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Mount Etna: cable car, jeeps & hikes

Etna South, Rifugio Sapienza · cable car, 4x4 buses, volcano guides

Etna has no entrance ticket. What you pay for is the ride up. The official Funivia dell'Etna cable car costs €54 return to 2,500 m. The Tour 3000 costs €82 and adds a 4x4 bus and an alpine or volcanological guide, up to the highest altitude the authorities allow that day. Beyond the ordinary safety limits you can only go with a licensed guide.

All tickets online: from €82 on Tiqets →

At a glance

Official tickets
  • 2500 Cable Car – return cable car ride to 2,500 m€54
  • Tour 3000 – cable car + 4x4 bus (snowcat in winter) + alpine/volcanological guide€82
  • Sunsetna – sunset 4x4 tour with guide (seasonal)€82
  • Silvestri Craters – entry€5
Free for
Cable car: free up to age 4 with a paying adult, reduced fare for ages 5–10. Silvestri Craters: free up to age 10 with a paying adult, and for Sicilian residents and disabled visitors (with ID).
Booking
Booking recommended Booking isn't compulsory, but tickets bought online on the cable car's own site include Fast Track past the ticket-office queue at the base station. No refunds for bad weather or volcanic activity.
Opening hours
Cable car daily 8:30am–4:45pm (last ride down 5:15pm); Tour 3000 runs 8:30am–3:15pm. Always subject to weather and technical conditions. Silvestri Craters daily 8:30am–5pm.
Time needed
about 2 hours 30 mins
Address
Piazzale Rifugio Sapienza, Etna Sud – 95030 Nicolosi (CT)
Official sales
Funivia dell'Etna (Russo Morosoli Invest S.p.A.)

Checked on the official site on 28 October 2026 · Sources & checks

Mount Etna: cable car, jeeps & hikes
Photo: BenAveling, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Booking on Tiqets

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Mount Etna: Cable Car Entry Ticket + 4x4 Bus Transfer

from €82 · ★ 3.9 (30)

This calendar is Tiqets's own: live availability and price; you pay and get the ticket from Tiqets.

Open on Tiqets →

Which ticket is right for you

All tickets online

Reseller prices are refreshed daily; the final price is the one on the partner's site. Resellers cost more than the official ticket because they add availability, free cancellation or services.

What you're actually paying for

Etna has no gates and no ticket booth for the mountain itself. You pay for transport up, and above a certain height for a guide. On the south side everything starts at Rifugio Sapienza, above the village of Nicolosi. That's where the Funivia dell'Etna base station sits, at 1,923 m. The official options are:

Tickets bought on the cable car's own website include Fast Track, which lets you skip the queue at the ticket desk.

Summit rules: why you need a guide

Access to the summit zone, roughly everything above 2,500 m plus the upper Valle del Bove, is set by ordinances from the towns around the volcano. The rules change with the Civil Protection alert level. Belpasso's August ordinance only allows access beyond the ordinary safety limits with licensed alpine or volcanological guides. Anyone at altitude must wear mountain clothing and a certified helmet. Treks in the permanent-hazard zone around the active craters can be suspended at any time, as Bronte did in August. Offenders are reported to the judicial authorities.

So the "maximum altitude allowed" on the Tour 3000 isn't a fixed number. If the volcano is restless, the service may stop at 2,500 m. The cable car's terms are blunt: no refunds for bad weather, strong wind, INGV alerts or orders from the authorities. That's the main reason many visitors book through a reseller with free cancellation. Check the conditions of the specific product before you pay.

No car? Tours from Catania and Taormina

Without a car, the cable car on its own doesn't help much, because you first have to reach Rifugio Sapienza. That's what the tours with pickup are for. Tiqets, GetYourGuide and Headout sell:

The mark-up over the official fare buys you transport, a guide and usually a more forgiving cancellation policy.

