Airport to city centre 2026: 100 European cities

The first ticket of a trip is the one from the airport to the centre, and it is often the one people get wrong. You buy it in a hurry, tired, at a machine in another language, and the gap between city transport and the express train can be large: in Stockholm the commuter train costs an SL ticket plus a SEK 157 station fee, the Arlanda Express SEK 340.

All 100 cities in our dossiers are here. For each one the table gives the airport and its distance, the cheapest and the fastest way with price and time, and the thing to watch out for. Every row was checked between 9 and 21 October 2026 against the airport's page, the operator's page or the official timetable, and the Source column takes you there.

The table: 100 cities, A to Z

The distance is the one the airport or the operator states; where they do not state one, it is the straight line from the airport to the main square. When the cheapest way is also the fastest, or when the sources give only one link, the column says "Same": that is the case in 70 cities out of 100. About twenty cities have no airport of their own, and the row starts from the reference airport. In 24 rows the price of the cheapest way is not published on a page that can be read, as for Belgian trains from Brussels Airport, ALSA buses in Granada and Nerja or KTEL buses in Chania: the cell says so instead of quoting a figure taken from elsewhere. The city name takes you to the dossier with all the notes on getting around.

City	Airport (code, distance)	Cheapest way: price, time	Fastest way: price, time	What to watch out for	Source
Alberobello	None: Bari (BRI, about 56 km as the crow flies)	Ferrotramviaria train to Bari Centrale, €5.30, about 30 min, then Ferrovie del Sud Est, €6.30, about 1 h 50 min	Same	The two tickets are bought separately, the airport one includes a €4 surcharge, and some FSE services need a change and take up to three hours; the airport's fixed taxi fares only cover Bari	ferrotramviaria.it · ferrotramviaria.it · bari.airports.aeroportidipuglia.it · lefrecce.it
Alghero	Alghero-Fertilia (AHO), about 10 km from the centre according to the airport	ARST urban bus line 3, €1, about 25 min, roughly hourly (more frequent in summer)	Same	The bus stops are about 150 metres from the arrivals exit; otherwise there is the taxi	app.arstspa.it · aeroportodialghero.it
Hamburg	Hamburg Helmut Schmidt (HAM), about 9.5 km from Rathausmarkt as the crow flies	S1 S-Bahn, €4.10 (Hamburg AB), 7% off in the app, about 25 min, every 10 min	Same	The station is directly in Terminal 2, reached from the arrivals of both terminals; on Hamburg buses you cannot pay cash, you need the hvv prepaid card or the app	hvv.de · hamburg-airport.de
Amsterdam	Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS), about 11.5 km from Dam Square as the crow flies	NS train to Amsterdam Centraal, 14-17 min, eight an hour, contactless at the yellow readers	Same	A disposable single ticket costs €1.60 on top of the fare, and anyone staying in the city can take the Amsterdam Travel Ticket (€20 for a day), which also covers bus 397 to the airport	schiphol.nl · ns.nl
Antwerp	None: Brussels Airport (BRU, about 36 km from the Grote Markt as the crow flies)	SNCB train, about 30 min	Same	A €6.90 airport supplement is added to the fare, usually already included, and the total price only shows in the SNCB journey planner	belgiantrain.be · brusselsairport.be
Athens	Athens Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH), about 20 km from Syntagma as the crow flies	X95 express bus, €5.50, about 60 min depending on traffic, 24 hours a day	Metro line 3, €9, €16 return, one train every 36 min	The 24-hour and 5-day tickets do not cover the airport, while the 3-day tourist ticket (€20) includes one trip each way; with a contactless card you pay straight at the validator, and you must tap the same card in and out	oasa.gr · oasa.gr · oasa.gr
Barcelona	Barcelona El Prat (BCN), about 12 km from Plaça de Catalunya as the crow flies	TMB bus 46, €2.90 (single ticket)	Aerobús A1 (T1) and A2 (T2), €7.75, €13.30 return, 30-40 min according to TMB, 24 hours a day	At the airport metro stations neither the single ticket nor the T-casual is valid, you need the €5.90 Airport ticket (or the Hola Barcelona card), and anyone arriving with the wrong ticket has to buy one there to get out; the R2 Nord train leaves only from Terminal 2 (free shuttle from T1) and the only official taxi is black and yellow	aerobusbarcelona.es · tmb.cat · aena.es · aena.es
Belgrade	Belgrade Nikola Tesla (BEG), about 12 km from Republic Square as the crow flies	GSP bus 72, free, roughly every 25 min, 4:50 am-midnight	Same	For a taxi, take a fixed-price zone voucher from the electronic kiosks in arrivals	gsp.rs · bgprevoz.rs
Bergen	Bergen Flesland (BGO), 16 km from the centre according to Avinor	Bybanen light rail line 1, Skyss ticket in the app, by SMS or at the machine	Flybussen, about 20 min to the bus station	On Flybussen up to four under-17s travel free with a paying adult, and in a taxi the driver must state the fixed price before setting off (about 18 minutes to the centre)	avinor.no · avinor.no
