How is the best way to get from Rome to SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO?

Question

We are on holiday in Rome and would like to visit the padre pio site in SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO. What is the best way to travel.

Answer 1

I'm from that area around san giovanni rotondo.  in italy they call it the "holy land" of italy.  it includes the entire Gargano area.  The best to travel is definitely by car. why? well, besides the landscape being beatiful and there is always something to see in Italy, you will most definitely need to fly into Bari and then rent a car and travel north to see padre pio.  other sites in the Gargano i would recommend are monte sant'angelo, mattinata, rodi garganico, vieste.  Beautiful sceneries.

Answer 2

There are a lot of organized trips by bus. It's cheaper and easier than by train. Unfortunately they are not too much advertised on Internet but while in Rome you can easlily find many more opportunities. Here's a link for a sample (not available in English)http://www.ferroviedelgargano.com/

This bus leaves daily from Rome at 06,15 am and arrives to San Giovanni Rotondo at 11,30 am - cost € 21

Return is also daily- departure at 5 pm and arrival at 10,15 pm. - cost € 21.- Total € 42 - 10,30 hours of trip.

By train the best is to take teh Eurostar (ES) from Roma Termini to Foggia - The first one leaves at 7,38 am and arrives to Foggia at 11,11 am. At the station you need to buy a bus ticket (you can buy it direct in the main hall of Foggia's station - bus company is SITA - the bus trip will last abt. 1  hour) and then you'll be at destination at 12,30 - 1,00 pm.

The cost of the train ticket is € 33 in 2nd class (€ 45 in 1st class) for one way. You've also to consider a 15-20 € for the 2 ways trip by bus from Foggia to San Giovanni and return.

Total cost abt. € 100 - approx. trip should last abt. 9,30 hours provided you don't miss any coincidence and you find train and bus immediately available at yr arrival (that's almost impossible to be planned).

Then my preference is for sure by bus.