· 6 min read · by Salimar Boat Tour
How to get to Tavolara: the shuttle, the costs and the alternatives
Tavolara has no ferry port: you get there with the shuttle from Porto San Paolo, on an excursion, or with your own boat. Here is everything you need, with verified numbers.
First step: reaching Porto San Paolo
By car from Olbia it is about 16 km on the SS125, some twenty minutes to Porto San Paolo harbour. In high season the square in front of the port is paid parking and rates sting: many leave the car further back in the village and walk down.
Without a car: ARST bus 514 (also stops at the airport)
ARST line 514 (towards Siniscola/Nuoro) leaves from Olbia, also calls at the airport and reaches Porto San Paolo in about half an hour, viale Don Sturzo stop: from there the port is a few minutes on foot. Runs are spread through the day (roughly every one to two hours), tickets cost a couple of euros at kiosks or on board with a small surcharge. Updated times on arst.sardegna.it.
The Tavolara shuttle: times, duration, prices
Outbound runs leave roughly every half hour from 9:00 to 13:30; returns from the island are at 13:00, 15:30, 16:30, 17:30 and 18:30. These times are guaranteed from 15 July to 31 August; in the rest of the season runs vary, better to call ahead. The crossing takes 15–20 minutes.
Tickets: about €20 return for adults, half for children. You buy them at the ticket office at via Molara 13, steps from the pier — phone +39 349 446 5993, official site tavolaratraghetti.it. On peak days arrive early.
Three tips few people know
1) In high season an evening run for dinner on the island is often active: ask at the ticket office.
2) The island has two historic restaurants and a bar: if you want a proper table, book before leaving.
3) The last return really is the last: miss it and you stay on the island. Set an alarm.
What you find once you land
You land at Spalmatore di Terra, the only accessible area: pale gravel beaches, transparent water, the panoramic trail and the tiny cemetery of the “kings of Tavolara”. The rest of the island is a reserve. Everything worth knowing is in our Tavolara & Molara guide.
The alternative: arriving on a tour from Olbia
Our tour leaves from the Marina di Olbia (MOYS, via Piovene 8) and combines both worlds: sailing the Marine Protected Area with a swim stop at the Molara pools, plus, when conditions and the day’s rules allow it, a stop on Tavolara island. In practice: crossing, excursion and aperitif in a single ticket.
| Tavolara & Molara islands tour | €70 per person | Book now Details › | |
| Dolphin watching | €70 per person | Book now Details › |
Quick answers
Can you sleep on Tavolara? Rooms are very few and tied to the restaurants: for almost every visitor Tavolara is a day trip.
Do I need to book the shuttle? Normally no: buy at the ticket office and board. On July and August weekends, though, come early.
Is the sea child-friendly? Yes: a short crossing and shallow water at Spalmatore. Water shoes help on the gravel.
Facts checked on 1 August 2026. Shuttle times and fares can change: tavolaratraghetti.it or the ticket office at +39 349 446 5993 are the reference.