Under an hour to the old port
Monopoli is the next town down the coast from Polignano and one of the better bases in northern Puglia: a walled centre, a working port, and rented houses in easy reach of the trulli inland. The drive from Bari Airport is roughly 50 minutes — that is an approximation derived from the distance rather than a published operator time, since Polignano at about 40 minutes is the measured point on this road.
The arrival is the part where a local driver earns the fare. Monopoli’s centro storico is largely pedestrian, so cars stop at the edge and the last stretch is on foot. Knowing which gate to aim for, and where a car can legally wait, is the difference between a five-minute walk and twenty minutes of circling.
Price, and why we cannot publish one
We would rather say this plainly than pad the page with a made-up figure. None of the verified Puglia chauffeur companies publish per-route fares — they quote from a form, so the only public numbers anywhere on this coast are the official airport taxi tariff and the transfer aggregators. For scale, the neighbouring Bari to Polignano route has a fixed official airport taxi fare of 80 EUR with aggregator listings around 104 to 110 EUR; Monopoli sits a little beyond that. Use it as an anchor and let us come back with the real number.
A private transfer here is an NCC — licensed chauffeur hire booked in advance, a different regulated service from the metered taxi at the rank — which is why it is agreed per vehicle before you fly rather than by meter afterwards.
Vehicles and party size
The fleets on this route run Mercedes E-class sedans for up to 3 passengers, V-class and Vito vans for 7 to 8, and Sprinters for larger groups, with wifi in the vans and English-speaking drivers. Send the real luggage count, not the passenger count — a week for six in Puglia usually means a van rather than a car.
Child seats: at least one Bari company supplies them free, others on request, and Italian law requires child restraints in cars. Ages and weights need to arrive with the booking, because the seat goes in before your flight does.
Both ends, and the days between
The verified companies cover Bari airport, the cruise terminal and the station through to Polignano, Monopoli, Ostuni, Alberobello, Matera and Brindisi airport, so one firm can usually take your arrival, your departure and a day trip in the middle. They also sell hourly hire and half-day town tours — frequently the better buy on a day you want a driver rather than a guided tour. Book early for the June-to-August peak.
We do not own vehicles or employ drivers. We take your flight details to a licensed local company, confirm directly, and stay reachable.
Once you are here: a charter from Monopoli, the boat trip to the Polignano caves, a cooking class or a private chef. Everything is on the Puglia page.
Request availability with your flight number, party size and the ages of any children.