11 Super Useful Things To Know Before Visiting Ischia — ALONG DUSTY ROADS

Public Transport is Good – But It Has Its Quirks

For a small island, Ischia has a surprisingly extensive bus network, and it’s the main way to get around the island if you’re not driving or renting any vehicles.

The most useful lines are the CS (Circolare Sinistra, counter-clockwise) and CD (Circolare Destra, clockwise) buses that loop clockwise and anti-clockwise around the island. They pass through most of the major towns and beaches, while other lines connect you to smaller villages or go inland toward Mount Epomeo or Maronti Beach.

Tickets must be bought before boarding, and Ischia still operates on the old school Italian model of only making these available to buy from from newsstands, tabacchis, bars, and hotel desks. Due to a vendor not always being available or obvious, it’s worth working out if you’ll need a few singles or a certain type of multi-day pass when you first come across one.

As of 2026, fares are:

• Single ticket (no changes) / €1.70

• 100-minute ticket (permits connections) / €2.10

• Daily pass (unlimited buses) / €5.10

• 3-day pass / €11.00

• Weekly pass / €14.50

Tickets must be validated on the little machines once you’re on the bus. We must say that it is also possible to buy tickets from the driver on the bus for €2 but due to the issue we’ll mention next, it’s often not possible.

Basically, the buses in Ischia are often very very busy in summer. Between 10am and 6pm, they’re often standing room only – if you can even board – and wait times can be long. We were left stranded at the stop quite a few times when drivers simply couldn’t take on any more passengers. Add in that the air conditioning is hit and miss, and journey times can be longer than expected due to traffic and narrow roads, and it can sometimes be a horribly crowded, uncomfortable, and sweaty way to spend your holiday.

Our sympathy lies primarily with the locals who depend daily on these buses though, and they must get really pissed off.

That said, it doesn’t mean you should avoid taking the bus in Ischia as it’s a super affordable and practical way to get around the island.

Instead, our advice is to start early and, instead of being too ambitious about how much you can cover in a day by bus, plan around visiting one or two areas.

If the buses don’t sound appealing, there are some alternatives:

• Taxis are everywhere, but they’re expensive. Prices are fixed, clearly listed at official taxi ranks and the drivers really don’t seem to want to negotiate (trust us, we tried). We really recommend trying to limit the number you take though, as unless you have a very large travel budget, daily trips will quickly eat into your cash. Note that Uber doesn’t work here.

• Scooters are a popular and genuinely fun way to explore Ischia. We spent a couple of glorious days zipping around the island’s winding roads and loved the freedom two wheels gave us. That said, Ischia is hilly and narrow in parts, so it’s best suited to those with a bit of scooter confidence. Rental is about $25-30 per day, but cheaper the longer you have it.

• Rental cars are obviously possible, but just note that parking can be both challenging and expensive in places, and they’re not ideal or enjoyable on some of the narrow countryside and village roads versus a zippy little scooter.

• Walking is fine for short stretches, but don’t expect a gentle coastal stroll. Roads between towns often have no pavements, steep inclines, and blind bends. On our first day in Ischia we decided to walk between Forio and La Mortella gardens and it was a tad stressful to say the least! That said, hiking trails inland are a different story – and a great way to experience a quieter side of the island.

• Exploring the island by boat is a popular and practical way to go, especially if you want to focus on the coast and avoid crowded buses. This is a super highly-rated excursion from Forio, whilst this is a good alternative if it’s already sold out.