GR/Patras to somewhere in IT-plenty of ferries, some of these give discounts-others may in the end even without pass-discount still offer lower total fare. Double check if these IN IT still run-and if yes, if they will also still take foot-pax, I have not heard/read about these since many years, so no recent info.

DO note that the train connection from the ports you land from GR to Sicilia are not very good, probably have to go via Napoli anyway.

And as all irrate OZzies still in down yundah complain here on this forum: waaaaaaaaaay too early now for definite timings/routes-trains as such -and certainly in those areas, from 2 month advance if for once on time and no ritardo. Timings as such simply use next week for global idea.

Getting across the lower half of Italy from Brindisi is a slow affair and really needs an overnight plan.

If you are adventurous there are a couple of cross country routes from Brindisi to join up with the train to Sicily at Villa S. Giovanni, rather than going up country to Salerno to come back down. You go via Taranto (Tarantum) and then either round the coast to Reggio di Calabria for a short hop to V S G to match up with a boat train to Palermo or a short ferry ride to catch a train from Messina.

Alternatively you can do a more convoluted journey via Cosenzo.

These are all regional stopping trains, but the only alternative is the line from Taranto to Salerno then back down. Regional trains take about 7 to 8 hours to V S G, whereas the trip to Salerno takes about 6 hours and the run to V S G takes about 4 hours. From VSG the run to Palermo takes between 4 and 5 hours. (From Salerno there are direct IC and sleeper trains to Palermo ( about 8 hrs daytime).

OOI there is a daily morning train direct from Palermo to Rome (via Salerno and Naples) or daily sleepers that avoids the ferry crossing.

 

Thanks for the tips. We are in the early planning stages. 

Cheers,

Renee 

We have decided to fly from Athens to Palermo via a 1 hour stop over in Rome. Quicker and easier. Although I do wish it was easier ‍♀️

You may also find a flight to Catania on the other side - a bus or direct train to Palermo would take a few hours, but you would be close to Siracusa (syracuse) and Etna). 

Yes. We are not locked in to Palermo to we will investigate the options. Thanks Yorkie.

Have you ever watched Inspector Montalbano? It is based in Ragusa, not far from Syracuse.

The train to Rome starts in both Syracuse and Palermo and joins in Messina for the run up the coast.