Genoa Cruise Port to the Old Town: Bus, Taxi or Walk
Quick answer: You can walk. Ships dock at the Ponte dei Mille or Ponte Andrea Doria terminals, about 1 km from the centre. Genova Piazza Principe station is a 6-minute covered walk, and the aquarium and Porto Antico are about 20 minutes (1.5 km) along the waterfront, with the old town lanes just behind. If you want a ride, an AMT ordinary ticket costs €2.00 and covers the metro and city buses for 110 minutes (2026). Principe to San Giorgio, for the aquarium, takes about 10 minutes. A taxi is rarely worth it. Start walking back from the old town or the aquarium 75 minutes before all-aboard.
Where the cruise ships dock
Genoa is not a tender port. Ships berth at the Stazioni Marittime, on the western edge of the old harbour, at one of two terminals next to each other.
Ponte dei Mille Cruise Terminal. The larger of the two, at about 16,000 m² on three levels linked by escalators and lifts, with berths of 340 m and 290 m. Genova Piazza Principe station is a short covered walk away.
Ponte Andrea Doria Cruise Terminal. About 11,000 m² on two floors, with two 300 m berths. It sits next to Ponte dei Mille and uses the same exits towards Principe and the old town.
Both are about 1 km from the city centre, so the advice below is the same whichever one your ship uses. Genoa is also a turnaround port for several lines. On embarkation days, expect luggage queues and coaches at the terminal.
Walking to the old town
Walking is the simplest way in, and the guide verdict is a clear yes.
- ·To Piazza Principe station: about 6 minutes on a lit, covered walkway. Follow the signs to Principe. The walk is level.
- ·To the aquarium and Porto Antico: about 20 minutes (1.5 km) east along the harbour.
- ·To the old town: the medieval lanes (caruggi) start behind Porto Antico, so you are in them a few minutes after the aquarium.
Cost: free.
Gotchas: Genoa is hilly. The caruggi are fairly flat, but anything above Via Garibaldi is steep. The public lifts and funiculars help, and your AMT ticket covers them. Traffic on the waterfront road is heavy, so cross at the lights. By day, keep to the busier lanes around San Lorenzo, Piazza Banchi and Via Garibaldi, and avoid empty side lanes after dark.
Metro and city buses (AMT)
If you would rather save your legs for the hills, the metro is the quick option.
- ·Cost: €2.00 ordinary ticket, valid for 110 minutes on AMT buses and the metro (2026). It also covers the Zecca–Righi funicular, and the city lifts accept it.
- ·Time: about 10 minutes from Principe to San Giorgio, the stop for the aquarium.
- ·Route: the metro runs from Principe through Darsena and San Giorgio to De Ferrari and Brignole. De Ferrari puts you at the top of the old town, near Piazza De Ferrari and the San Lorenzo cathedral area.
- ·Where to board: Principe station, 6 minutes on foot from the terminal.
- ·How to pay: buy from machines, ticket offices, tabaccherie or the AMT app.
- ·Gotcha: validate the ticket at the start of the trip. Inspectors treat an unvalidated paper ticket as no ticket.
A good plan is to ride the metro uphill to De Ferrari in the morning, walk down through the old town towards Porto Antico, and walk back to the ship along the waterfront. The same ticket also gets you up the Castelletto lift to the viewpoint over the port, if you use it within the 110 minutes.
Taxi
The guide lists taking a taxi into town as a common mistake. Principe is 6 minutes on foot and the old town and aquarium are walkable, so a taxi saves very little. We have no checked taxi fare for Genoa, so this post does not quote one.
A taxi does make sense as a fallback. If you are running late in the city, a taxi to the terminal is a short ride.
Options compared
| Option | Cost (2026) | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walk to Principe | Free | 6 min | Metro and trains |
| Walk to aquarium / Porto Antico | Free | About 20 min (1.5 km) | Old town, aquarium, waterfront |
| AMT metro Principe–San Giorgio | €2.00, valid 110 min | About 10 min | Saving the walk; going on to De Ferrari |
| AMT metro to De Ferrari | €2.00, valid 110 min | Short ride from Principe | Starting at the top and walking down |
| Taxi | No checked fare | Short ride | Running late on the way back |
When to head back
The rule from the guide: from the old town or the aquarium, start walking back 75 minutes before all-aboard. The walk from the aquarium is about 20 minutes, or take the metro from San Giorgio to Principe and walk the last 6 minutes. The sample day plan aims to have you back on board 60 minutes before all-aboard.
If you go further, to Portofino, the rule is much stricter: be on a train out of Santa Margherita at least 3 hours before all-aboard.
| All-aboard | Leave old town or aquarium by | Train out of Santa Margherita by (Portofino) |
|---|---|---|
| 16:30 | 15:15 | 13:30 |
| 17:30 | 16:15 | 14:30 |
| 18:30 | 17:15 | 15:30 |
If something goes wrong in the city, a taxi to the terminal is short. If you might be late, call the port agent number in your daily programme.
Common mistakes
- ·Taking a taxi into town. Principe station is 6 minutes on foot, and the old town and aquarium are walkable.
- ·Not validating tickets. Stamp paper tickets on AMT vehicles and before boarding trains.
- ·Planning the Strada Nuova museums on a Monday. They close on Mondays. Do the old town, Porto Antico and the aquarium instead.
- ·Leaving the aquarium ticket until the day. Fixed-date tickets start from €26 and are cheaper the earlier you buy (2026). Buy on the official site, not from resellers.
- ·Using the €2.00 AMT ticket on the Portofino bus. Line 782 needs its own €5.00 ticket.
FAQs
Can you walk from Genoa cruise port to the old town?
Yes. The terminal is about 1 km from the centre. The aquarium and Porto Antico are about 20 minutes (1.5 km) on foot along the waterfront, and the old town lanes start right behind them.
How far is Genoa cruise terminal from Piazza Principe station?
About 6 minutes on foot, by a lit, covered and level walkway. Follow the signs to Principe.
Is there a bus or metro from Genoa cruise port to the city centre?
Yes. Walk 6 minutes to Principe and take the AMT metro towards San Giorgio, De Ferrari or Brignole. An ordinary ticket costs €2.00 and is valid for 110 minutes on the metro and city buses (2026).
Do I need a taxi from Genoa cruise port?
Usually not. The old town and aquarium are walkable, and the guide counts a taxi into town as a common mistake. A taxi is useful as a short ride back to the terminal if you are running late.
Is Genoa a tender port?
No. Ships berth at the Ponte dei Mille or Ponte Andrea Doria terminals, so you walk straight off the ship.
How long before all-aboard should I leave Genoa old town?
Start walking back 75 minutes before all-aboard. For a 17:30 all-aboard, that means leaving at 16:15.
For a stop-by-stop day, see the full Genoa port guide, or plan your day with your own all-aboard time.
Sources
- ·Ports of Genoa: Stazioni Marittime cruise terminals
- ·AMT Genova: Biglietto ordinario
- ·Mentelocale: AMT Genova new fares (October 2025)
- ·AMT Genova: Single ticket line 782 Santa Margherita Ligure–Portofino
- ·MSC Cruises: Genoa
- ·Cruise Deals Tips and Tricks: Genoa cruise port (May 2026)
- ·Cruising Journal: Genoa on a cruise, what to do in a day
- ·Acquario di Genova: Tickets and prices