Coach & Minibus Hire in Italy

Bari Palese: Arrivals for Puglia and Matera

Palese, home of Bari's airport, lies some 13 km from the old town and the usual way in for Matera, Alberobello and the Valle d'Itria. A minibus with driver suits Puglia's country roads and the small towns at the end of them.

Quick boarding at the terminal

Barriers and plate readers guard the forecourt, where entry is free for the first quarter of an hour. Tourist buses use their marked bays just long enough to load and unload; for anything longer they move to the bays set aside for waiting. Engines stay off throughout, the auxiliary unit for air conditioning included.

In practice that means a brisk, organised boarding: cases in, everyone seated, and away. Bari publishes no group meeting place, so it is settled with the operator when you book.

Mercedes-Benz V-Class, rear view
Mercedes-Benz V-Class, rear view

Bari Vecchia

Buses stay out of Bari Vecchia, which sits inside a limited-traffic zone, and no official drop-off for coaches has been published. The operator confirms a stop on the surrounding main roads or the seafront, and a short walk takes you in. Access at the Castello gate changed in July 2026.

During the Festa di San Nicola, from 7 to 9 May, crowds, a procession and road closures fill the old town and the seafront, so plan arrivals around them.

The terminals in brief

  • One passenger terminal at Palese

Worth knowing about Bari Airport

  • Alberobello is about 69 km by road, about 1 h 30 min in light traffic.
  • Matera (Piazza Vittorio Veneto) is about 65 km by road, about 1 h 15 min in light traffic.
  • Bari airport is the usual gateway for Matera and the Valle d'Itria.

Matera and Alberobello

Piazza Vittorio Veneto in Matera is 65 km or so away, about an hour and a quarter. Since June 2026 the town's set-down for buses has been Viale delle Nazioni Unite, after which the vehicle must move on to a coach park, and the Sassi are reached only on foot, over steps and uneven paving.

Alberobello takes about an hour and a half, a drive of some 69 km. Buses drop passengers at a checkpoint on Via Michele Viterbo, roughly 700 m from the trulli, and a daily access ticket applies; the rules change often, so they are checked when you book.

What travellers ask us

Is Bari the best airport for Matera?

For most groups, yes: it is the usual gateway, about an hour and a quarter by road.

Can someone with limited mobility visit the Sassi?

Check the route with your guide first. The Sassi are reached only on foot, with steep steps and uneven paving, so a gentler route or a shorter visit may suit better.

Can the minibus stay with us for a few days?

Yes, a minibus with driver can be booked for a multi-day tour of Puglia. EU rules allow the driver at most 9 hours at the wheel a day, with a 45-minute break after 4.5 hours, and the daily plan is built around that.

More places for your group

Other vehicles with a driver