What to wear, and who shouldn't go

It's far colder up there than in Catania, and the weather turns quickly. The cable car company recommends hiking shoes and a windproof jacket. If you show up in sneakers, you can rent boots, jackets and poles at the upper station. The company advises against the trip for people with heart or respiratory conditions or high blood pressure, and for pregnant women.

Dogs are allowed on a leash and muzzled. Large luggage and drones are not. Tour 3000 guides speak Italian, English and French.

When to go

The cable car runs every day, weather and technical conditions permitting. In winter the 4x4 is replaced by a snowcat. If you want the Tour 3000, get there in good time, because the last departure is at 3:15pm. Before setting off, check the webcam on the cable car's website. If the upper station is in cloud, you won't see a thing.

FAQ

How much is the Mount Etna cable car?

€54 return, from 1,923 m to 2,500 m. The Tour 3000 costs €82 and adds the 4x4 bus (a snowcat in winter) and a guide up to about 3,000 m. Children up to 4 ride free with a paying adult, and ages 5–10 pay a reduced fare.

What are the cable car opening hours?

Daily 8:30am–4:45pm, with the last ride down at 5:15pm. Tour 3000 departures run 8:30am–3:15pm. Everything depends on weather and technical conditions.

Can I hike to the summit craters on my own?

No. Municipal ordinances only allow access beyond the ordinary safety limits with licensed alpine or volcanological guides, and you need mountain clothing and a helmet. During volcanic alerts, high-altitude trips can be suspended altogether.

Do I get a refund if the weather is bad?

Not from the cable car company. Its terms rule out refunds for weather, volcanic activity or orders from the authorities. If you book through a reseller, its own cancellation policy applies.

How long does an Etna trip take?

The Tour 3000 takes about 2.5 hours from the cable car station. Tours from Catania or Taormina take half a day or a full day, including the drive.

Are the Silvestri Craters free?

Not any more: entry is €5. It's free for children up to 10 with a paying adult, for Sicilian residents and for disabled visitors with ID.

Sources & checks

Official prices and rules are copied from the pages below. Spotted a change? Write to info@tickets.co.it.

