Shoot location tips, Puglia. Trains, Planes and Automobiles.
Tips for Crews. Puglia’s infrastructure and quirks
Puglia is well serviced by air and by road. Trains are reliable and clean. We are lucky. Getting to and from your shoot location should be straight forward. We want to help smooth the way for our Crews and Clients.
Planes
The two main airports are Bari and Brindisi. Bari is the bigger airport, and Brindisi is the smaller one further south, there is only an hour or so between the two by car.
At certain times of the year, out of high holiday season the flights are super cheap and in season more choice but book ahead. Just like anywhere with a great climate really.
Both airports are really close to the main artery road, known as the Adriatico (E55). I have often arrived late at night, tired, collected my hire car and been out of the airport in super quick time and swiftly onto the road. Still wrangling with the gear box on the other side, haha. A problem real Europeans will not struggle with of course and a penance that the British have to bear!
Bari: https://bari.airports.aeroportidipuglia.it/en/
Brindisi: https://brindisi.airports.aeroportidipuglia.it/en/
Automobiles
You and your crew will need your own car/s in Puglia. Taxis are few and far between out of Bari and expensive to boot. Private hire vehicles with drivers do exist. Ask me about this if that is what you need.
The established car hire companies have representation at both airports. Most large towns have hire companies too. Book ahead. At some times of year prices start at 5 Euros a day for an economy car.
Roads can be small, with very unforgiving but beautiful stone walls either side. Give yourselves time. In rural areas there are tractors and farm machinery all around, pootling from A to B, not to mention the sweetest of all the Piaggio Ape that phutphut at a very sedate pace…La vita lenta is real but that is why we love it here.
Tip: We do not have Uber or similar here.
Navigating. I know from my own shoot experience that finding locations in rural settings anywhere in the world is one of the most challenging and irritating things, plus wasting time makes you hot and bothered before you have even arrived. We want you to maximise your time shooting not faffing on the side of the road trying to find that elusive signal that you had 30 seconds ago.
All of our houses have Wi-Fi so once you arrive on set you’ll be able to get connected to your team back at the office or family and friends.
Sat nav may well be reliable in your car but if it isn’t you may struggle with your phone to navigate. Phone signal varies tremendously for one little patch to another.
Tip: get What 3 Words on your phones and use it. All location’s info packs contain the W3W locations.
Another great app that does not require any signal at all or data is Maps.me. It is free and an excellent app.
Tip: Download the Puglia Map before you leave home and then you are covered.
Tolls
South of Bari there are no more tolls.
Parking
All of our location’s info packs state the parking situation, most will have ample parking for your crew vehicles and delivery vehicles to enter. This is part of my recce process.
In town parking is free in the areas designated with white boxes. Blue boxes are paid, find the machine and display your ticket. Yellow are with permission only like handicapped or a loading bay. Pink is for pregnant woman and parents.
Tip: Never leave anything in your car whilst parked.
Trains
I find them reliable, clean and really well priced, if you are coming from further north it is well worth checking them out against flying. I would not suggest you try to navigate around once arrived in Puglia by train. Most location houses are out of towns.
Tip:…Warning - Not all named stations are within the town that they share a name with. Do your home work on the exact location of the station with regards to the named destination… Carovigno, Ostuni and Cisternino are all examples of stations that are not within the town, not even close!
Thank you for dropping in and hopefully this is a useful snippet.
Copyright 2025 Fiona Walker-Arnott, Shoot Puglia