# Matera: no mainline train, and other answers

> Matera has no national rail link, so trains from Bari run on the FAL and Sundays switch to buses. The Sassi ZTL runs daily 10 am to 1 pm and 5 to 9:30 pm.

URL: https://myitalia.it/faq/matera
Last updated: 2026-09-11

Matera has no station on the national rail network: trains from Bari are run by the narrow-gauge Ferrovie Appulo Lucane, on Sundays and holidays they give way to buses, and a car in the Sassi meets a ZTL active every day from 10 am to 1 pm and from 5 pm to 9:30 pm.

## No mainline train until 2028

Matera is not connected to the RFI national network, and its rail service is the narrow-gauge Ferrovie Appulo Lucane (FAL). The new Ferrandina-Matera La Martella line, 12 miles (20 km) of single electrified track costing €525 million, partly from PNRR funds, has been under construction since 2023, with activation planned for 2028.

Until then, arriving by rail means Bari and the FAL. How that came about is at [the capital off the national rail network](/stories/the-only-capital-without-a-railway).

## Weekdays from Bari: change at Altamura

On the FAL weekday timetable in force since August 31, 2026, the first train leaves Bari Centrale at 4:14 am and the last at 10:10 pm. Most trains for Matera need a change at Altamura, about 1 hour 12 minutes out of Bari.

The fare distance from Bari Centrale to the Matera stations is 70 km on the 2026 tariff table; the ticket price itself is not published in a form we could read. The Bari Centrale to Grumo Appula stretch reopened on August 31, 2026 after summer maintenance.

The 2024-2033 service contract between Basilicata and FAL plans a direct Matera-Bari run in 1 hour 25 minutes, against 1 hour 42 today, and five new battery trains. Every route in is at [getting to Matera](/towns/matera/getting-there).

## Sundays and holidays: buses, not trains

The August 3, 2026 Sunday and holiday timetable has no Bari-Matera trains: FAL runs buses instead, and rail tickets are valid on them. It shows eight arrivals at Matera Centrale from Bari, from 9:48 am to 11:03 pm, leaving Bari from the FS bus terminal on via Capruzzi, with an indicative 105 minutes on the road.

The service contract foresees Sunday trains from September 2026, but the latest Sunday timetable we could read is still buses only. Check the FAL site in the week you travel, not before.

## The Sassi ZTL: two daily windows

In the Sassi, the yellow zone is closed to unauthorized traffic every day from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm, the blue Duomo-San Biagio zone is restricted 24 hours a day, and the historic center's green zone has seasonal hours. The base rule is ordinance 291 of August 27, 2014.

The city issues further ordinances on the Sassi from time to time, so the albo pretorio, the council's public notice board, is the place to check before you drive. Zone by zone: [ZTL in Matera](/ztl/in-matera).

## The crypt you must book

The Cripta del Peccato Originale, a rock church outside Matera frescoed in the 8th and 9th centuries, can only be visited by booking a fixed slot: six a day from April to September (9:00 and 10:30 am, noon, 3:00, 4:30 and 6:00 pm), five in March and October and four from November to February (2026).

The booked time is your appointment at the ticket office, and the visit starts 30 minutes later. It isn't reachable on foot from town: you need a car or a transfer, about 15 minutes' drive.

## Museums and the cistern

The Musei nazionali di Matera have three sites, the Ridola, Palazzo Lanfranchi and the former Ospedale di San Rocco, open daily from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm: €10 each for Ridola and Lanfranchi, €3 for San Rocco, €15 for a two-day combined ticket, free under 18 (2026). The Ridola has been closed since April 7, 2025 for works, so Lanfranchi and San Rocco are the two you can visit.

The Palombaro Lungo, the cistern under piazza Vittorio Veneto, is 52 feet (16 m) deep and held 5 million liters of water; it was found still full in 1991 and is run by the FAI. Prices throughout are in euros.

## Why the Sassi are protected

The Sassi and the park of the rock churches have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1993, under criteria (iii), (iv) and (v), with a core zone of 1,016 hectares and a buffer zone of 4,365.

Why the Sassi were emptied before they were listed is at [Matera evacuated by law](/stories/matera-evacuated-by-law), and the city at [Matera](/towns/matera).

