The freeway network covers only part of Sicily. All major cities, exept Ragusa and Agrigento, are linked by highway. The network is managed by CAS (Consorzio Autostrade Siciliane) and ANAS and has entirely to lanes in each direction and mostly an emergency lane. Sicilian freeways are mostly toll free. Only on the A18 and A20 are toll booths. Here you must pay cash showing the ticket that you taked at the freeway entrance. Some toll booths are reserved for the automatic telepass system so pay attention to be in the right line of cars. In Italy highway signals are coloured in green.
Part of the freeway network is in bad state of maintenance (road surface, vegetation at the sides of the highway, road signs)
click here for the full image or download the pdf version of the map
Let's see in detail what are the freeways in Sicily:
Palermo - Catania (A19): this freeway is managed by ANAS and in toll free. The A19 is almost a obligatory choiche for visiting the centre of the island (Enna, Caltanissetta) or to reach Agrigento and the valley of the temples, although the freeway doesn't arrive until the city. The highway starts at the "circonvallazione" (beltway) of Palermo in via Regione Siciliana. The first stretch of the road, until Termini Imerese, is along the northern coast of Sicily. Then it turns to the island's centre..
Messina - Palermo (A20): the A20 highway is 182 Km long and it is managed by CAS. It is a toll road. The freeway swing along the rocky northern coast of Sicily and it has of viaducts and tunnels. Updated toll prices are visible on the official website of CAS. At the beginning of 2012 the price between Buonfornello (Palermo) and Messina nord was € 10.
Palermo - Mazara del Vallo (A29): it is also known as the highway of the salt because it arrives to Trapani and the area of Marsala and their famous "saline" (salt work). It is 119 Km long and it is managed by ANAS. The A29 is toll free. This freeway also links the airport of Palermo (Falcone-Borsellino) and the airport of Trapani (Birgi). Actually there are no service stations on this highway.
Catania - Syracuse - Gela (opened only until Rosolini): this highway actually ends in Rosolini, in the southern area of the province of Syracuse. It is a toll free road and the stretch between Catania and Augusta has a lot of tunnels. This section was finished only in 2009 and links directly with the A18 freeway (Catania-Messina) and with the Catania-Fontanarossa airport. The highway does not yet have a definitive name. So it is sometimes called A18 or NSA339 (the new section) or ex SS114. A part of the road still waits to be officialy classified as freeway, so pay attention at speed limits and police controls too. It is also part of the european E45 road. The highway has huge quality variations. The stretch near Catania is very modern but departing from the Sortino exit the road surface lacks in maintenance.
Useful links
- Map of sicilian freeways (pdf)
- CAS - official website (only italian)
- ANAS - official website (only italian)
Credits: © Sicilystockphoto,.com - photo A18 and Etna S.Leggio/Sicilystockphoto.com