Berlin	Berlin Brandenburg (BER), about 18 km from the Brandenburg Gate as the crow flies	FEX or RE20 train, €5 (ABC ticket), about 23 min; 4 trains an hour, 4:00-1:00	Same	You need the €5 ABC ticket, because the airport is in zone C and the €4 AB ticket is not enough; the station is below Terminal 1, on level U2	ber.berlin-airport.de · sbahn.berlin
Bilbao	Bilbao (BIO), at Loiu, about 4.5 km from Plaza Moyúa as the crow flies, over the hill	Bizkaibus A3247, €5 (occasional ticket), every 15 min, 6:10-23:40	Same	The occasional ticket can be paid by card at the Bizkaibus kiosk in arrivals, where you can also top up a Barik card; a taxi costs about €27 into the city on weekdays and €30 on holidays according to Aena	bizkaia.eus · aena.es · aena.es
Bologna	Bologna Guglielmo Marconi (BLQ), about 6 km from Piazza Maggiore as the crow flies	Marconi Express monorail, €12.80; €8.20 online, 7 min, every 7-15 min, 5:40-24:00	Same	The ticket costs €12.80 at the station or by card at the gates, but €8.20 bought online (€15 instead of €23.30 return); on some days the monorail is suspended and replacement buses run	marconiexpress.it · marconiexpress.it · marconiexpress.it
Bordeaux	Bordeaux-Mérignac (BOD), about 11 km from Place de la Comédie as the crow flies	Tram F, €1.90, 35 min to Hôtel de Ville, 45 to Saint-Jean; every 10 min	30'Direct shuttle, €8, 30 min	Tram tickets are sold at the machines next to the bus stop in front of Hall B or in the TBM app; a taxi to the centre costs about €35 by day and €45 at night according to the airport	bordeaux.aeroport.fr · bordeaux.aeroport.fr · bordeaux.aeroport.fr
Brașov	Brașov-Ghimbav (GHV), about 9 km from Piața Sfatului as the crow flies	RATBV A1 express bus to the station, timetable tied to flights (current fare unclear)	Same	Departures are few and follow the flight schedule, so check the RATBV timetable before landing	ratbv.ro
Bratislava	Bratislava M. R. Štefánik (BTS), about 8 km from Hlavné námestie as the crow flies	Bus 61, IDS BK time ticket	Slovak Lines direct bus, from €1.90 online, about 15 min, up to 14 services a day	The 61 stop is in front of arrivals; at night there is line N61	bts.aero · bts.aero
Wrocław	Wrocław Copernicus (WRO), about 10 km from the centre according to the airport	Bus 106, MPK ticket, 40-50 min, every 15 min	Same	On board you can only pay by card, and the ticket must be validated on boarding	airport.wroclaw.pl
Bruges	None: Brussels Airport (BRU, about 95 km as the crow flies)	SNCB train, about 1 h 25 min	Same	A €6.90 airport supplement is added to the fare, usually already included; the total price only shows in the SNCB journey planner	belgiantrain.be · brusselsairport.be
Brussels	Brussels Airport (BRU), at Zaventem, about 11 km from the Grand-Place as the crow flies	STIB bus 12 (Airport Line), €7.90 contactless, €8.40 on paper	SNCB train, 18 min, six an hour (price with supplement only in the SNCB planner)	From the airport into the city no other STIB ticket is valid on bus 12, not even the Brupass XL or the day pass	brusselsairport.be · belgiantrain.be · stib-mivb.be
Bucharest	Bucharest Henri Coandă (OTP), about 15 km from Piața Universității as the crow flies	CFR train, 6.50 lei (second class), 25 min, every 40-80 min	Same	Gara de Nord is not in the old town, so you continue by metro	bilete.cfrcalatori.ro
Budapest	Budapest Liszt Ferenc (BUD), about 16 km from the centre as the crow flies	Bus 200E to Kőbánya-Kispest, then metro M3, 850 forints (90-minute ticket)	Direct 100E bus, 2,500 forints, about 40 min, 24 hours a day	The 500-forint single ticket does not cover the change from 200E to the metro, and neither ordinary tickets nor passes are valid on the 100E (pass holders pay a 1,000-forint add-on); the official taxi is Főtaxi, on a regulated tariff (2,100 forints base plus 520 per km and 130 per minute) with the price worked out before you leave	bkk.hu · bkk.hu · bkk.hu · bud.hu · bud.hu
Cagliari	Cagliari Elmas (CAG), about 6 km from Piazza Yenne as the crow flies	Regional train, €1.30, about 4 min	Same	The train ticket is not valid on CTM buses, which have their own 90-minute ticket	lefrecce.it
Catania	Catania Fontanarossa (CTA), about 4 km from Piazza Duomo as the crow flies	Regional train, €2.20, about 8 min	Same	The Alibus ticket is sold at the airport machines or in the AMTS app	lefrecce.it · amts.ct.it · amts.ct.it
Chania	Chania Daskalogiannis (CHQ), about 12 km from the town as the crow flies	KTEL bus to the bus station, roughly every 30 min, 5:00-22:00 (fare not published)	Same	The stop is in front of departures, on the east side of the terminal, and KTEL does not publish the fare on a readable page, so we do not quote it here	e-ktel.com · chq-airport.gr
Cinque Terre	None: Pisa (PSA, about 70 km from Riomaggiore as the crow flies)	PisaMover plus regional train, €15.40 (single Trenitalia ticket), about 1 h 30 min	Same	From 14 March to 1 November 2026 the Cinque Terre Express fare applies on the La Spezia-Levanto stretch whichever village you go to, so the Cinque Terre Card pays off if you take several trains the same day	lefrecce.it
Copenhagen	Copenhagen Kastrup (CPH), about 7 km from Rådhuspladsen as the crow flies	Metro M2, DKK 30 (3 zones), about 15 min, every 4-6 min	Same	Metro ticket machines take no banknotes, only coins and cards	cph.dk · m.dk