## FAQ

### Can you get to Matera by train?

Yes, but not on the national network. Matera is served by the narrow-gauge Ferrovie Appulo Lucane from Bari, and most weekday trains need a change at Altamura. RFI's new Ferrandina-Matera La Martella line, 20 km long, is under construction with activation planned for 2028.

### Is there a train from Bari to Matera on Sunday?

Not on the timetable we could read. On Sundays and holidays FAL replaces the Bari-Matera trains with buses, which accept rail tickets; the August 3, 2026 schedule shows eight arrivals at Matera Centrale, from 9:48 am to 11:03 pm. A Sunday train is planned from September 2026.

### What time is the first train from Bari to Matera?

4:14 am from Bari Centrale, on the FAL weekday timetable in force since August 31, 2026, and the last leaves at 10:10 pm. Most trains for Matera need a change at Altamura, which is about 1 hour 12 minutes from Bari.

### How long does the train from Bari to Matera take?

The direct run takes 1 hour 42 minutes on the existing service, and the Basilicata-FAL service contract for 2024-2033 aims to cut it to 1 hour 25. Most weekday trains still involve a change at Altamura, and the fare distance is 70 km (2026).

### Can I drive into the Sassi of Matera?

Not during the ZTL hours unless you are authorized. The Sassi yellow zone is restricted every day from 10 am to 1 pm and 5 pm to 9:30 pm, and the Duomo-San Biagio blue zone 24 hours a day. The city issues extra ordinances on the Sassi, so check before driving in.

### Do I need to book the Crypt of Original Sin?

Yes, booking is compulsory and visits run at fixed times: six slots a day from April to September, five in March and October, four from November to February (2026). You can't walk there from Matera: allow about 15 minutes by car or transfer.

### How much are the museums in Matera?

€10 for Palazzo Lanfranchi, €3 for the former Ospedale di San Rocco and €15 for a two-day combined ticket, free under 18 (2026). The third site, the Museo Ridola, has been closed since April 7, 2025 for works funded by the PNRR.

### What is the Palombaro Lungo in Matera?

A cistern dug under piazza Vittorio Veneto, 16 meters deep and able to hold 5 million liters of water, found still full in 1991. It is run by the FAI and visited on walkways.

### Since when are the Sassi di Matera a UNESCO site?

Since 1993. The Sassi and the park of the rock churches are listed under criteria (iii), (iv) and (v), with a core zone of 1,016 hectares and a buffer zone of 4,365 hectares.

