Piombino to Elba Ferry: Cheapest and Best Ways to Get to Elba

A comprehensive guide to getting the Piombino to Elba ferry.

Whether you’re visiting Elba island on a day trip, or for a longer break, you’re going to need to take a Piombino to Elba ferry in order to arrive.  In this practical guide, I’ll share all the useful details including how to book ferry tickets on this popular route, where you can arrive on Elba and how often the Piombino to Elba ferry runs.  

As someone who regularly travels by public transport and who has experience of taking the Piombino to Elba ferry, I’ll let you know what to expect on board and how to get to the Piombino ferry port by bus and train.

I’ll also cover the cheapest and quickest ways to get from Piombino to Elba.  With this guide, you’ll be ready to set sail on the ferry from Piombino to Elba, part of the Tuscan Archipelago, and start your Elba adventure.

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How to Book Tickets for the Ferry from Piombino to Elba

The easiest way to book tickets for the ferry from Piombino to Elba is to use ferryhopper.com.  You can see all the ferry companies for the Piombino to Elba route at the same time and compare prices.  This is very useful as it saves you from having to compare multiple websites or risk rushing around at the port and queuing on the day.  I’ve used ferryhopper.com.  many times, they’re reliable and offer great prices.

Don’t leave it until the day to buy your ticket for the ferry to Elba Island, as the Piombiono to Elba route is a popular one which can sell out, particularly during peak summer months.

You don’t need a paper copy of your ferry ticket, I showed an electronic ticket on my phone on my ferry journey from Piombino to Elba. 

Do You Need a Return Ticket to Travel to Elba?

You can buy single or return tickets for the ferry from Piombino to Elba.  There’s no discount if you buy a return ticket but get your tickets in advance to make sure you don’t miss out if you need to leave on a specific day or time.

Arrival Ports on Elba

There are four arrival ports on Elba:

• Portoferraio is the most common point of arrival on Elba and is the main town on the island as well as being home to some of the best beaches on Elba.
• Cavo is located on the northeast of Elba and is the closest arrival port to the Italian mainland.
• Rio Marina is on the east of Elba and also offers a short journey time from Piombino.
• Marina di Campo is the furthest port from Piombino and is situated on the south coast of Elba.

Cheapest Way to Get to Elba from Piombino

The cheapest way to get from Piombino to Elba is to travel to Rio Marina port on the ferry.  This is one of the closest ports to Piombino and has a journey time of 45 minutes.  Ticket prices are from €13.

To get the cheapest tickets from Piombino to other ports on Elba, it’s better to travel on a weekday, as weekends are very popular.  It’s also cheaper to buy your ticket in advance.  Travel in the shoulder seasons of April/May and September/October to get warm weather but a cheaper deal.  Ticket prices for are from €13.

The large and slower ferries are cheaper than the quicker hydrofoils.  I travelled on the cheaper, large ferries mainly because the departure times suited me.  If speed is important to you, take the quicker hydrofoil, which can sometimes work out at only a few euros more than the ferry.

Fastest Ferry from Piombino to Elba

The route from Piombino to Cavo Port is the quickest way to get from Piombino to Elba Island, at a distance of 10km.  The quickest trip from Piombino to Cavo is made by Toremar’s high-speed hydrofoil.  The hydrofoil journey time from Piombino to Cavo Port takes only 15 minutes.  

The quickest way to get from Piombiono to Portoferraio is by the Toremar hydrofoil.  The journey time is 40 minutes.

You can’t take a car on the hydrofoil crossings, and they go less often than the ferry, but they are the quickest way to get from Piombino to Elba.

Which Ferry Companies Travel From Piombino to Elba?

There are four main ferry operators which sail from Piombino to Elba.  They are:

• Moby Lines Elba – operates daily ferries throughout the year to the ports of Portoferraio, Cavo and Rio Marina.
• Toremar – has frequent departures to the same ports as Moby Lines.
• Blu Navy – runs daily ferries from Piombino to Portoferraio, Elba.
• Corsica Ferries – operates ferries in the summer from Piombino to Portoferraio.