Córdoba	None: Seville (SVQ, about 111 km from the Mezquita as the crow flies)	Tussam EA bus into Seville, €6, then a Renfe train to Córdoba (variable price, only on renfe.com)	Same	The EA ticket does not allow a change to other Tussam lines, so reaching the station takes a second ticket or a taxi on the flat city fare (€26 on weekdays by day, €29 at other times)	aena.es · aena.es · renfe.com
Kraków	Kraków Balice (KRK), about 12 km by rail from the centre	Bus 209 or 300 (902 at night), 6 zł	Koleje Małopolskie train, 20 zł, about 17 min, usually every 30 min	The train ticket office closes at 19:45, after that you buy on board or in an app; the only official taxi is Krakow Airport Taxi, at fixed prices by distance band (89 zł for 8 to 11.9 km, 109 zł for 12 to 14.9 km) for a single destination	krakowairport.pl · krakowairport.pl · krakowairport.pl · kolejemalopolskie.com.pl
Gdańsk	Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa (GDN), about 12 km from Długi Targ as the crow flies	Bus 210, 4.80 zł (single ride), about 40 min	Train changing at Gdańsk Wrzeszcz: the airport publishes neither price nor time	The bus stops are opposite the terminal next to car park P1, and the ZTM ticket is not valid on trains	airport.gdansk.pl · airport.gdansk.pl
Dublin	Dublin (DUB), about 9 km from O'Connell Bridge as the crow flies	Dublin Bus 16 or 41, €2 with Leap Card, €2.60 in coins	Dublin Express coach, from €9 online, from 14 min	On Dublin Bus you can only pay in coins, no notes and no cards, so get a Leap Card or the €2.60 Travel 90 sold in the shop by the Transport Zones; a taxi to the centre runs on the meter, €30-45 according to the airport	dublinbus.ie · transportforireland.ie · dublinexpress.ie · dublinairport.com
Dubrovnik	Dubrovnik Ruđer Bošković (DBV), 22.5 km from Dubrovnik according to the airport	Libertas buses 11, 27 and 38, daily	Official Platanus shuttle, shortly after each landing	By car it takes 30-35 minutes on average, but in summer allow up to an hour	dbv.hr
Edinburgh	Edinburgh (EDI), about 10.5 km from Waverley as the crow flies	Airlink 100 bus, £6, £8.50 return, about 30 min, 24 hours a day	Tram, £7.90, also about 30 min, every 7 min by day, last at 22:52	Ordinary Lothian tickets are not valid on Airlink, the standard contactless daily cap excludes the airport tram, and the tram ticket must be bought before boarding (one from a machine must be used within 30 minutes); the only official taxi is Capital Cars, metered at council rates, about 20 minutes to the centre	lothianbuses.com · edinburghairport.com · edinburghairport.com · edinburghairport.com
Florence	Florence Amerigo Vespucci (FLR), about 6 km from the Duomo as the crow flies	T2 tram, €2 (90 minutes)	Same	The ticket is validated on boarding; taxis from the airport have a set fare to hotels and city addresses, €28 on weekdays according to the City's table in force since 1 May 2024, plus €1.20 per bag	files.at-bus.it · mobilita.comune.fi.it · servizi.comune.fi.it
Funchal, Madeira	Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo (FNC), about 14 km from Funchal Cathedral as the crow flies	Aerobus, €6.70 (children €3.30), about 24 min to Avenida do Mar, 50 to Praia Formosa	Same	On Sundays and holidays there are fewer runs and there is no service on 25 December	siga.madeira.gov.pt
Ghent	None: Brussels Airport (BRU, about 56 km as the crow flies)	SNCB train, about 55 min	Same	A €6.90 airport supplement is added to the fare, usually already included; the total price only shows in the SNCB journey planner	belgiantrain.be · brusselsairport.be
Genoa	Genoa Cristoforo Colombo (GOA), about 7 km from Piazza De Ferrari as the crow flies	AMT Volabus, €10 (24-hour MetDaily), about 30 min	Same	There is no single ticket on the Volabus, you need the €10 MetDaily, valid 24 hours across the whole AMT network including buses, metro, funiculars and Navebus; you can also pay on board by contactless card	amt.genova.it · amt.genova.it
Granada	Granada-Jaén Federico García Lorca (GRX), 17 km from the centre according to Aena	ALSA line 245 bus, about 45 min (price only when booking)	Same	The last bus leaves about 30 minutes after the last scheduled flight lands, and taxis to Granada charge the intercity fare	aena.es · aena.es · alsa.com
Helsinki	Helsinki-Vantaa (HEL), about 17 km from Senate Square as the crow flies	I / P train, €4.80 (ABC ticket, contactless), about 27 min (I) or 32 min (P)	Same	The airport is in zone C, so an AB ticket for the centre is not enough; the ABC day ticket costs €12.80	hsl.fi
Hydra	None: Athens (ATH, about 78 km from Hydra port as the crow flies)	X96 express bus to Piraeus, €5.50, around the clock, then Hellenic Seaways catamaran from 1 h 30 min (price only when booking)	Same	In rough seas sailings to Hydra are cancelled, and Hellenic Seaways posts the changes on its website; there are no vehicles on the island	oasa.gr · oasa.gr · hellenicseaways.gr
Innsbruck	Innsbruck (INN), about 4 km from the Golden Roof as the crow flies	IVB bus F, €3.30 (45 min on paper, 90 online), about 20 min	Same	The paper ticket is valid for 45 minutes from validation on board, the one bought in the online shop for 90 minutes but it must be activated before boarding	innsbruck-airport.com
