Riding the Etna cable car

Is there a cable car that goes up Mount Etna?

Yes, one: the Funivia dell'Etna on the south side. It runs from beside Rifugio Sapienza, at about 1,900 m, to 2,500 m in about 15 minutes, in cabins for up to 6 people.

The lower station stands by the Rifugio Sapienza square at about 1,920 m, beside the Silvestri craters and the guides' offices. The line has been rebuilt several times after eruptions, in 1971, 1983, 1985 and 2001, and the present installation dates from 2004. At the upper station, at 2,500 m, you stand on bare volcanic slopes with the summit craters above you.

It is the only cable car on the volcano. On the north side, at Piano Provenzana, the way up is by off-road 4x4 bus. The operator's site, Funivia dell'Etna, lists the tickets and the current status.

What does a cable-car-only ticket give you?

A return ride to 2,500 m and time to walk around the upper station on your own. You can explore the slopes and old cones near the top, but you may not continue into the guide-only zone.

At 2,500 m you are at about the limit for independent hikers on the south side. Walk round the nearby cones, look down over the lava fields towards Catania and the sea, and feel the drop in temperature: it is usually well over 10 degrees colder than at the coast, and often windy, so bring a jacket even in summer.

Some people ride up and walk down: about 600 m of descent on the track of loose ash below the cable line. It is steep and hard on the knees, but it gives you the volcano on foot without a guide. The full rules for walking alone are in hiking Etna without a guide.

What is the cable car, 4x4 and guide combination?

A combined ticket sold at the lower station: cable car to 2,500 m, a 4x4 bus towards 2,900 m and a guided walk of about 40 to 45 minutes around the Barbagallo craters. The whole outing takes about 2.5 hours.

It is the simplest way to reach the 2,900 m area. The 4x4 buses leave from the upper station and follow a track of volcanic gravel to the Torre del Filosofo area, where an authorised guide takes the group round the Barbagallo craters of 2002 and 2003, with views of the summit craters. On foot it is only about 100 m of ascent, so it suits most people who can walk on uneven ground. How far the 4x4 goes depends on the ordinance in force, and in some periods it stops lower.

The combined ticket costs substantially more than the cable car alone, runs roughly from March to November, and does not cover parking. Bring warm layers: at 2,900 m the wind is often strong even in summer.

Is the cable car to Mt Etna worth it?

For most visitors, yes. It saves about 600 m of steep ascent on loose ash and about 2 hours of walking, so you reach 2,500 m with fresh legs and more time where the volcano is most interesting.

Walking up instead is possible: the track behind the lower station gains about 600 m in roughly 2 hours. It is steep, the ash slides under your feet, and you arrive at the point where the guide-only zone begins, so it makes sense mainly if you want the walk for its own sake. Hikers who prefer real walking without lifts often choose the nature trails or a guided hike from 1,850 m instead.

Do guided Etna hikes include the cable car ticket?

Most do not. On the guided summit hike, the 3,000 m trek, the Bocca Nuova trek and the north side summit trek, you buy the cable car or 4x4 ticket at the meeting point on the day, often in cash.

Read the box of what is not included on each listing. The guided summit hike up to 3,400 m (4.7 from 6,028 reviews), the trek to 3,000 m with cable car and 4x4 (4.6 from 4,691 reviews) and the summit crater trek to the Bocca Nuova (4.8 from 2,257 reviews) all charge the lift separately. On the north side, the summit trek from Piano Provenzana handles the 4x4 ticket the same way. What you book covers the guide, the helmet, insurance and usually the boots.

The exception on this site is the cable car, 4x4 bus and guide package from Catania: transfer, both lift tickets, a guide and gear are included, so it costs more up front. Its rating, 4.3 from 1,823 reviews, is the lowest here, so read the recent reviews before you book. One useful detail on the Bocca Nuova trek: if the summit is not possible that day, the group takes the cable car only.

Cable car to 2,500 m and 4x4 to about 2,800 m, then 3 to 4 hours on foot to the Barbagallo craters, a lava channel and a 2002 vent, with boots, helmet and jacket lent. Lift ticket paid in cash on site. Rated 4.6 from 4,691 reviews.

★ 4.6 (4,691) · 5 hours · Full refund up to 24 h ahead

Explore the 3,000 m trek with cable car and 4x4 →

When does the Etna cable car run, and what stops it?

It usually runs from the morning to the late afternoon, with shorter hours in winter. Strong wind, storms and volcanic activity can stop it, so check on the day.

The operator's homepage does not give fixed hours, and the times change with the season and the weather. Plan to arrive in the morning: the first rides are the calmest, clouds often build over the summit after midday, and the last descent comes earlier than many people expect. If the wind picks up, the cable car can stop, and the 4x4 buses with it. Guided hikes then wait, change the plan or take a lower route.

The volcano matters too. During the eruptive phase of summer 2026 the whole summit zone closed on 13 August, and the Northeast Crater was emitting ash from 24 September. The area around the upper station is often still visited when the summit is closed, but not always. The calm overview is in is it safe to hike Etna.

Where can I park my car when taking the Mount Etna cable car?

In the paid municipal car parks around Rifugio Sapienza, next to the lower station. Arrive by about 9 am in high season, when the car parks fill with tour buses and day visitors.

Almost the whole visitor area at Rifugio Sapienza is pay parking run by the municipality of Nicolosi. Tickets are sold from about 8:30 at the information office and in some of the shops, so carry some cash. Park in the car parks by the cable car and the refuge, not along the edges of the SP92.

The road up from Nicolosi is about 18 km and takes about 25 minutes; from Catania allow 50 to 60 minutes. Without a car, one AST bus a day leaves Catania station at about 8:15 and heads back from the refuge at about 16:30; check the AST timetable. The routes and alternatives are in getting to Etna from Catania.

Can I visit Etna by my own car?

Yes, as far as Rifugio Sapienza on the south side and Piano Provenzana on the north side. Above those points the tracks are closed to private vehicles, and only the cable car and authorised 4x4 buses go higher.

Both are winding mountain roads: the SP92 from Nicolosi to Rifugio Sapienza at about 1,900 m, and the Mareneve road from Linguaglossa to Piano Provenzana at about 1,800 m. In winter you may need snow chains, and snow or ash can close the roads for a time. At Piano Provenzana a barrier marks the end of the public road.

The north side has no cable car. Its 4x4 buses go towards 2,900 m, near the Pizzi Deneri observatory, and the guided summit trek continues on foot from there. The Summit Trek from Etna North (4.9 from 591 reviews) is quieter than the south and charges the 4x4 ticket on the spot.

The quieter north face of Etna: off-road 4x4 from Piano Provenzana to about 2,900 m, the summit area on foot with an authorised guide when allowed, views to the Aeolian Islands and Calabria. 4x4 ticket paid in cash. Rated 4.9 from 591 reviews.

★ 4.9 (591) · 5 hours · Full refund up to 24 h ahead

Explore the summit trek from Etna North →

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