Toremar and Moby Lines have the most daily sailings from Piombino to Elba.

In addition to the four main companies, the ferry company Aquavision runs one daily ferry service between Piombino and Marina di Campo on the south of Elba on weekends in summer. Journey time for the crossing is 1.5 hours. Marina di Campo is located only a few kilometres along the coast from the popular Fetovaia beach.

Which Ferry Companies Travel From Piombino Porto to Portoferraio

The main port on Elba is Portoferraio, which is located on the north coast and has stunning white pebble beaches like Capo Bianco beach and Sansone.  All four shipping companies, Moby Lines, Toremar, Blu Navy and Corsica Ferries run ferries on this key route, from Piombino.

Can You Use Your Piombino to Elba Ferry Ticket with a Different Ferry Company?

Tickets are scanned on entry so are specific to the company. 

You can get on an earlier ferry with Toremar and Moby Lines if there is space.  I did this on my return from Elba with Toremar and it was very easy.  You just show your original ticket for scanning at the entrance to the ferry and if there’s a space they let you on.  In the busier summer months, go to the ticket office at the port first to check for places if you want to change to an earlier ferry.

Schedule: How Often Does the Piombino to Elba Ferry Run?

• During the summer there are up to 50 daily crossings from Piombino to Elba. 

• In winter there are still daily ferries but the frequency of departures is reduced.

Earliest and Latest Departures for the Ferry from Piombino to Elba

During the summer the first departure from Piombino to Elba is at 5.30 am, arriving in Elba at 6.30 am.

The last departure to Elba from Piombino is at 10.30 pm.

The winter schedule is different, the first ferry departs at 6 am.

Times can change so check ferryhopper.com for up-to-date timetables.

Where is Piombino Ferry Terminal?

The ferry terminal in Piombino is out of the main town.  You can take the 2A bus from Piombino centre, which is a five-minute journey, or you can get a taxi.  If yoIu don’t have heavy luggage you can walk.

See the map below to view where the Piombino ferry terminal is located. I’ve marked the bus stops and train station.

How to Get to Piombino Ferry Port by Train and Bus

You might have to change trains at Campiglia Marittima station if you’re arriving at Piombino from Pisa by train. Journey time from Campiglia Marittima station to Piombino Port is 20 minutes. Check latest train times at trainline.com.

If you miss your connecting train at Campiglia Marittima, as I did, there is a bus stop on the right-hand side as you exit the station.  Bus #2A goes from Campiglia Marittima Stazione to the Piombino ferry port and you can buy tickets on the bus (cash only).  The cost of a single trip is €4 per person.  Journey time is 20 minutes and the bus stops directly next to the ferry port.

There should also be taxis waiting outside at Campiglia Marittima if there is a long wait for the next bus. 

How to Get to Piombino Ferry Port from the Train Station

There is a train station next to Piombino ferry port.  Cross over the road and you’re at the port. 

Facilities at Piombino Ferry Port

The ferry port at Piombino has lots of facilities.  There are small shops, vending machines with water, several indoor and outdoor cafes, an ATM and some interesting historical information boards and photos about Elba.

Inside the terminal, there are ticket offices for the different ferry companies and toilets (free of charge).  Upstairs there’s even a kids’ soft play area and arcade machines.

Transport connections are good, with bus stops and a train station.  There are also taxi ranks opposite the actual ferry docks.

To find your ferry you can check on the big screen in the terminal building or ask at one of the ticket offices.  When you know what number pier (molo) you’ll be leaving from, head out of the terminal building and walk over to your boat. 

Foot passengers on the large Toremar ferries need to walk past the car entrance at the back of the boat and enter from the side door. This requires going up a set of metal stairs.

What is the Ferry Journey from Piombino to Elba Like?

On the two ferry crossings I made from Piombino and back again, both were smooth journeys.  Boarding was a quick process with a short queue that moved rapidly. 

During the crossing, there’s time to get out on deck and admire the views of Elba and the Italian mainland. 

