Savona port: cruise terminal, ferries and how to get there
Savona port: the Palacrociere for Costa cruises, Corsica ferries from Vado, train, car, parking and what to do between disembarking and boarding.
Il complesso del Palacrociere nel porto di Savona
Cruises
Palacrociere, Calata delle Vele, Darsena Nuovatwo linked terminals; home line Costa Cruises
Ferries
Corsica Ferries to Bastiaterminal at Vado Ligure (Calata Nord, Porto Vado)
Cruise terminal to the centre
5–10 minutes on foot
Station to the cruise terminal
about 20 minutes on foot on a flat route, taxi, or city buses 7, 7/ and 30TPL Linea shuttle for Costa guests when running
By car
A10, Savona or Albisola exitabout 5 km from the port
To Genoa
regional trainabout an hour
The port of Savona is not a single quay, and the commonest mistake is turning up at the wrong one. Costa cruise ships dock at the Palacrociere in the Darsena Nuova, a few minutes’ walk from the centre. The Corsica ferries, by contrast, leave from Vado Ligure, a few kilometres from Savona. This guide shows which terminal you need, how to get there by train, car or shuttle, where to leave the car, and how to use the hours between disembarking and boarding.
By Italian Riviera editorial team·Updated on ·6 min read
The port at a glance: three different areas
The Savona-Vado port belongs to the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority, the same body that runs Genoa. Three areas matter to travellers. The first is the Palacrociere, the cruise terminal, inside the city. The second is the Corsica Ferries terminal at Vado Ligure. The third is Vado Gateway, which is a container terminal: if you are looking for passenger boarding, it is not there.
Before you leave, check the exact terminal name and address on your ticket. Some satnavs lead to the wrong place, and the two areas are not within walking distance of each other.
The Palacrociere: the cruise terminal
The Palacrociere is at Calata delle Vele, in the Darsena Nuova. The terminal’s website lists 23 check-in desks and supervised parking, and says the centre is a few hundred metres away, a few minutes on foot.
The terminal belongs to Costa Cruises and Savona is one of the line’s departure ports: in 2024 it handled around 755,000 passengers and 138 ship calls, according to the Palacrociere. The schedule changes each season and departures thin out after summer: the list of cruise and ferry arrivals and departures is in a PDF on the terminal’s website, and the dates should still be checked on the cruise line’s site.
This page covers the port and logistics. If you are ashore for a few hours, a ready-made walking route is here: Savona on a cruise day.
Ferries: which ones really sail
The only company linking Savona to an island is Corsica Ferries, on the Bastia line: on the company’s site the daytime crossing takes about 4 hours 15 minutes and the night crossings are longer. Departures, crossing times and fares vary by season and day: you will not find them here, but on the company’s site when you book.
No link to Sardinia from Savona appears on the Corsica Ferries site, which lists only Bastia for this port. Always check real availability before planning.
The ferry terminal is at Calata Nord, Porto Vado, 17047 Vado Ligure (coordinates 44.2661; 8.44668), as the company states. Check-in times for cars and foot passengers are printed on your ticket: follow them, because they vary by season and ticket type.
How to get to the port
By train
Savona station is on the Genoa–Ventimiglia line and the line to Turin. According to the Palacrociere’s website, from the main station to the terminal you can walk on a flat route of about 20 minutes, take a taxi (they wait at the station exit) or use city buses 7, 7/ and 30. Costa cruise passengers also have the TPL Linea shuttle between the terminal, the station and the Le Officine shopping centre: you pay on board and it runs only if Costamed requests it, so check that it operates on your boarding day. For the ferries at Vado Ligure, ask the company whether a connection runs from the station. To leave the car before boarding, read our guide to parking in Savona: the free Le Officine car park with shuttle in 2026 is only for selected departures and must be booked.
By car
The Palacrociere gives as exits the A10 at the Savona toll gate (from Ventimiglia and from Turin via the A6) or Albisola (from Genoa); both gates are about 5 km from the port. For the ferries follow the signs to Vado Ligure and the port. With luggage, the best plan is a supervised car park, and avoiding the terminal at peak boarding hours.
By taxi
From Savona station the Palacrociere is a short taxi ride, handy with luggage: taxis wait at the station exit. Ask the fare before you get in: we have no official 2026 tariff.
Parking
For the centre and the marina the nearest barrier car parks are Torre, Priamar–Corso Mazzini, Piazza del Popolo and Via Piave: since December 2025 parking is run by TPL Linea, with a maximum charge of €10 a day. For the whole length of a cruise, the cruise line points to the Le Officine car park with a shuttle (€20 adults and €10 children, return, free under 3), free in 2026 only for selected departures from 20 September to 1 November and with compulsory booking. Inside the Palacrociere area there is also a private car park, ParkingSavona. Full details and rates are in our guide to parking in Savona.
What to do between disembarking and boarding
From the Palacrociere it is a 5–10 minute walk to the Torretta and the old town. With 3 hours, the Torretta, the Old Darsena and the Cathedral are enough; with 5 or 6 hours climb to the Priamar fortress for the view over the port and, if you like fish, stop in the Darsena. All the stops, timings and museums are in our walking route Savona on foot for cruise passengers.
One practical tip: be back at the terminal at least 45–60 minutes before the “all aboard” time given by the line. If time is short and you have luggage, skip long transfers.
From Savona to Genoa, Finale Ligure and Noli
Genoa is about an hour by regional train: feasible on a long call, but the margin is tight, and it is better to know that before you set off. Since 8 June 2024 Costa and Trenitalia have run a charter train Savona–Genoa for those who buy the line’s excursion (check it is still scheduled for your cruise): if you have not, take the ordinary trains and check times on Trenitalia.
Westwards the same line serves Finale Ligure and the Spotorno-Noli station, which serves Noli: both are easy half-day trips if you have longer, but we do not give journey times because they vary from train to train. For a closer break there is Albissola, the ceramics town, a few stops away. For the rest of the coast, read the guide to the Riviera di Ponente.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Savona cruise terminal?
The Palacrociere is at Calata delle Vele in the Darsena Nuova, a 5–10 minute walk from the old town.
Where do the ferries to Corsica leave from?
Corsica Ferries links Savona with Bastia from the Calata Nord terminal, Porto Vado, at Vado Ligure: check the address on your ticket.
Are there ferries from Savona to Sardinia?
The Corsica Ferries site lists only the Bastia line for this port. Check the company’s site before planning.
How do I get from the station to the Palacrociere?
On foot in about 20 minutes on a flat route, by taxi or on city buses 7, 7/ and 30; Costa passengers can use the TPL Linea shuttle, if it runs on boarding day.
How much does parking near the port cost?
The barrier car parks in Savona run by TPL Linea cost at most €10 a day. For a whole cruise the cruise line points to Le Officine with a shuttle (€20 adults, €10 children, return), free in 2026 only for selected departures and with booking. Details in our parking guide.
Can I see Savona between disembarking and boarding?
Yes: the centre is 5–10 minutes’ walk from the terminal. With 3 hours you can see the Torretta, Darsena, Cathedral and Priamar ramparts; with 5–6 hours add museums and lunch.
Where to stay
Where to stay in Savona
All places to stay in Savona on Booking: compare prices and availability.