Istanbul	Istanbul (IST), about 36 km from Sultanahmet as the crow flies	M11 metro towards Gayrettepe or Havaist buses (11 routes); lira fares updated often	The sources do not compare them	Lira fares change often with inflation, so check them at the machines or on the Havaist website; from Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), on the Asian side, there is the M4 metro	istairport.com
Kotor	Tivat (TIV), 8 km from Kotor according to the airport	Car or taxi, about 12 min (8 km)	Same	The other airport, Podgorica, is about an hour and a half away by car	montenegroairports.com
Ksamil	None: Corfu (CFU), about 20 km as the crow flies but across the sea; Tirana (TIA), about 185 km	From Tirana: bus to the North-South terminal, 300 lek, 20-30 min, then a 5-6 hour bus to Saranda	From Corfu: taxi to the port, hydrofoil to Saranda (25-30 min), then bus or taxi, 20-25 min	Cars rented on Corfu cannot be shipped to Albania, and the 400-lek Tirana airport bus goes to the centre (behind the Opera), not to the terminal for buses south	tirana-airport.com
Valletta	Malta International Airport (MLA), about 6 km from the Triton Fountain as the crow flies	Airport Direct TD4, €3, every 30 min	Same	The bus leaves from the bus terminal signposted at the arrivals exit and no booking is needed	publictransport.com.mt
Lagos	None: Faro (FAO, about 63 km as the crow flies)	CP regional train, €8.30, about 1 h 30 to 1 h 40, roughly every 2 hours	Same	Direct trains leave roughly every two hours, so check the CP timetable before landing; Lagos station is beyond the marina, a quarter of an hour on foot from the centre	cp.pt
Lanzarote	Lanzarote César Manrique (ACE), about 6 km from Arrecife as the crow flies	Bus line 22 (weekdays) or 23 (weekends, via Playa Honda), 10-15 min; line 22 every 40-50 min, line 23 hourly	Taxi, meter plus a €2.10 airport supplement	Taxis run on the meter with a €2.10 airport supplement and a higher tariff at night, on Sundays and holidays	aena.es · aena.es
Lecce	Brindisi (BDS), about 39 km from Piazza Sant'Oronzo as the crow flies	STP bus to Brindisi station, €1.10, 10-15 min, then Trenitalia regional, €3.50, about 30 min	Same	The bus ticket is sold at the airport by Bar Gelateria Sandrino, and between Brindisi station and Lecce some options offered by the ticketing system use FSE buses and take over two hours: pick the direct regional train	stpbrindisi.it · trenitalia.com · lefrecce.it
Lyon	Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS), about 20 km from Place Bellecour as the crow flies	Rhônexpress tram, €17.40 at the machines, €16.30 online, 30 min, every 15 min, 4:25-00:00	Same	It costs €17.40 at the machines and €16.30 online (€30.30 and €28.50 return), some machines are out of order and Rhônexpress advises buying online	rhonexpress.fr · rhonexpress.fr
Lisbon	Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS), about 7.5 km from Rossio as the crow flies	Red metro line, €1.90 plus €0.50 navegante card; €1.92 with a bank card, about 20 min	Taxi, €10-15 to the centre, luggage included	Carris city buses only take luggage up to 50x40x20 cm, and taxis and ride-hailing cars are taken at the rank or through the app, never from someone approaching you in the terminal; in a taxi check the meter is on and ask for a receipt	lisbonairport.pt
London	London Heathrow (LHR), about 23 km from Trafalgar Square as the crow flies	Piccadilly line Tube, £5.90 peak, £4 off-peak (contactless or Oyster), about 50 min	Heathrow Express, 15 min to Paddington, every 15 min, from £10 only 30 days ahead	The Heathrow Express is outside daily caps and Travelcards, and all Heathrow stations are in zone 6, so the cap that applies is the zones 1-6 one (£16.30)	london.gov.uk · tfl.gov.uk · heathrow.com · heathrow.com
Ljubljana	Ljubljana Jože Pučnik (LJU), about 19 km from Prešernov trg as the crow flies	IJPP bus, about 30 min, 1-2 departures an hour	Same	Nomago Intercity runs can only be boarded with a ticket bought in advance; the first morning run takes almost an hour	ap-ljubljana.si
Madrid	Madrid-Barajas (MAD), about 14 km from Puerta del Sol as the crow flies	Cercanías C1 train, €1.70 (1-2 zones)	Exprés Aeropuerto bus to Atocha, €5, 30-40 min, around the clock	On the metro the airport stations charge a €3 supplement on top of the ticket, which the tourist pass includes, but the tourist pass is not valid on the Exprés; on Cercanías you validate on the way out too	crtm.es · emtmadrid.es · aena.es · madrid.es
Málaga	Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP), about 8 km from Plaza de la Constitución as the crow flies	Cercanías C1 train, €1.80 (1-2 zones), 12 min (8 to María Zambrano)	Same	On Cercanías you validate on the way out too, otherwise you are charged the maximum fare for all zones; taxis run on the meter with a minimum fare from the airport	aena.es · aena.es · renfe.com · aena.es
Matera	None: Bari (BRI, about 80 km as the crow flies)	Ferrotramviaria train to Bari Centrale, €5.30, about 30 min, then Ferrovie Appulo Lucane, €6.20	Same	The airport train ticket includes a €4 surcharge, and FAL trains leave from their own station next to Bari Centrale, on a separate ticket	ferrotramviaria.it · ferrotramviaria.it · ferrovieappulolucane.it · bari.airports.aeroportidipuglia.it
