once, at least 24 hours ahead, within the same price band. Run byParco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre.

One way

By water

boat

Linea 02 ferry, Cinque Terre

Lerici and La Spezia via Porto Venere to Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, Monterosso and on to Levanto; extra summer sailings from Deiva Marina and Moneglia. Corniglia is marked NO STOP on every sailing

Run by the Consorzio Marittimo Turistico 5 Terre – Golfo dei Poeti, trading as Navigazione Golfo dei Poeti. Ticket huts sit on the quay at each landing; buy on the day there or online up to the day before departure. Corniglia has no ferry because it is on a 100 m cliff with only a tiny fishermen's cove below, so the timetable simply prints NO STOP in its column. If you want the boat and Corniglia in the same day, use the train for the Corniglia leg. Sailings are cancelled outright in swell, and the operator posts the day's changes from 08:00 on its updates page, Facebook and app.

When: In the 20 April to 27 September 2026 timetable, roughly hourly northbound from Porto Venere between 09:00 and 17:00, with Riomaggiore departures at 09:35, 10:35, 11:35, 12:35, 13:35, 14:35, 15:35, 16:35 and 17:35, and a matching southbound pattern back from Monterosso. Fewer sailings in the March and October shoulder timetables
Takes: About 10 minutes Riomaggiore to Manarola, 55 minutes Riomaggiore to Monterosso, about 35 minutes Porto Venere to Riomaggiore
Fare 2026: Riomaggiore to Manarola €10 adult one way, Riomaggiore to Vernazza or Monterosso €15, Vernazza to Monterosso €10, any village to Levanto €12 to €20. The day ticket covering all five stops is €42 adult, €15 child, and an afternoon-only version is €28. Porto Venere to Riomaggiore €18. Reduced fares are for children 6 to 11 with a paying adult

Season1 March to 8 December 2026 across the winter Trip, spring, summer and autumn timetables. Nothing runs from 9 December to the end of February. Even in season, any sailing can be pulled for weather. BookingOnline presale opens 1 February each year and closes the day before sailing; otherwise buy at the quay. Not covered by the Cinque Terre Card. Run byConsorzio Marittimo Turistico 5 Terre – Golfo dei Poeti (Navigazione Golfo dei Poeti).

2 ways

By road

minibus

Corniglia station shuttle

Corniglia railway station to the village square and back, some runs continuing to San Bernardino and Fornacchi

Turn left out of Corniglia station and the bus stop is up to the right; the footpath, the brick staircase known as the Lardarina, is to the left. The staircase is 33 flights and the step count is quoted anywhere between 365 and 383 depending on who counted, which is the whole argument for the bus if you have luggage. The bus is a small green park vehicle run by ATC and is free with any Cinque Terre Card; otherwise buy from the driver or the Infopoint.

When: Every 10 to 15 minutes for most of the day. From the 2026 park timetable, village departures run 07.05, 07.58, 08.13, 08.28, 08.43 then at roughly quarter-hour intervals to 19.00, with later runs at 19.15, 19.40, 20.10, 21.10, 22.10, 22.45 and 23.15. Station departures are five minutes later. Runs on both weekdays and Sundays
Takes: 5 minutes
Fare 2026: Included in both the Trekking and the Treno Cinque Terre Card. A single ATC ticket otherwise

SeasonYear-round. Run byATC Esercizio for the Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre.

minibus

ATC hill buses and the park-and-ride car parks

Riomaggiore to Lavaccio, Castello, Cimitero, Biassa, Telegrafo and Monesteroli, and up to Corniolo, Groppo and Volastra; Manarola to Volastra and Pianca; Vernazza to its car park and up to Fornacchi, Drignana and Madonna di Reggio; Monterosso to Colle di Gritta, Soviore and Vettora

These are the small buses locals use to reach the terraced hamlets above the villages, and the same routes serve the car parks that sit outside the villages – the timetable lists stops called Manarola Park and Park Vernazza. Stops are marked in each village centre and by the stations. Free with a Cinque Terre Card inside the park, but the card is explicitly not valid on ATC lines out to La Spezia or Portovenere, which you pay for separately.

When: Varies by route. Manarola to Volastra runs from 07.40 to 23.15, roughly every 30 to 45 minutes. Vernazza to its car park runs 08.40 to 19.45 at 20 to 30 minute intervals. The Riomaggiore hill routes run from 07.00 to just after midnight but with long midday gaps
Takes: Manarola to Volastra 10 minutes, Riomaggiore to Biassa about 35 minutes, Vernazza to the car park 5 minutes
Fare 2026: Included in the Cinque Terre Card inside the park area; ATC single ticket otherwise

SeasonYear-round; the timetable is reissued through the year and the version linked here is dated July 2026. Run byATC Esercizio.

