If you’re staying in Cagliari without a car, going to the beach is actually quite easy. Poetto has always been the obvious option, Calamosca isn’t far from the city centre and several CTM buses continue along the coast towards Quartu Sant’Elena.

Since summer 2026, you can go much farther using CTM.

A new seasonal line now connects Quartu Sant’Elena with Mari Pintau and Kal’e Moru, two beaches that were already reachable by public transport in some cases, but not through the normal CTM network in such a simple and cheap way. The service runs every day from July 4 to September 13, 2026 and uses the standard CTM fare: €1.30 for a 90-minute ticket.

This is particularly useful if you’re staying around Via Roma, Piazza Matteotti or the Marina district. Piazza Matteotti is next to Cagliari’s train station and ARST bus station, several CTM lines stop there, and from most of the Marina you can simply walk to the station area and start from there.

Beach	Best for	Beach type	Getting there
Poetto	The easiest option	Sand	Very easy
Calamosca	A small city beach	Sand and pebbles	Easy
Margine Rosso	More space and less bustle	Sand	Easy
Mari Pintau	Water and setting	Mainly pebbles	Some planning required
Kal’e Moru	A longer sandy beach day	Sand	Some planning required

Before you go: download BusFinder

If you’re planning to use CTM buses during your stay, I’d download BusFinder straight away. It’s the official CTM app and, apart from checking routes, stops and real-time arrivals, you can also buy your tickets directly from your phone.

So you don’t need to look for a shop selling paper tickets every time you want to catch a bus.

Once you’re on board, open the ticket, tap “Valida” and scan one of the QR codes inside the bus. They’re not difficult to find: there are codes near the ticket validators, above the exit doors and in other parts of the passenger area.

If you change bus, there’s one extra step to remember. Open the app again, tap “Trasborda” and scan another QR code on the second bus. You don’t have to buy another ticket if the first one is still valid, but you do have to validate the transfer.

And keep an eye on your phone battery, especially if you’re spending the whole day at the beach. If you’re travelling with a digital ticket, you’ll still need to be able to show it if there’s an inspection.

You can also use Google Maps to plan most bus trips around Cagliari. It’s particularly useful if you don’t know the area, because you can simply enter the beach as your destination and it will show you which stop to use, where to change buses and how much walking is involved.

For live bus times, however, I’d still use BusFinder. CTM provides real-time arrivals through its own app, while Google Maps is mainly useful for planning the route and checking the scheduled times.

You can find all the instructions on the official BusFinder page.

1. Poetto

BEST FOR: The easiest beach day

BUS: Poetto Express, PF, PQ and several other CTM lines

FARE: €1.30

BEACH: Sand

GOOD TO KNOW: The beach gets wider as you move towards Quartu

Poetto is the easiest choice, especially if you don’t want to spend time planning buses and connections. It’s almost eight kilometres long and stretches from the Sella del Diavolo area towards Quartu Sant’Elena and Margine Rosso.

What I wouldn’t do, though, is think of Poetto as one single, identical beach from beginning to end.

The Cagliari side, particularly around Marina Piccola and closer to the Sella del Diavolo, has less room in some sections and can get very crowded in summer. I also find the sand in parts of this area less pleasant if I just want to lie down for a few hours. During the busiest weeks I’ve sometimes found these sections a little dirtier too.

As you continue towards Quartu, the beach becomes much wider. In my experience, even in high season it’s usually easier to find some space there without ending up right next to another towel.

Poetto is also the easiest option if you want services. There are plenty of kiosks, beach clubs and places to eat and drink along the coast, so you don’t really need to bring much with you.

2. Calamosca

BEST FOR: A small beach close to the city

BUS: CTM Line 11 in summer

FARE: €1.30

BEACH: Sand and pebbles

GOOD TO KNOW: There’s not a lot of room on the main beach

Calamosca is only around four kilometres from central Cagliari, but it has very little in common with Poetto. It’s a small bay between the Sella del Diavolo and Capo Sant’Elia, with a mix of sand and smooth pebbles.

I go there knowing that space can be a problem. The main section of the beach isn’t very large and once people start adding umbrellas, chairs and towels, it fills up quickly. In July and August, especially at the weekend, going early makes quite a difference.

There are also some rocky areas on the sides of the main beach. They’re obviously not as comfortable as the sandy part, but if the beach is full — or if you simply prefer to stay a little away from everyone else — they can be a good alternative.

There’s also a bar and beach equipment rental nearby, which is useful if you’re only going for a few hours and don’t want to carry too much stuff from the city.

