There are two big
train
stations in Genoa.
Stazione
Principe , on Piazza
Acquaverde just above the port on
the west side of the centre, is
the main one, although a number of
mainline trains also pass through
Stazione
Brignole on Piazza Verdi, to
the east of the centre. Buses #33
and #37, among others, ply between
the two. There's a staffed
left-luggage office at Principe
(daily 6am-10pm; L5000/?2.58 per
piece for 12hr), and lockers at
Brignole (daily 24hr; L4000/?2.06
for 6hr; 30hr maximum). If you're
arriving at Principe after dark,
cling on to your valuables while
moving through the station and
avoid the notorious Via di Prč
alley nearby, which is the core
territory of Genoa's lowlife.
Buses
arrive on Piazza della Vittoria, a
few minutes' walk south of
Brignole.
The Aeroporto Cristoforo
Colombo ( www.airport.genova.it
) is 6km west of the city centre.
"Volabus" #100 runs to
Stazione Principe, Piazza de
Ferrari on the edge of the Old
Town, and Piazza Verdi outside
Stazione Brignole (every 30min;
takes 25min; information tel
010.558.2414). Buy your
L5000/?2.58 ticket on the bus.
Getting around the
centre is best done on foot
, resorting to Genoa's AMT buses
(information tel 010.558.2414),
only for trips to outlying sights.
Public transport tickets,
available from tabacchi and
newspaper stands, cost L1500/?0.77
for 90 minutes, or L5000/?2.58 all
day, and are valid on buses, all
the city's various funiculars
and lifts , the expanding
metro system which serves the
suburban commuter belt, and local
trains between Voltri and Nervi
(although not on the narrow-gauge
mountain line to Casella
). AMT also runs Giro Giro Tour
buses daily around the major city
sights with multilingual guides
aboard, starting from Piazza
Caricamento (Mon-Fri 3.30pm, Sat
& Sun 10am; L25,000/?12.91;
lasts 1hr 40min; tel 010.254.3431)
- although, of course, you won't
see any of the old quarter this
way. Another good way to get a
flavour of the city is from a
boat.
The main tourist office
(toll-free tel 1674.69.838, www.apt.genova.it
) is at the Porto Antico, in the
modern Palazzina Santa Maria on
the western side of the flyover
(daily 9am-6.30pm; tel
010.248.711). Additional branches
are at Stazione Principe (daily
7am-9pm; tel 010.246.2633); the
airport (Mon-Sat 8am-8pm; tel
010.601.5247); and at Stazione
Marittima near the cruise terminal
(May-Sept daily 9am-6.30pm; tel
010.246.3686). Beware, though,
that Genoa's tourist industry is
undergoing a complete overhaul in
the build-up to the 2004
celebrations, which may well
encompass new locations and
changes in opening times; for
details, contact the city's
tourism administration, at Via
Roma 11/3 (tel 010.576.791).