The amount of seating inside and outside on the ferries means there are plenty of options for where to sit.  With a short journey time of only one hour, you can grab a drink and a snack and arrive in Elba before you know it.

What Facilities are On Board the Ferry from Piombino to Elba?

The large ferries have a cafe bar on board, selling hot and cold drinks, food and alcohol.  Prices are expensive which is what you expect on most ferries.  For example, a can of coke costs from €3.50 and a sandwich costs from €7.50.

If you’re travelling with kids, there’s a play area to keep them entertained on the Toremar and Moby ferries.

Can you take a Car, Scooter or Bicycle on the Ferry from Piombino to Elba? 

You can take a car, motorbike, scooter or bicycle on the ferry from Piombino to Elba.  I saw loads of cars, vans, bikes and motorbikes all going on the ferries I took.  There is an additional cost to take vehicles, including bicycles.

You can’t take a car, scooter or bicycle to Elba on the quicker hydrofoils.

Luggage

The official luggage allowance for the journey from Piombino to Elba with Toremar is one large piece of luggage of no more than 20kg.  However, on my trips in September, no one weighed my suitcase or checked how many bags I had.  You do have to take your luggage up a few flights of stairs to get it on board though, so only pack what you can carry.

Corsica Ferries allow suitcases or similar as long as they ‘are not bulky’. Measurements must not be more than 200 cm in height, 100 cm in length and 50 cm in depth. Moby Lines don’t have any luggage restrictions. Luggage is also included in the Blu Navy ticket price.

Once on the large ferries, there are usually luggage racks in the middle of the ship where you can place your suitcase if you want to.

Left Luggage at Elba

Luggage can be left in the centre of Portoferraio in the Info Park office at the bus station, directly opposite where the Toremar and Moby ferries arrive and depart.  The cost is from €3 euros per hour or €6 for four hours or more.  The office is open from 9 am until 7 pm.

Piombino to Elba Ferry FAQs

Can You Take Pets On Board the Ferry From Piombino to Elba?

Toremar, Corsica Ferries and Blu Navy allow you to take a pet on board the Elba Island ferry from Piombino.  Pets must be in a carrier or muzzled and on a lead.

How Long is the Ferry Ride from Piombino to Elba?

The ferry ride from Piombino to Elba, Italy, is 15 minutes, on the quickest hydrofoil route to Cavo Port.  The average duration of the large ferries from Piombiono to Portoferraio on Elba is one hour.

Where Do You Get the Ferry to Elba?

You get the ferry to Elba from Piombino Port, on the west coast of Italy.

Can You Take Your Car on the Ferry to Elba?

Yes, you can take your car on the ferry to Elba.  Add a car at the time of booking, for an additional fee.

How Do You Get from Piombino Cruise Port to Pisa?

To get from Piombino cruise port to Pisa you can take the train.  Daily departures leave from the Piombino Marittima train station at the ferry port.  Alternatively, you can take the 2A bus from Piombino port to Campiglia Marittima train station and catch a train to Pisa from there.  Check the Trainline website for the latest times and routes.

Where Do Ferries to Elba Leave From?

Ferries to Elba leave from the port at Piombino, Piombino Marittima.

Where Do Ferries from Piombino Arrive in Elba?

Ferries arrive in Elba at one of four ports, Portoferraio, Cavo, Rio Marina and Marina di Campo.

Where Can You get the Bus in Portoferraio?

On arrival, you can take the bus from the bus station which is opposite the ferry port, on Via Elba.  Buy tickets from the ticket office at the bus station.  Payment can be made in both cash and card.  It’s much cheaper to buy tickets in advance than on the bus.

An onward local bus ticket within the town is €1.30 if bought in advance or €3 on the bus.  Once on the bus, remember to validate your ticket in the yellow ticket machine.

More Elba Resources

11 Best Elba Beaches (& Map)

Capo Bianco Beach on Elba, Italy: A Complete Guide

Fetovaia Beach on Elba, Italy: A Complete Guide

Monte Capanne, Elba, Cable Car and Hike: Ultimate Guide

For more great European destinations by ferry, check out the Dubrovnik to Budva ferry.