3. Margine Rosso

BEST FOR: More space and a quieter beach

BUS: PF / PQ / 1Q

FARE: €1.30

BEACH: Sand

GOOD TO KNOW: Technically part of Poetto, but the atmosphere is quite different

Margine Rosso is technically the last part of Poetto (but in Quartu Sant’Elena’s territory), so yes, I could have left it out and called it all the same beach. I’ve included it because when you’re actually there, it doesn’t feel quite the same.

It’s less fashionable and definitely more basic than the central parts of Poetto. There’s no continuous promenade running behind the beach, you don’t have kiosks everywhere and the coastal road is right next to you, so traffic is much more noticeable.

That said, I often prefer it when I simply want some space. It’s generally quieter and the beach is wide enough that finding a comfortable spot is usually easier. The sea and sand are basically the continuation of Poetto anyway.

There’s also a practical reason to know where Margine Rosso is in summer 2026: the new CTM bus to Mari Pintau and Kal’e Moru stops here. If you’re coming from Cagliari, this can be one of the easiest places to change buses and continue along the coast.

4. Mari Pintau

BEST FOR: Water and setting

BUS: CTM coastal line in summer 2026 / ARST Line 101

FARE: €1.30 with CTM

BEACH: Mainly pebbles

GOOD TO KNOW: Reef shoes can make a big difference

Mari Pintau is probably the one I’d look at first if the water and the setting were the main reason for choosing a beach. I like it a lot, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it the most comfortable option on this list.

The most important thing to know is simple: the beach is mainly made of smooth stones and pebbles, not sand. You have to walk over them to get into the water and, depending on how sensitive your feet are, this can be quite annoying. Reef shoes help a lot.

Once you’re in the water, however, the bottom changes completely. After the first strip of stones, it becomes very fine and sandy, and the water remains shallow for several metres. That pale bottom is also one of the reasons the sea can take on the very bright turquoise colour Mari Pintau is known for.

There’s a kiosk selling coffee, drinks, ice cream, snacks, sandwiches and simple food, while part of the beach is occupied by a beach club.

Parking is another thing to keep in mind if you’re thinking of coming back by car another day. There’s no large car park right next to the beach and many people park along the road, which isn’t particularly convenient during the busiest part of summer. By bus, at least, you can ignore that problem.

5. Kal’e Moru

BEST FOR: A longer, more comfortable beach day

BUS: New CTM coastal service in summer 2026

FARE: €1.30 with CTM

BEACH: Sand

GOOD TO KNOW: A better choice than Mari Pintau if you really want sand

Kal’e Moru is only a short distance from Mari Pintau, but the two beaches are actually quite different.

The biggest difference is also the most obvious one: Kal’e Moru has sand. The beach is wider too, so if your idea is to arrive in the morning, put down a towel and stay for several hours, I find it considerably more comfortable.

There’s a parking area a few steps from the beach, which is paid during the summer season, as well as a beach club and a kiosk.

Between the two, my choice really depends on the kind of day I’m planning. Mari Pintau wins for me if the water and the setting are the priority; Kal’e Moru makes more sense if I want sand, more room and somewhere comfortable enough to stay until late afternoon.

Getting to Mari Pintau and Kal’e Moru from central Cagliari

Mari Pintau and Kal’e Moru require a little more planning than the first three beaches, especially if you’re starting in central Cagliari.

From July 4 to September 13, CTM runs a daily service from via Beethoven in Quartu Sant’Elena towards Mari Pintau, Kal’e Moru and Geremeas. The buses leave every hour between 8:00 and 17:00, and both Mari Pintau and Kal’e Moru are served throughout the day.

If you’re staying in Cagliari, you don’t necessarily need to travel all the way to via Beethoven. The bus also stops at Margine Rosso, which you can already reach from Cagliari using regular CTM lines such as PF and PQ.

This is probably the connection I’d check first if I were starting around Piazza Matteotti or Via Roma: Cagliari to Margine Rosso, then the coastal bus from there.

A normal CTM ticket costs €1.30 and is valid for 90 minutes. If the connection works well, the whole trip can fit within the same ticket. If you’re using BusFinder, remember to tap “Trasborda” and scan the QR code again on the second bus.

The only problem is the waiting time. If you arrive at Margine Rosso just after the coastal bus has passed, those 90 minutes become much less useful. For this trip I would definitely check BusFinder before leaving.

You can find the current timetable and the full list of stops on the official CTM page for the 2026 coastal service.

So, which one makes more sense?

Poetto is the easiest option: frequent buses, lots of services and almost no planning.

Calamosca is a better fit if you want a small bay close to the city, but in summer I’d still try to get there early.

Margine Rosso gives you more space and a quieter atmosphere, although you lose the promenade, kiosks and livelier feel of central Poetto.

For the beaches farther east, it mostly comes down to what you want from the day: Mari Pintau for the water and the setting; Kal’e Moru for sand, more room and a more comfortable full day at the beach.