Menorca	Menorca (MAH), about 5 km from Maó as the crow flies	Bus line 10, €2.80, every 30 min by day, hourly early and late	Same	Anyone heading to Ciutadella or the coastal resorts has to change in Maó, and with reduced winter frequencies it pays to check the timetable before landing	aena.es
Milan	Linate (LIN), about 7 km from the Duomo as the crow flies; Malpensa (MXP), about 41 km	Linate: M4 metro, €2.20, 12 min to San Babila	Malpensa: Malpensa Express, €15, about 37 min to Cadorna, 51 to Centrale	The Malpensa Express ticket is only valid on Malpensa Express trains, not on ATM transport; at San Babila, to change from M4 to M1, you exit the gates and tap in again on the same ticket; M4 closes around 00:30 and the NM4 night bus replaces it	atm.it · malpensaexpress.it · malpensaexpress.it
Munich	Munich Franz Josef Strauss (MUC), about 28 km from Marienplatz as the crow flies	S-Bahn S1 / S8, €15.10 single M-5; €17.50 Airport-City-Day-Ticket, about 35 min, every 10 min	Same	The airport is in zone 5, so a zone M ticket alone is not enough	mvv-muenchen.de · mvv-muenchen.de
Mostar	None: Sarajevo (SJJ), about 69 km as the crow flies, or Split and Dubrovnik	Centrotrans bus to Baščaršija, 5 KM, then train or bus to Mostar	Same	There are no direct links from the airports, you reach the city first; in Sarajevo the Centrotrans bus from the airport to Baščaršija costs 5 KM	sarajevo-airport.ba
Naples	Naples Capodichino (NAP), about 6 km from Piazza del Plebiscito as the crow flies	ANM Alibus, €5, about 15 min to the station, 35 to Beverello	Shared taxi on the same route, €6 per person	The Alibus is not covered by the TIC city network ticket; you buy the ticket on board, at the machines in arrivals or by contactless card	anm.it · comune.napoli.it
Naxos	Naxos (JNX), about 3 km from the Portara as the crow flies	Taxi to Chora: KTEL lists no airport line	Same	Arrivals by ferry land at the Chora port instead, where all KTEL buses also leave from	naxosbuses.com
Nerja	None: Málaga (AGP, about 56 km as the crow flies)	Direct ALSA Nerja-Airport bus, from level 0 at arrivals (price only when booking)	Same	The ALSA bus includes one suitcase up to 20 kg only, each extra bag costs from €5 per trip	aena.es · aena.es · renfe.com · alsa.com
Nice	Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE), about 6 km from Place Masséna as the crow flies	Tram 2, €10 return (AERO), under 30 min, every 7-8 min on weekdays	Same	No tickets are sold on board; the Lignes d'Azur rechargeable card (€2 refundable deposit) is not sold at the terminal machines; the tram between Terminal 2, Terminal 1 and Grand Arénas is free	nice.aeroport.fr
Oslo	Oslo Gardermoen (OSL), about 37 km from the Storting as the crow flies	Vy regional or local train on a Ruter zone ticket	Flytoget, NOK 276, 19 min, every 10 min	The Flytoget ticket is not valid on other lines, and the Ruter ticket must cover every zone up to the airport	flytoget.no · flytoget.no · avinor.no · ruter.no
Ostuni	Brindisi (BDS), about 32 km as the crow flies	STP bus to Brindisi station, €1.10, 10-15 min, then Trenitalia regional, €3.50, about 20 min	Same	The bus ticket is sold at the airport by Bar Gelateria Sandrino, Ostuni station is outside the town, and some options offered by the ticketing system go via FSE buses and take over two hours: pick the direct regional train	stpbrindisi.it · trenitalia.com · lefrecce.it
Palermo	Palermo Falcone Borsellino (PMO), about 24 km from the Quattro Canti as the crow flies	Prestia e Comandè shuttle, €6; €6.50 on board; €10 return, about 50 min, every 30 min	Train, €6.80, about 35 min to Notarbartolo, 55 to Centrale	Some train services involve a change and take over an hour	prestiaecomande.it · lefrecce.it
Paris	Charles de Gaulle (CDG), about 24 km from Notre-Dame as the crow flies; Orly (ORY), about 14 km	CDG: RATP buses 350 and 351, €2.05, 60-90 min	CDG: RER B, €14, 25-30 min, every 6-15 min	Roissybus has not run since 1 March 2026 (line 9517 from Saint-Denis-Pleyel replaces it); the airport ticket cannot be stored on the same pass or phone as other tickets; taxis have fixed fares, from CDG €56 to the Right Bank and €65 to the Left Bank, from Orly €45 and €36	iledefrance-mobilites.fr · iledefrance-mobilites.fr · parisaeroport.fr · parisaeroport.fr
Plovdiv	Sofia (SOF), about 125 km as the crow flies; Plovdiv also has its own small airport (PDV)	M4 and M2 metro to Sofia central station, then BDŽ train, €5.62, 2 h 40 to 3 h	Same	Plovdiv also has its own airport (PDV), worth checking if your flight lands there	sofia-airport.eu
Polignano a Mare	Bari (BRI), about 42 km as the crow flies	Ferrotramviaria train to Bari Centrale, €5.30, about 30 min, then Trenitalia regional, €3.10, about 30 min	Same	The airport train ticket is always a single and includes a €4 surcharge, and the two legs are paid separately; the airport's fixed taxi fares only go as far as Bari (€25 to the main station)	ferrotramviaria.it · ferrotramviaria.it · bari.airports.aeroportidipuglia.it · lefrecce.it
