how to travel to Erice from Trapani sicily

Here’s how to get to the medieval town of Erice from Trapani (and vice versa). Note that the prices listed below are accurate as of June 2025 but may change. Because the funicular is nice but the city bus to get to it can be difficult to navigate, I recommend taking the AST bus to Erice and the funicular then city bus back to Trapani.

P.S. If you’re staying in Erice, I recommend Pietre Antiche Appartamenti and Appartamenti Liberty. Both are well located, have excellent customer reviews, and match the character of the town with their rustic elegance.

City Bus + Funicular

Most picturesque way, but also the most expensive and can take the longest

To reach Erice by funicular, you need to first take city bus 21 for about 20-25 minutes from downtown Trapani to the funicular station. Bus 23 is also an option but it takes 40+ minutes. Ask your hotel where the closest bus stop is for line 21. Note that you might wait 20-30 minutes for a bus. It costs one or two euros. Tell the bus driver you are going to Erice and the driver will let you know when you arrive (same thing in reverse – tell the driver you are going to Porto di Trapani, for example). The funicular is the next part. It takes 12 minutes and costs 6.50 euros one-way or 11 roundtrip. Here is the schedule. The funicular doesn’t operate in heavy winds or very bad weather and has limited service on some days.

AST Bus

Fastest, cheapest, and easiest way

The AST bus operates on a limited schedule, picking up right next to the hydrofoil ferry terminal (here on Google Maps) and dropping off at the foot of Erice’s historic center (near the funicular stop). It takes about 40 minutes and costs 2.90 euros one-way or 4.80 roundtrip. The bus timetable is posted at the bus stops in Trapani and Erice. You can also go into Egatours, the tour operator across from the Trapani stop, for info. In June 2025, the AST bus left Trapani port for Erice on weekdays at 6:40, 8:30, 11:30, 13:30, 17:30, and 19:45. The AST bus returned to Trapani port from Erice on weekdays at 7:30, 9:30, 12:30, 14:30, 18:45, and 21:00. The bus also operates on weekends and holidays but on a more limited schedule.

Organized Tour

Most informative way to explore Erice, with transportation taken care of

Erice has way more historic sites than I expected. It’s not the kind of town you walk a couple of streets and are done with, so it’s definitely worth doing a tour to better understand Erice’s rich history. This guided tour includes transport, visits to pottery and carpet-weaving workshops, plus traditional sweets.