## Sources

| Fact | Source | Confidence | Valid until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matera e' l'unico capoluogo di provincia italiano non collegato alla rete ferroviaria nazionale: la nuova linea Ferrandina-Matera La Martella, 20 km a semplice binario elettrificato per 525 milioni di euro anche da PNRR, e' in costruzione dal 2023 con completamento previsto nel 2028 | [Gruppo FS Italiane](https://www.fsitaliane.it/it/opere-strategiche/nuova-linea-ferrandina-matera-la-martella.html) | medium | 2027-08-31 |
| Il collegamento su ferro fra Matera e Bari e' esercito dalle Ferrovie Appulo Lucane; il contratto di servizio Regione Basilicata-FAL 2024-2033 prevede il diretto Matera-Bari in 1 ora e 25 minuti (contro 1 ora e 42), cinque nuovi treni a batteria per il servizio metropolitano di Matera e l'attivazione del servizio domenicale da settembre 2026 | [Regione Basilicata](https://www.regione.basilicata.it/matera-bari-diretto-in-unora-e-25-con-nuovo-contratto-fal-regione/); [Ferrovie Appulo Lucane](https://ferrovieappulolucane.it/); [doc 2](https://ferrovieappulolucane.it/comunic-di-servizio/riduzione-estiva-programma-ferroviario_27072026_1116) | medium | 2027-03-31 |
| L'orario ferroviario feriale delle Ferrovie Appulo Lucane in vigore dal 31 agosto 2026 prevede da Bari Centrale una prima partenza alle 4:14 e un'ultima alle 22:10, con i treni per Matera che nella maggior parte dei casi richiedono un cambio ad Altamura, raggiunta in circa 1 ora e 12 minuti. | [Ferrovie Appulo Lucane](https://ferrovieappulolucane.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ORARIO-TRENI-DA-E-PER-BA-DAL-31-AGO-2026-1.pdf) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| La domenica e nei giorni festivi le Ferrovie Appulo Lucane sospendono il treno fra Bari e Matera e lo sostituiscono integralmente con autobus, sui quali sono ammessi anche i viaggiatori con biglietto ferroviario; con il quadro del 3 agosto 2026 gli arrivi a Matera Centrale da Bari sono otto, dalle 9:48 alle 23:03. | [Ferrovie Appulo Lucane](https://ferrovieappulolucane.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ORARIO-BUS-FESTIVI-E-DOMENICA-03-AGO-2026.pdf); [doc 2](https://ferrovieappulolucane.it/tratta/orari/) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Nel quadro tariffario delle Ferrovie Appulo Lucane in vigore dal 1 gennaio 2026 la distanza tariffaria fra Bari Centrale e le stazioni di Matera (Serra Rifusa, Villa Longo, Centrale e Sud) e' di 70 chilometri, contro i 45 di Altamura e i 60 di Gravina. | [Ferrovie Appulo Lucane](https://ferrovieappulolucane.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TARIFFE-PUGLIA-E-BASILICATA-09-MAR-2026-1.pdf) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| A Matera la ZTL dei Sassi (zona gialla) e' attiva tutti i giorni 10.00-13.00 e 17.00-21.30, mentre la zona blu Duomo/San Biagio e' interdetta 24 ore su 24 e il centro storico ha una zona verde con limitazioni stagionali; la disciplina di base e' l'Ordinanza dirigenziale n. 291 del 2014 | [Comune di Matera - portale open data](https://dati.comune.matera.it/dataset/ztl-e-apu) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| La Cripta del Peccato Originale, chiesa rupestre affrescata tra VIII e IX secolo sulla Gravina di Picciano fuori Matera, si visita solo su prenotazione obbligatoria a orari fissi: sei turni al giorno da aprile a settembre (9.00, 10.30, 12.00, 15.00, 16.30, 18.00), cinque a marzo e ottobre, quattro da novembre a febbraio (2026) | [Cripta del Peccato Originale - Fondazione Zetema](https://www.criptadelpeccatooriginale.it/info/opening); [doc 2](https://www.criptadelpeccatooriginale.it/info/where); [doc 3](https://www.criptadelpeccatooriginale.it/) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| I Musei nazionali di Matera hanno tre sedi (Ridola, Palazzo Lanfranchi, ex Ospedale di San Rocco), aprono tutti i giorni 9.00-20.00 e costano 10 euro per Ridola, 10 per Lanfranchi, 3 per San Rocco, con cumulativo 15 euro valido 2 giorni e abbonamento annuale 25 euro; gratis sotto i 18 anni (2026) | [Musei nazionali di Matera - Ministero della Cultura](https://www.museonazionaledimatera.it/acquisto-biglietto-online/); [doc 2](https://www.museonazionaledimatera.it/chiusura-temporanea-museo-ridola/comunicazioni/) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Il Palombaro Lungo, la grande cisterna scavata sotto piazza Vittorio Veneto a Matera, e' profondo 16 metri, lungo 50 e poteva contenere 5 milioni di litri d'acqua; fu ritrovato ancora pieno d'acqua nel 1991 ed e' gestito dal FAI | [FAI - Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (ente gestore)](https://fondoambiente.it/luoghi/palombaro-lungo) | medium | 2028-12-31 |
| I Sassi e il parco delle Chiese rupestri di Matera sono iscritti nella Lista del Patrimonio Mondiale UNESCO dal 1993 per i criteri culturali (iii), (iv) e (v); l'area tutelata copre 1.016 ettari di core zone e 4.365 ettari di buffer zone | [Ministero della Cultura - Ufficio UNESCO](https://unesco.cultura.gov.it/projects/matera/) | medium | 2099-12-31 |

## Image

https://media.myitalia.it/media/city.matera.1600.jpg
Author: Gianfranco Vitolo. License: CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0).
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Matera_(235706743).jpeg

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