Porto	Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro (OPO), about 13 km from Avenida dos Aliados as the crow flies	Metro line E (violet), €2.30 (Z4) + €0.60 Andante card, 27 min	Same	You need the rechargeable Andante Azul card, which costs €0.60 the first time; the Z4 ticket is valid 1 hour 15 minutes including changes	metrodoporto.pt · metrodoporto.pt
Prague	Prague Václav Havel (PRG), about 20 km from the centre	Trolleybus 59 to Nádraží Veleslavín, then metro A, 46 CZK in the app, 50 CZK on paper (90-minute ticket), about 35 min	Same	The only official taxi is Uber Airport, the airport puts the ride to the centre at about 800 CZK and warns against people offering rides outside the terminals; bags over 25x45x70 cm need a 20 CZK ticket	pid.cz · prg.aero
Reykjavík	Keflavík (KEF), about 50 km from Reykjavík according to the airport	Strætó route bus 55, via Hafnarfjörður	Flybus, about 45 min to BSÍ terminal, 40 min after each landing	The airport advises booking the Flybus in advance, and the Flybus ends at the BSÍ terminal, not in the centre, apart from its listed hotel stops	kefairport.com · kefairport.com
Riga	Riga (RIX), about 8 km from Doma laukums as the crow flies	Bus 22, €1.50 (90 minutes); €1.81 from the driver, card only, about 40 min	Same	A taxi takes about 20 minutes on average, half the bus time	riga-airport.com · riga-airport.com
Rhodes	Rhodes Diagoras (RHO), about 13 km from the Old Town as the crow flies	RODA city bus to Rhodes town (fare not published)	Same	The airport refers to the RODA timetables, which change with the season, and publishes no fare	rho-airport.gr · rhodes.gr
Rome	Rome Fiumicino (FCO), about 23 km from Piazza Venezia as the crow flies	FL1 regional train, €8, 48 min to Tiburtina; every 15 min on weekdays, 30 on holidays	Leonardo Express (non-stop), €14, 32 min, every 15 min, 5:38-23:27	The ticket is validated at the gates before boarding, and anyone riding the Leonardo Express on the €8 regional ticket pays €6 difference plus an €8 surcharge; BIRG and BTR tickets are not valid for Fiumicino	adr.it · adr.it · trenitalia.com · trenitalia.com · trenitalia.com
Salzburg	Salzburg W. A. Mozart (SZG), about 3.5 km from Mozartplatz as the crow flies	Bus 10 (Mon-Sat), €2.60 (one-hour ticket), about 15 min, every 15 min	Same	The ticket is not sold on board, you buy it at the machine at the stop or online	salzburg-airport.com
Thessaloniki	Thessaloniki Macedonia (SKG), about 13 km from Aristotelous Square as the crow flies	OASTH bus 01X / 01N, €2 (70 minutes)	Same	The €0.60 city ticket and the €2.50 day ticket are not valid on the airport lines	oseth.com.gr
San Sebastián	Hondarribia (EAS), about 16 km as the crow flies, few flights; Bilbao (BIO), about 76 km	From Bilbao: Lurraldebus DO04, about hourly, much cheaper with the Mugi card	Same	With a Mugi card the Bilbao airport bus costs much less than without, and a taxi from Bilbao airport to San Sebastián costs about €185 on weekdays according to Aena	aena.es · aena.es · aena.es · mugi.eus
Santorini	Santorini (JTR), about 5 km from Fira as the crow flies	KTEL bus (Fira-Kamari-Monolithos-Airport line), €2.20; €2.80 from 00:30 to 5:00	Same	Summer buses are crowded, and taxis on the island are few: book one ahead	ktel-santorini.gr
Sarajevo	Sarajevo (SJJ), about 9 km from the Sebilj as the crow flies	Centrotrans bus, 5 KM, roughly hourly, 7:30 am-11:30 pm	Same	The timetable is adjusted from time to time, so check it on the airport website before you travel	sarajevo-airport.ba
Syracuse	None: Catania (CTA, about 50 km from Piazza Duomo in Ortigia as the crow flies)	Regional train, €8.80-9.70, about 1 h 20 to 1 h 45	Same	Some train services involve a change or run as a replacement bus, so check the option before buying	lefrecce.it
Seville	Seville San Pablo (SVQ), about 9 km from the cathedral as the crow flies	Tussam EA bus, €6, €8 return	Taxi, €26 weekdays 7:00-21:00, €29 at other times	Taxis have a flat fare for the whole city and charge €0.57 for each suitcase over 10 kg	aena.es · aena.es
Sofia	Sofia Vasil Levski (SOF), about 7 km from Alexander Nevsky Cathedral as the crow flies	M4 metro, €0.80, about 20 min	Same	If you arrive at Terminal 1, first take the shuttle bus to Terminal 2	sofia-airport.eu
Split	Split (SPU), about 12 km from the Peristyle as the crow flies	Promet bus 37, €3, about 50 min, every 20-30 min	Same	In the other direction the same line reaches Trogir in 10 minutes for €2.50	promet-split.hr
Stockholm	Stockholm Arlanda (ARN), about 37 km from Gamla stan as the crow flies	SL commuter train, SL ticket plus SEK 157 station fee	Arlanda Express, SEK 340 (SEK 199 at least 5 days ahead), 18 min, every 15 min	Anyone boarding or leaving at Arlanda Central pays a SEK 157 station fee at the gates unless it is already in the ticket; on the Arlanda Express children travel free with an adult and each extra travel companion pays SEK 120	swedavia.com · arlandaexpress.com
Strasbourg	Strasbourg-Entzheim (SXB), about 10 km from the cathedral as the crow flies	TER shuttle train, €3.20 train only; from €1.90 with the CTS app; €4.60 for 24 hours, 8 min, up to 5 an hour	Same	The train-only ticket is sold on the platforms, the combined one at the CTS machine in the terminal	strasbourg.aeroport.fr
