By bicycle: bicycle rentals are affordable (about €9 a day). There are lots of bike rental agencies around the island which is a gift as the scenic beauty is better enjoyed from the saddle and roads are in very good state.
By boat: ferries journey to Cagliari (southern part of the island), Porto Torres (northern area) and Olbia, Golfo Aranci and Arbatax in the east. The companies operating the services are Ferriesonline Tirrenia, Moby Lines, Sardinia Ferries Corsica Ferries, Grandi Navi Veloci, Snav, SNCM, and CMN and Grimaldi. Services depart from Porto Torres, Olbia, Golfo Aranci, Arbatax, Santa Teresa Gallura, Palau and Cagliari and journey to Italian mainland ports, France and Barcelona in Spain. There are also services between Sardinia and Corsica and services by Saremar from Sardinia to smaller islands such as La Maddalena and San Pietro.
By bus: Cagliari, Sassari, Alghero, Nuoro and others are serviced regularly and inexpensively. Services to villages on the island are less often yet rewarding as you get to them. ARST is the most important bus company on Sardinia. There is a guaranteed service daily to every town and village. However, because the island is sparsely populated to get to some off-the-beaten areas a car is recommendable.
By car: buses and trains are good to journey around the area but a car can give you an extra advantage as you will be able to visit off the beaten mesmerizing spots. Islanders tend to drive fast along the narrow winding hilly roads like traffic signals did not exist. Although Sardinia does not afford motorways, roads are in quality state and link the main towns and all transport hubs in a network by dual carriage freeways. The SS131 is the main road sweeping across the island from the north to south, and connecting the most inhabited parts of Sassari (north ) and Cagliari (south) provinces. Through this road Oristano, Olbia and Nuoro are connected. The infrastructure is being improved to meet highway standards. There are roads leading from Sassari to Alghero, Tempio Pausania and Olbia and other roads leading from Cagliari to Tortoli, Iglesias and from Nuoro to Villagrande Strisaili.
By plane: there are some low cost flights to Sardinia by Jet2.com, Ryanair, Easyjet, Airberlin , Germanwings and Meridianafly. The three international airports on the island are located off Cagliari, Alghero and Olbia. They are Alghero Airport, Olbia - Costa Smeralda Airport and Cagliari-Elmas Airport where most major European towns are connected to them. There are two regional airports in Oristano-Fenosu Airport and Tortolì Airport There is a daily service connecting Cagliari-Olbia.
By sailing boat: exploring Sardinia by boat is a wonderful way. There are varied options ranging from bareboat to crewed and cabin charter. One of the agencies renting them is ItalyCharter (tel. 3483337796; info@italycharter.it).
By train: Alghero- Sassari and Sassari- Cagliari are connected by regular trains. If you are in a hurry or on-a-few-day-holidays take a bus which is quicker. When you get to Macomer change to another train or a bus to Nuoro. There are not many services to other towns. The operating companies are Tren and Ferrovie della Sardegna. Only in the summertime the trenino verde, a tourist-oriented service, journeys from Sassari to Tempio along some very little explored landscape of this island.
The railway net work extends all throughout Sardinia. The biggest train network and the one with more modern locomotives is serviced by Tren. It links large towns to the most important ports and the mainland by train ferries. ARST Gestione FdS, aka Ferrovie della Sardegna, is the other operator. These companies services tend to be slow but the Cagliari and Sassari’s electrified tram-trains.