Cinque Terre vehicle restrictions

[trvlgirlmq]

Per the Joe Bananas Limos site there are new restrictions on how you can travel in Cinque Terre:

 

ATTENTION TO OUR CLIENTS:

We have just been advised that due to the unusually high tourist volume within the Cinque Terre, per the local Administration of the Cinque Terre, effective immediately, vehicles are no longer able to drive into the downtown area or park, and driving through the Cinque Terre is now prohibited.

With the inability to park our vehicles our drivers are now unable to accompany our guests downtown, through the first town or assist with ticket purchases for the ferry or train. We are also unable to meet back in Vernazza and continue on to Corniglia. The driver will provide you with information about the site and where to go to purchase tickets for the train and/or ferry, but again, we are no longer able to accompany our guests.

This tour will now require you to navigate throughout the site on your own and meet back up in Riomaggiore (at the same location from which the day will begin). This will reduce your total time in the area and will require you to be aware of the timing thoughout the day in order to meet back with the driver.

We have also just been informed that the Administration of the Cinque Terre has changed the ferry schedule, with ferry service now scheduled every 2 hours.

These changes have been put into effect by the Administration of the Cinque Terre and are not the fault of our company or our drivers.

 

I am wondering how this will affect cruise ship tours or if the lines will stop offering an excursion to this area? We really wanted to be able to visit on our Livorno stop next summer. I am not confident enough to travel that far and with the many transfers on a DIY basis.

Edited July 10, 2015 by trvlgirlmq

[aquilegia]

I don't see this will stop ship excursions. The only reason Joe Bananas Limos can't accompany their guests is that they don't have a separate guide, just a driver/guide. We don't usually take ship's excursions but we took a Princess excursion to Cinque Terre last month because we had a load of non-refundable OBC to use up. The bus dropped us off above the village of Manorola and we didn't see it again till the end of the day. The guide took us on a downhill walk to the village and from there we went by boat to Vernazza. After that, we took a boat again to Monterosso, but if neither boat had been available it wouldn't have been a problem as all the villages are connected by train. When we'd finished in Monterosso, we had a 5 minute train ride to Levanto, which is beyond the Cinque Terre so presumably not subject to any restrictions. The bus was right outside the station.

 

The new restrictions wouldn't have affected our itinerary. they may well affect some private tours but that may encourage more people to DIY.

[trvlgirlmq]

Makes sense as it appears the cruise lines will have a guide with the group during the day making sure the group gets back to where the bus will be located. Excursions aren't available yet for our sailing so I will just keep my fingers crossed that something is offered.

[Chloe1500]

I also took the Princess excursion to Cinque Terre last month to use OBC too and it was our best port day. I had been there previously but decided to go anyway because I thought it would be cooler than a DIY trip to Florence (90 F that day). It was. The boats between the villages were charters, not the public ferry, so not to worry. On our sailing, the excursion to CT from Genoa was sold out. I think the excursion from Livorno sold out as well.

 

As another poster said, the tour bus dropped us above Manarola and at the end of the day we rode the train briefly to Levanto outside Cinque Terre. I doubt the vehicle restrictions have anything to do with having a guide with a group, but rather just trying to limit vehicles in a very congested area. Our bus didn't go into Manarola. It was a pleasant downhill walk into Manarola.

[Hlitner]

When we drive to Cinque Terre we park our car at either Riomaggiore (if coming from the South) or Monterossa de Mare (if driving from the North). There is parking in both of those cities. Once parked it is just a matter of using the local trains and/or boats as well as our feet to get between the villages. To be really blunt, the thought of spending time in any of these villages as part of a large group is enough to keep me on a ship :). Many cruises have do it yourself tours where they will bus you from the ship to one of the villages (often Riomaggiore or Manarola) and then you are on your own until its time to get back on the bus.

 

The only folks impacted by the new rules would be those on private tours where they wanted to drive to several of the villages. Arguably, using a car to get around this area is the least desirable for many folks.

 

Hank

[Chloe1500]

When we drive to Cinque Terre we park our car at either Riomaggiore (if coming from the South) or Monterossa de Mare (if driving from the North). There is parking in both of those cities. Once parked it is just a matter of using the local trains and/or boats as well as our feet to get between the villages. To be really blunt, the thought of spending time in any of these villages as part of a large group is enough to keep me on a ship :). Many cruises have do it yourself tours where they will bus you from the ship to one of the villages (often Riomaggiore or Manarola) and then you are on your own until its time to get back on the bus.

 

The only folks impacted by the new rules would be those on private tours where they wanted to drive to several of the villages. Arguably, using a car to get around this area is the least desirable for many folks.

 

Hank

 

Hmmm. We were only in the large group (36) when on the bus. Once in the villages, the "herd" breaks up. But honestly, if one wants to be alone, Cinque Terre may not be for them -- as well as most of the other popular tourist sites in the Med. where it's just us and a few thousand others...