Ferries to Corsica
Select Corsica to compare ferry routes to your destination
Ferries to Corsica
Corsica is a ferry island. Flights exist, but anyone with a car, bikes, a roof box or a family arrives by sea, from the south of France or from Italy, and in summer the sailings are frequent. From the UK that means a long drive first: the Channel, then France to Toulon or Nice, or through the Alps to Genoa or Livorno.
There are more than a dozen routes, so start with the map to pick your Corsican port, then compare. In short: the French crossings are longer and mostly overnight; the Italian ones are shorter and more frequent.
Map: ferry crossings to Corsica
The map is busy because so many routes serve the island. Click a port to see its routes and click through for each crossing. The long lines from France are overnight sailings; the short ones from Italy and Sardinia are day crossings.
About the crossings to Corsica from France, Italy and Sardinia
Ferries sail from southern France (Toulon, Nice and occasionally Marseille) and northern Italy (Genoa, Savona, Livorno and Piombino), and a short hop crosses from Sardinia. Corsica has five ferry ports: Bastia, Ajaccio, L’Île-Rousse, Porto-Vecchio and Propriano. Most routes are run by Corsica Ferries and Moby Lines, with Ichnusa Lines on the Sardinia link. Summer is busy, and the ferry is the normal way to bring a car, motorbike or bicycles.
Most used ferry routes to Corsica
The main crossings at a glance; every one is bookable through the module on this page or with the operator.
| Crossing/route | From | Operator? | Sailing time? | Sailings? | Night sailing? | From? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genoa to Bastia | Italy | Moby Lines | 10h | Up to 9×/week | Yes | £40 |
| Livorno to Bastia | Italy | Moby, Corsica Ferries | 4h 30m | Up to 3×/day | £30 | |
| Piombino to Bastia | Italy | Moby, Corsica Ferries | 3h | Up to 2×/week | £34 | |
| Savona to Ile Rousse | Italy | Corsica Ferries | 7h 45m | Up to 2×/week | Yes | £30 |
| Nice to Bastia | France | Corsica Ferries | 8h | Up to 3×/week | Yes | £77 |
| Nice to Ajaccio | France | Corsica Ferries | 6h 45m | Up to 3×/week | Yes | £120 |
| Toulon to Ajaccio | France | Corsica Ferries | 8h to 11.5h | Up to 14×/week | Yes | £43 |
| Toulon to Bastia | France | Corsica Ferries | 11h | Up to 7×/week | Yes | £80 |
| Toulon to Ile Rousse | France | Corsica Ferries | 8h to 9h | Up to 4×/week | Yes | £34 |
| Santa Teresa to Bonifacio | Sardinia | Moby, Ichnusa | 50 mins | Up to 4×/day | £32 | |
| Porto Torres to Ajaccio | Sardinia | Corsica Ferries | 3h 30m | Up to 4×/week | £50 |
Why take the ferry to Corsica
- You bring the car, which on an island of mountain roads and remote beaches is worth a lot.
- Overnight sailings save a hotel night and land you in the morning.
- Flights are expensive in season and awkward with luggage or gear.
Which Corsican port
Choose by where you are staying; the island is bigger and slower than it looks.
- Bastia (north-east): the busiest port, for Cap Corse and the north.
- Ajaccio (west coast): the capital, for the west and the centre.
- L’Île-Rousse (north-west): the quieter alternative to Bastia, for Calvi and the Balagne.
- Porto-Vecchio (south-east): for the southern beaches and Bonifacio.
- Propriano (south-west).
Ferry routes from France to Corsica
- From Toulon: to Ajaccio, Bastia and L’Île-Rousse (Corsica Ferries).
- From Nice: to Bastia, Ajaccio and L’Île-Rousse (Corsica Ferries).
- From Marseille: occasional seasonal sailings.
- Toulon to Ajaccio: Corsica Ferries’ most frequent French route, up to 14 sailings a week, and a good overnight into the capital.
- Nice to Bastia: the direct link from the Riviera, usually sailed overnight or as a long day crossing on the cruise ferries.
- Toulon to Bastia: several sailings a week from southern France to the north of the island, often as a night ferry.
Ferry routes from Italy to Corsica
- From Genoa: to Bastia (Moby Lines).
- From Livorno and Piombino: to Bastia (Moby, Corsica Ferries).
- From Savona: to L’Île-Rousse (Corsica Ferries).
- Genoa to Bastia: the long Italian crossing, about 10 hours overnight with Moby, popular with drivers coming over the Alps.
- Livorno to Bastia: fast and frequent, with Moby and Corsica Ferries, the natural choice from Tuscany and for short stays.
Ferry from Sardinia to Corsica
Island-hopping? Santa Teresa Gallura to Bonifacio takes about 50 minutes across the Strait of Bonifacio, with the white cliffs ahead of you for the second half; it works as a day trip or as the link between the two islands. The longer alternative is Porto Torres to Ajaccio. Our own Corsican boat trip is from the other side of the strait: the excursion to the Lavezzi islands from Bonifacio. Staying on Sardinia too? Every route, port and price is in our guide to the ferry to Sardinia.
On board, ferry maps and crossings
Prices and availability
Select Corsica below for live fares and sailing times on every route to the island, from France, Italy and Sardinia.
All crossings and ferry routes to Corsica
Tips for Corsica by ferry
- Book early: fares climb fast for July and August, and car space goes first.
- Pick the port near your accommodation: Bastia to Porto-Vecchio is three hours of bends.
- Take the night boat when you can; it saves a day and a hotel.
- Allow time on the roads: Corsican roads are narrow and slow, and that is half the pleasure. Arriving at one port and leaving from another is a good way to see the island without doubling back.
Useful for travellers to France
Tips for ferry travellers
This map is quite a maze, can you tell me more about which route tourists most regularly or most often take to Corsica from mainland Europe?
To answer your question: It doesn’t really matter that much which ferry you take for this connection.
The most used one is probably Nice – Ile Rousse, but they are all quite similar. If you take the ferry from Toulon for instance it’s much easier to park your car. (EUR 12 for one day) So for different reasons you can make a decision here!
Good luck with your trip!