Bari Airport to Polignano a Mare Distance

Bari Airport (Karol Wojtyła) to Polignano a Mare — the clifftop town famous for its beach set into the rock — covers about 48 km down the Adriatic coast. It's a straightforward drive, though public transport requires a change in central Bari.

This page sets out the verified driving distance and the practical rail route, since both matter for planning this trip.

The driving distance is shorter than the straight-line figure in this case, since the direct road runs fairly efficiently down the coast.

City-Centre vs. Door-to-Door Distance

The figures above are airport-to-town. Polignano a Mare's historic centre and clifftop viewpoints are compact and largely pedestrian, so once in town, most points of interest are within easy walking distance of wherever you're dropped.

By Car

Driving from Bari Airport to Polignano a Mare covers about 48 km, typically taking around 40 minutes via the coastal road and motorway links south of Bari.

By Train

There's no direct train from the airport to Polignano a Mare. The practical route involves reaching Bari Centrale first (from the airport, this typically means a taxi, transfer, or the airport's bus link into the city), then a Trenitalia service south along the coastal line to Polignano a Mare station. Including the connection, the realistic total journey time is around 1 hour 30 minutes.

By Private Transfer

A private transfer covers the whole route in one ride, avoiding the need to reach Bari Centrale first and then find a connecting train — useful if you're heading straight from your flight to the coast without stopping in Bari itself.

For pricing and booking, see our dedicated Bari Airport to Polignano a Mare taxi transfer page.

What Affects Travel Time

• Traffic through and around Bari itself, which the route passes near.
• Summer beach-season traffic on the approach to Polignano a Mare, since the town's cliffside beach is a popular day-trip destination.
• For the train option, the connection time at Bari Centrale.

Which Way Should You Choose?

Since there's no direct public transport link, a private transfer or driving is generally more straightforward for a direct airport arrival than managing the connection at Bari Centrale, particularly with luggage. The train is a reasonable option if you're planning to spend time in Bari itself before continuing to the coast.