Tallinn	Tallinn Lennart Meri (TLL), about 6 km from Raekoja plats as the crow flies	Tram T2, €2 (1 hour)	Same	Because of works on the new tram line, the long-distance bus stops at the airport have moved, so follow the signs	airport.ee
Taormina	None: Catania (CTA, about 47 km as the crow flies)	Regional train, €6.50, about 1 h on direct services	Same	Some options offered by the ticketing system involve a change and take up to an hour and a half; the station is down on the coast, not in town	lefrecce.it
Tenerife	Two: Tenerife South (TFS), about 14 km from Los Cristianos as the crow flies; Tenerife North (TFN), about 10 km from Santa Cruz	South: TITSA 40, €3.70, about 40 min; North: TITSA 20, €2.65, 20 min	Same	Saturday and holiday timetables differ, and anyone staying several days saves with the ten+ card and the 1 or 7-day passes; line 343 links the two airports in 50 minutes	titsa.com · titsa.com · aena.es
Tirana	Tirana Mother Teresa (TIA), about 12 km from Skanderbeg Square as the crow flies	LU-NA bus, 400 lek (€4.50), 30-40 min, hourly, around the clock	Same	The bus to the North-South terminal (300 lek, 8 am-6 pm) ends elsewhere: it is for buses to the rest of the country	tirana-airport.com
Toledo	None: Madrid-Barajas (MAD, about 81 km as the crow flies)	Exprés Aeropuerto bus to Atocha, €5, 30-40 min, then Avant train, about 30 min (variable price)	Same	The Madrid tourist pass is not valid on the Exprés, and the cheapest Avant tickets go to those who book ahead	emtmadrid.es · crtm.es · renfe.com
Turin	Turin Caselle (TRN), about 15 km from Piazza Castello as the crow flies	Train, €3.80, about 30 min, roughly every 30 min	Same	Trains run roughly every half hour, so check the timetable before leaving arrivals	lefrecce.it
Trieste	Trieste (TRS), at Ronchi dei Legionari, about 30 km from Piazza Unità d'Italia as the crow flies	Trenitalia regional train, €4.75, about 30 min	Same	Buses leave from the bus station of the intermodal hub, reached by a footbridge, no longer from the arrivals area; the ticket must be bought before boarding, and the Trieste urban day ticket is not valid on extra-urban buses	tplfvg.it · lefrecce.it
Tromsø	Tromsø (TOS), about 4 km from the cathedral as the crow flies	Svipper city buses 40 and 42	Same	City bus tickets are bought in the Troms Mobillett app or at the machine at the stop, because you cannot pay cash on board	avinor.no · avinor.no
Valencia	Valencia (VLC), about 9 km from Plaza del Ayuntamiento as the crow flies	Metro lines 3 and 5, €4.80 (AB+ ticket), every 15 min on weekdays, about 20 at weekends	Same	The airport is a fare zone of its own, the "+", so the single ticket to the centre is the €4.80 AB+ one, not the €1.50 zone A ticket; tourist passes also cover the airport only in the T+ version	aena.es · metrovalencia.es
Warsaw	Warsaw Chopin (WAW), about 10 km from the Old Town Square as the crow flies	SKM S2, S3 or KM RL trains; bus 175 (N32 at night), 4.40 zł (75-minute zone 1 ticket)	Same	City buses leave from the Lotnisko Chopina, Przyloty 02 stop on the lower level, not from the departures floor; tickets are sold at machines or in apps and must be validated	wtp.waw.pl · wtp.waw.pl
Venice	Venice Marco Polo (VCE), about 8 km from St Mark's Square as the crow flies	ACTV Aerobus line 5 or ATVO express bus, €10 ACTV (75-minute ticket), €18 return, about 20 min according to ATVO	Same; the Alilaguna boat costs €18	ACTV 1, 2, 3 and 7-day passes do not cover the airport buses unless you buy the €7 supplement (€13 return) at the same time	actv.avmspa.it · alilaguna.it · atvo.it
Verona	Verona Valerio Catullo (VRN), about 9.5 km from Piazza Bra as the crow flies	ATV Verona Airlink shuttle, €7, 15 min, every 20 min	Same	The ticket is valid for 75 minutes and can be paid on board by contactless card at the same price, with no fee	atv.verona.it · atv.verona.it
Vienna	Vienna Schwechat (VIE), about 20 km from Stephansplatz as the crow flies	ÖBB train (Railjet, REX, IC), about 15 min, around 2 services an hour	CAT by coach, €14.90, 21 min, every 12-15 min	Until the end of October 2027 the S-Bahn section between Praterstern and Hauptbahnhof is closed: the S7 only reaches St. Marx; a Vienna core zone ticket is not valid to the airport	cityairporttrain.com · cityairporttrain.com · oebb.at · wienerlinien.at
Vilnius	Vilnius (VNO), about 6 km from the cathedral as the crow flies	Bus 3G / 88, €1.25 (60 minutes, contactless), about 20 min; 3G every 10 min, 88 every 20-30	Same	The m.Ticket and Trafi apps only work with a Lithuanian phone number; the JUDU card costs €1.50 at the airport Narvesen	judu.lt · judu.lt
Zagreb	Zagreb Franjo Tuđman (ZAG), about 11 km from Jelačić Square as the crow flies	ZET bus 290, 45-50 min to Kvaternikov trg	Pleso Prijevoz shuttle, €9 online, 35-40 min, every 30 min	The shuttle ends at the bus station, not Jelačić Square	zagreb-airport.hr · plesoprijevoz.hr
Zurich	Zurich (ZRH), at Kloten, about 9.5 km from the main station as the crow flies	SBB train, CHF 7.20 (3 zones, 2nd class), 15 min, every 10 min	Same	The city of Zurich counts as two ZVV zones and the airport is outside the city, so you need at least three zones, CHF 7.20 in second class; the ZVV app or the ticket machine works out the zones when you enter start and destination	flughafen-zuerich.ch · zvv.ch