  1. Official site: Funivia dell'Etna (Russo Morosoli Invest S.p.A.) · www.funiviaetna.com
  2. funiviaetna.com/2500m — price cable car
    2500 Cable Car Always Available € 54.00 Book now Including Round-trip Fast Track cable car ticket
  3. funiviaetna.com/3000m — price Tour 3000
    Tour 3000 Always Available € 82.00 Book now Including Round-trip Fast Track cable car ticket Round-trip 4X4 bus or snowcat ticket Alpine/volcanological guide Open ticket (valid all day 8:30am–3:15pm)
  4. funiviaetna.com/sunsetna — price Sunsetna
    The tour starts by 5:30 PM at the departure station of the cable car at an altitude of 1,923m.
  5. funiviaetna.com/sunsetna — price Sunsetna
    Sunsetna Not Available € 82.00
  6. funiviaetna.com/silvestri-craters — price Silvestri
    Silvestri Craters Available all year around entrance € 5.00
  7. funiviaetna.com/silvestri-craters — hours Silvestri
    What are the opening hours for the Silvestri Craters? Every day from 8:30 to 17:00.
  8. funiviaetna.com/it/2500m — hours
    Il servizio è attivo tutti i giorni dalle ore 8:30 alle ore 16:45 (ultima discesa in funivia alle ore 17:15) compatibilmente con le condizioni meteo o con esigenze tecniche.
  9. funiviaetna.com/it/3000m — hours Tour 3000
    Il servizio è attivo tutti i giorni dalle ore 8:30 alle ore 15:15 (ultima discesa in funivia alle ore 17:15) compatibilmente con le condizioni meteo o con esigenze tecniche.
  10. funiviaetna.com/3000m — duration
    The Tour 3000 lasts around 2.5 hours.
  11. funiviaetna.com/it/2500m — booking
    Se acquisti online su questo sito il tuo biglietto, il Fast Track è incluso e ti permette di evitare la fila alle casse della stazione di partenza, andando direttamente agli imbarchi
  12. funiviaetna.com/terms-of-sale — refunds
    Strong winds or bad weather may result in partial or total suspension of the service at any time. No refunds will be issued.
  13. funiviaetna.com/terms-of-sale — volcanic alerts
    In the event of an alert issued by INGV or Civil Protection, the company is required to suspend activities at high altitude. Based on the level of risk, only the cable car ride up to 2,500 m may be allowed. No refunds will be issued.
  14. funiviaetna.com/terms-of-sale — children
    For the cable car “Funivia dell’Etna”, children aged 4 and under enter free when accompanied by a paying adult; ages 5–10 pay a reduced fare.
  15. funiviaetna.com/terms-of-sale — free Silvestri
    for residents of the Sicily Region and for persons with disabilities, entry to the Silvestri Craters is free upon presentation of a valid identity document. At the Silvestri Craters, children aged 10 and under enter free when accompanied by a paying adult.
  16. funiviaetna.com/2500m — start point
    The departure is from the “Funivia dell’Etna” station, at Piazzale Rifugio Sapienza (Nicolosi – Etna South).
  17. organizzazione.cai.it/sez-catania/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2026/08/Belpasso-o — summit rules (Comune di Belpasso, ordinanza n. 135 del 10/08/2026)
    L'accesso alle zone prossime alle colate ed oltre i limiti di sicurezza ordinari è consentito esclusivamente se accompagnati da Guide Alpine o Vulcanologiche abilitate ed iscritte ai relativi albi regionali/nazionali.
  18. organizzazione.cai.it/sez-catania/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2026/08/Belpasso-o — summit rules – helmet
    È fatto obbligo a tutti i fruitori delle quote elevate di indossare idoneo abbigliamento da montagna e casco protettivo omologato.
  19. parcoetna.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Ordinanza-Comune-di-Bronte-del-14-agosto — summit zone definition (Comune di Bronte, ordinanza n. 100 del 14/08/2026)
    La Zona Sommitale è quella comprendente la zona dei crateri sommitali, l’alta Valle del Bove fino a 1700 m s.l.m. e tutte le zone orientativamente al di sopra di quota 2.500 m s.l.m.
  20. funiviaetna.com/3000m — route and guides
    What you will see Torre del Filosofo The 2002 Craters The Summit Craters
  21. funiviaetna.com/3000m — guide languages
    What languages do the Guides speak? Italian, English, French
  22. funiviaetna.com/3000m — health
    Who is this experience not recommended for? People with heart and/or respiratory conditions People with high blood pressure Pregnant women
  23. funiviaetna.com/3000m — clothing and rental
    What is the ideal clothing? Hiking shoes Windbreaker jacket Can I find technical clothing in the area? At the station at 2,500m, it is possible to rent shoes and a windbreaker .
  24. funiviaetna.com/2500m — dogs and luggage
    Is it allowed to bring your dog? Yes, it is important that it is on a leash and with a muzzle. What is NOT allowed to bring? Large luggage not allowed Drones not allowed
  25. funiviaetna.com/2500m — upper station
    At the arrival station of the cable car, you can taste Sicilian specialties and look out onto the terrace amidst volcanic sands, admiring the summit craters on one side and the sea on the other.
  26. organizzazione.cai.it/sez-catania/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2026/08/Belpasso-o — penalties
    I trasgressori saranno deferiti all’Autorità Giudiziaria ai sensi dell’art. 650 C.P.
  27. parcoetna.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Ordinanza-Comune-di-Bronte-del-14-agosto — suspension in ZPP
    -la sospensione di tutte le attività escursionistiche che si svolgono nella ZPP – Zona a Pericolosità Permanente (ex Zona gialla) del vulcano Etna

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