Tirrenia

Who they are

Tirrenia is one of Italy's oldest and most historically significant ferry companies. For decades it was the state-owned national carrier linking the Italian mainland with Sardinia and Sicily, and for many Italian families it was simply "the boat to Sardinia".

Tirrenia was privatised in 2012. The brand and its ships passed to CIN (Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione), which is controlled by Moby, the Onorato family's ferry group. Moby and CIN then went through a court-supervised restructuring (concordato preventivo). MSC's Aponte family bought 49% of Moby as part of the rescue, but under commitments agreed with the Italian competition authority it handed that stake back to the Onorato family's holding company in October 2025. In December 2025 five Moby group ships, including the Tirrenia cruise ferries Janas and Athara, were sold at auction to an MSC company to repay MSC's loan; three of them are going to GNV. A merger of CIN into Moby has also been planned. For travellers the Tirrenia name, website and routes carry on, but the network is much smaller than it once was.

Network and main routes

In 2026 Tirrenia sells four routes, all year-round.

Sardinia: Genoa–Porto Torres is an overnight crossing of about 10 to 13 hours, with evening departures from Genoa. Tirrenia runs it under an Italian state public-service contract; a new tender for the route was published in 2026 and had not been awarded by late September 2026. Civitavecchia–Olbia, from Rome's port to the gateway of the Costa Smeralda, takes about 7 to 8.5 hours, with a morning day sailing and late-evening night sailings.

Sicily: Naples–Palermo is an overnight crossing of roughly 10.5 to 12 hours, departing Naples in the evening. In peak summer there is also a daytime sailing of about 9 hours 15 minutes.

Tunisia: Tirrenia also sells a Genoa–Tunis route.

Tirrenia no longer sails to Cagliari. The public-service routes Civitavecchia–Arbatax–Cagliari and Naples–Cagliari–Palermo are run by Grimaldi Lines, which won them again in September 2026 for another five years.

Fleet and on board

Tirrenia operates conventional ro-pax and cruise ferries designed for the overnight crossing market. Accommodation options cover the full range: reclining seats in deck-class lounges for budget travellers, shared 4-berth cabins, and private en-suite cabins for those who want more comfort on the longer crossings.

On the overnight Genoa–Porto Torres and Naples–Palermo routes, a cabin makes good sense: arriving rested at an island port, rather than spending the night in a seat, makes a real difference to the first day. Cabins on peak-season departures sell out early.

On-board facilities include a self-service restaurant and bar, deck seating and the basics expected of an overnight ferry. The ships are functional rather than resort-like.

Booking and tips

Book early for July and August, especially if you need a cabin or are travelling with a vehicle. The Sardinia routes are heavily in demand from Italian families during the summer holidays, and cabins on peak-season departures can sell out weeks in advance.

For travellers from central Italy, Civitavecchia–Olbia is usually the most convenient route: the port is around 60–90 minutes by car or train from Rome. From northern Italy, Genoa–Porto Torres saves the long drive south. Check the check-in cut-off on your ticket and arrive in good time, especially with a vehicle.

In shoulder season (May–June, September–October) availability is good and fares are lower. Off-peak, it is worth checking whether a reclining seat saves you enough over a cabin to make the comparison worthwhile.

If you are heading to Cagliari or the south of Sardinia, look at Grimaldi Lines from Civitavecchia or Naples instead, or sail to Olbia or Porto Torres and drive south.