One way

On foot, by bike, or otherwise

walking trail

Sentiero Verde Azzurro and the Via dell'Amore

The coastal path linking the five villages: Via dell'Amore Riomaggiore to Manarola, then Manarola to Corniglia, Corniglia to Vernazza and Vernazza to Monterosso

Trail heads are signposted from each village, usually just above the station. The paid sections need a Cinque Terre Card, Trekking or Treno. The Via dell'Amore, closed by a landslide from 2012, reopened in August 2024 and now works on timed entry: you enter at Riomaggiore, walk one way to Manarola, and must book a slot on top of holding a card. Opening is 09:00 to 21:00 from 29 March to 24 October 2026, then 09:00 to 18:00 from 26 October. Walking time about 30 minutes. Check the park's trail notices before you set out: on 10 September 2026 the whole Corniglia–Vernazza–Monterosso section was shut pending geological survey, having only reopened between Corniglia and Vernazza three weeks earlier. Open sandals and flip-flops are banned on park trails and fines run from €50 to €2,500 if a rescue is needed.

When: Daylight hours; the Via dell'Amore has last entry 30 minutes before closing
Takes: Via dell'Amore about 30 minutes; Manarola to Corniglia about 45 minutes plus the climb into the village; Corniglia to Vernazza about 2 hours; Vernazza to Monterosso about 90 minutes with over 250 m of climbing
Fare 2026: Covered by the Cinque Terre Card. Residents of Riomaggiore, Vernazza and Monterosso walk the Via dell'Amore free and without booking; La Spezia province residents go free outside the regulated hours

SeasonYear-round in principle. In practice landslides and weather alerts close sections at short notice, most often in autumn and winter. BookingBooking is compulsory for the Via dell'Amore, at card.parconazionale5terre.it or viadellamore.info, or at a park Infopoint. If you bought a card with the reserve-later option, redeem the voucher code at card.parconazionale5terre.it/voucher. Run byParco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre.

One way

Hired, booked and on demand

vehicle hire

Arriving by car, and the La Spezia and Levanto gateways

La Spezia Centrale or Levanto as the road ends, then the train in

Cars cannot enter the historic centres, and the roads between the villages climb all the way to the ridge and back down for each one, so a five-village drive is a full day of hairpins. The practical approach is to leave the car at La Spezia or Levanto, both of which have station car parks and are the two ends of the Cinque Terre Card rail zone, and take the train. If you must drive into a village, Riomaggiore has a garage up the hill from the station, open 08:00 to 21:00, and Manarola and Vernazza have car parks outside the centre served by the ATC hill buses. La Spezia also runs free shuttle buses from its interchange car parks. Levanto is the northern gateway and the base for the campsites, since none are inside the park.

When: n/a
Takes: 20 to 30 minutes by road from La Spezia to Riomaggiore or Manarola on the litoranea
Fare 2026: Parking charges vary by village and are not published centrally

SeasonYear-round. Summer is when the villages and the trains are most crowded, and the park now prices the Cinque Terre Card in three demand bands and reserves the right to cap trail access on high-attendance days. BookingNone, but village car parks fill early from June to September. Run byVillage comuni and private garages; ATC Esercizio for the La Spezia interchange shuttles.

Not confirmed

What we could not find out

7 things the researcher looked for and did not find, in their own words, with where to ask instead. None of this goes into the planner; it stays here until someone confirms it.

01
The brief said Corniglia has 382 steps. Sources disagree and none is definitive: Italian Wikipedia says 33 flights and 377 steps, English Wikipedia says 33 flights and 383, English Wikivoyage says 365 on one page and 385 on another. Only the 33 flights is consistent.
02
No published Trenitalia page for the Cinque Terre Express could be fetched; trenitalia.com returned 404 to every product URL tried. The frequency and the €8 and €2.70 fares here come from live queries against Trenitalia's own booking and departure-board APIs, not from a printed tariff. The €8 figure is what the booking engine quoted for 25 September 2026; confirm for your own date.
03
The park publishes the Cinque Terre Card demand-band calendar only as a linked graphic, so which specific dates fall into the green, yellow and red bands could not be captured. Check the calendar on the Trekking and Treno card pages before buying.
04
The Corniglia shuttle and the hill buses are free with a Cinque Terre Card, so ATC does not publish a cash single fare for them in the Cinque Terre pages. If you arrive without a card, ask the driver.
05
Parking prices in Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza and Monterosso are set village by village and none were found on an official site. Wikivoyage's note on the Riomaggiore garage hours (08:00 to 21:00) is the only concrete detail confirmed.
06
Trail status changes weekly. As of 10 September 2026 the Corniglia–Vernazza–Monterosso section of the Sentiero Verde Azzurro was closed for geological survey with no reopening date given. Always check parconazionale5terre.it before paying for a Trekking Card.
07
No source was found for an official summer crowd cap or visitor number. The evidence of crowding here is indirect: the three-band card pricing, the park's own note that access can be limited on high-attendance days, and Wikivoyage's warning that trains get very crowded in high season.

In the planner

What the planner can route today

The options above live on the place page, not in the departure board: a boat that comes when you phone has no time to show. What the board can do for Cinque Terre is this.

Y: Scheduled flightsPisa (PI) (PSA), 74 km
Y: Trains and coachesTransitous carries 72 timetable feeds for this country, 2 with real-time
Y: FerriesPortovenere, 5 km, Consorzio Marittimo Turistico Cinque Terre Golfo dei Poeti; sailings estimated
Y: Driving and taxiOpenStreetMap roads; cab fare from the country band
N: Bike and scooter share4 share feeds in Transitous, not surfaced yet
N: Cruisesno open itinerary source anywhere

Y routable now · F found, not yet implemented · N no source known.