The most common trap: the airport zone

In many cities the airport sits outside the urban zone, and the city-centre ticket is not enough. In Berlin you need the €5 ABC ticket because the airport is in zone C, in Helsinki the €4.80 ABC ticket for the same reason, in Munich the airport is in zone 5 and the M-5 single costs €15.10, in Zurich you need at least three zones, in Valencia the €4.80 AB+ ticket instead of the €1.50 one. In Vienna the core zone ticket only runs to the Schwechat boundary, not to the airport.

Then there are airport lines where ordinary tickets are not valid at all: bus 12 in Brussels, the 100E in Budapest, the Airlink in Edinburgh, the Alibus in Naples, buses 01X and 01N in Thessaloniki, where the €2.50 day ticket is not valid. In Genoa there is no single ticket on the Volabus: you need the €10 day pass.

When it pays to spend more

The express train rarely pays off, but sometimes it does. In London the Piccadilly line costs £5.90 at peak and takes about 50 minutes, the Heathrow Express 15 minutes to Paddington. In Oslo the Flytoget costs NOK 276 and takes 19 minutes, while Vy regional trains accept a Ruter zone ticket. In Rome the FL1 regional costs €8 and the Leonardo Express €14, but anyone boarding the Leonardo with the €8 ticket pays the difference plus an €8 surcharge.

And often the sales channel matters more than the vehicle: the Bologna monorail costs €12.80 at the machine and €8.20 online, the Rhônexpress in Lyon €17.40 at the machine and €16.30 online, the Arlanda Express in Stockholm drops from SEK 340 to SEK 199 if you buy at least five days ahead. At the other extreme, in Belgrade bus 72 is free like all city transport, in Sofia the metro costs €0.80 and in Cagliari the train costs €1.30 and takes 4 minutes.

What is changing these months

Until the end of October 2027 the S-Bahn section between Praterstern and Hauptbahnhof in Vienna is closed for works: the CAT runs as a coach to Wien Mitte and the S7 only reaches St. Marx. In Paris the Roissybus has not existed since 1 March 2026. The lira fares in Istanbul change too often for a table, so there the row names the lines and points you to the machines.

The data can be reused with attribution, and it is also in a CSV file with the hundred rows and links to the sources (in Italian). If a figure looks wrong, the Source column takes you to the airport's or the operator's page: that is where it is worth looking.

Dossiers mentioned in this article

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