Maritime passenger transport connecting urban areas: the case study of Catania based on Trieste experience

The objective of this study is to determine the potential for the development of a regular or seasonal maritime service between Catania and Syracuse on the island of Sicily in Italy. The distance between the two cities is 65 kilometers. They are connected by public transport (bus and train). Ideally, the trip takes about 50 minutes by car, an hour by bus and about an hour and a half by train. However, especially during summer time, it takes much longer, making the trip not very pleasant. On the other hand, the distance by sea is about 55 kilometers. The authors analyze the current supply of public transport services and their use between Catania and Syracuse. Then, they identify the demand for a maritime service between the two cities using two separate online surveys; one for the local population, who could benefit from such a maritime service year-round, and the other for tourists. The analysis shows that more interest for ferry service is expressed by tourists than by the local citizens, who are not very willing to change their travelling habits at the moment.