Corsica Ferries

From the French mainland

Three major ports on the French Riviera and Provence coast serve Corsica, each with its own character and catchment area.

Marseille is the busiest mainland gateway. Corsica Linea and La Méridionale run regular overnight car ferries to Bastia, Ajaccio, L'Île-Rousse and Propriano, with departures timed to arrive in the morning. At around 10–11 hours, the Marseille crossings are among the longest from the mainland — but an overnight sailing means you arrive rested and save a night's hotel. Marseille suits travellers from the south-west of France, Paris by TGV, or those combining Corsica with a visit to Provence.

Nice is the fastest French mainland connection. Corsica Ferries runs daytime high-speed crossings to Bastia in around 5.5 hours, Ajaccio in roughly 6 hours, and Calvi in about 3.5–4 hours. The ships are nimble and modern, and the coastal scenery on departure from the Baie des Anges is memorable. Nice suits travellers on the Côte d'Azur or arriving at Nice airport.

Toulon sits between Marseille and Nice, geographically and in terms of crossing times. Overnight services to Bastia take around 9–10 hours, and Ajaccio around 10 hours. It is the most practical option for travellers from the Var, Aix-en-Provence or arriving via the A8 motorway. Corsica Ferries and Corsica Linea both serve Toulon.

From Italy

Corsica has strong historical and geographical ties to Italy, and Italian ports offer competitive alternatives to the French mainland crossings.

Livorno (near Pisa and Florence) to Bastia takes roughly 4 hours — a clean daytime hop across the Ligurian Sea. Corsica Ferries and Moby operate the route, with daily departures in summer. It is the natural choice for travellers driving up from Tuscany or central Italy.

Genoa to Bastia is slightly longer at around 4.5 hours. Again, Corsica Ferries and Moby cover this route. Genoa suits travellers from Liguria, Milan or the Italian north-west.

Savona, between Genoa and Nice, is also served seasonally and is worth checking if it fits your travel corridor.

Corsica's Italian connections mean island-hoppers can easily do a loop: cross from France, explore the island, and return via Italy, or vice versa.

Corsica to Sardinia — the Bonifacio crossing

At the southern tip of Corsica, Bonifacio is linked to Santa Teresa Gallura in northern Sardinia by a 50-minute car ferry across the Strait of Bonifacio. Moby and Corsica Ferries both operate the route, with multiple daily departures in summer. This is one of the most spectacular short crossings in the Mediterranean — the Strait is only 12 kilometres wide, flanked by dramatic white limestone cliffs and the Lavezzi nature reserve archipelago.

The Bonifacio crossing is ideal for travellers combining Corsica and Sardinia in a single journey, or for those island-hopping between the two islands by car or motorbike.

Overnight vs daytime crossings

The choice between overnight and daytime ferries comes down to timing, budget and comfort preference.

Overnight ferries (mainly from Marseille and Toulon) are efficient in the sense that you travel while sleeping and arrive ready to go. A cabin — even a simple shared berth — makes a significant difference to comfort over 9–11 hours. Reclining seats are available as a cheaper option. Ships are large ro-pax vessels with restaurants, bars and sundeck space.

Daytime fast ferries (mainly from Nice) are quicker and more scenic. At 3.5–6 hours the crossing is short enough to enjoy from the deck with a coffee. These services are operated by faster vessels and tend to attract foot passengers and day-trippers as well as motorists.

Taking a car

Corsica is an island where having a car makes a decisive difference. The interior mountain roads, the Col de Bavella, the western coastal route from Calvi to Porto, and the remote villages of the Castagniccia are all but inaccessible without your own transport. All the main ferry routes to Corsica carry cars, motorcycles and campervans.

Vehicle space is the first thing to sell out in summer. For July and August sailings, booking 6–8 weeks ahead is not excessive. Even for late June and September travel, booking 2–3 weeks in advance is advisable. Prices for vehicles are fixed and do not fluctuate like passenger fares; cabin berths do vary with availability.

The main Corsican ports

Bastia (north-east coast) is the island's main commercial port and the arrival point for most Italian crossings and several French ones. The old Genoese port, the Terra Nova citadel and Cap Corse lie just beyond the city. Bastia is functional rather than picturesque, but it is an authentic Corsican city and a good base for the north.

Ajaccio (south-west coast) is the island's capital, the birthplace of Napoleon, and a livelier, more attractive city than Bastia. It is well connected to the island's southern beaches and the Ajaccio gulf. The ferry terminal is central.

L'Île-Rousse (north-west coast) is a smaller, resort-oriented port serving the Balagne region — an area of olive groves, hilltop villages and excellent beaches. The Chemin de Fer de la Corse train links L'Île-Rousse with Bastia and Calvi.

Calvi (north-west coast) is served by Nice ferries and sits below a dramatic Genoese citadel. The Rousse–Calvi coast is some of the most beautiful in Corsica, with long sandy beaches backed by the mountains.

Porto-Vecchio (south-east coast) is a popular resort town close to some of Corsica's finest beaches — Palombaggia, Santa Giulia — and the Lavezzi marine reserve. It is not served by mainland ferries but is easily reached by car from Bonifacio or from Ajaccio.

Operators

Corsica Ferries (trading as Corsica-Sardinia Ferries in English markets) operates the largest network, including the fast Nice crossings and Italian connections from Livorno, Genoa and Savona. The company is recognisable by its yellow livery. Corsica Linea is the successor to the former public-service operator SNCM and dominates the Marseille routes, including the subsidised public-service sailings to the main Corsican ports. La Méridionale co-operates on some Marseille routes and focuses on quality car-ferry service. Moby is a well-established Italian operator covering the Livorno and Genoa to Bastia routes as well as the Bonifacio–Santa Teresa crossing.