Is Bari Safe in September 2026?

Around Bari Centrale railway station and the busy street markets, thieves often work in teams: one person creates a distraction by asking directions, jostling, or staging a small commotion while an accomplice empties your bag or pockets, with risk highest in the underpasses and at night.

How to avoid: Keep bags closed and in front of you on platforms and in crowds, and be wary of anyone who creates a fuss or crowds you near the station. Avoid the underground passages and station surroundings late at night.

In the crowded lanes of Bari Vecchia, especially the squares around the cathedral and Basilica di San Nicola and inside small shops, skilled pickpockets lift wallets and phones from distracted tourists; one reported victim lost a purse with 150 euros while buying water just outside the cathedral without feeling a thing.

How to avoid: Carry only what you need in a front pocket or a zipped cross-body bag worn in front; never use back pockets or open tote bags. Stay alert when stopping at shops, gelaterie, or photo spots where you slow down and lower your guard.

At Karol Wojtyla airport, unofficial drivers approach arrivals offering 'cheaper' rides but charge far more than the roughly 20-25 euro metered fare to the centre; some licensed drivers run a tampered meter, take long routes, or claim that tipping is 'required by law'.

How to avoid: Ignore anyone soliciting rides inside the terminal and use only the official white taxi rank outside. Confirm the meter is running and reset, ask for a rough fare estimate, and know that tipping is never legally mandatory.

At Bari ATMs and shop card readers, machines push you to 'pay in your home currency' (dynamic currency conversion) at a padded exchange rate, and contactless cards can be skimmed in crowds; choosing the home-currency option quietly inflates the cost of every withdrawal and purchase.

How to avoid: Always choose to be charged in euros, never your home currency, and decline the conversion when offered. Use ATMs attached to real bank branches, shield the keypad, and keep contactless cards in an RFID-blocking sleeve in a front pocket.

Taxis serving the Stazione Marittima ferry terminal and Bari Centrale sometimes quote inflated off-meter 'fixed' prices to ferry passengers heading to Greece, Albania, or Croatia, exploiting travelers with heavy luggage who don't know the short distances involved.

How to avoid: Insist on the meter rather than a negotiated flat fare, or take the city bus (line 50 links the station and port) since the terminal is only about 2 km from the centre. Write your destination in Italian and check the official rate card.