Whoever said you cannot do Sardinia without a car...LIED TO YOU!
Two weeks ago, I (F24) came back from a solo trip to Sardinia. I booked the trip on a whim, without really researching the feasibility of it without hiring a car. Everything I saw online said how it is not worth it to do it solely on public transport, that the transport is unreliable and I would miss all the good spots. This was entirely not the case, and I want other people in my position to know it was completely doable and manageable on public transport, I saw so many amazing things and I actually found the local buses to be super reliable (I never got one that didn't show up at the exact time google maps said it would be). I am going to leave my itinerary below, in case any one is interested in how I did it, and what I saw, as well as tips for the public transport in Sardinia.
Day One: Arrive to Olbia
I flew into Olbia and got in for around midday. I got the local bus (no 10) to the city centre (took 12 minutes) and then explored the city, ate lunch and checked into my airbnb. I got a ticket for the bus right as I was leaving the airport, there are two fairly hidden away booths where you can buy a ticket. I went out for dinner and drinks in Olbia for the evening, before heading to an Irish pub to watch the first England World Cup match.
Day Two: Olbia
I had a cappuccino in Olbia before getting the local bus (no 04) to Spiaggia Pittulongu to catch a tan before my afternoon plans. It's not the most beautiful beach, but I just wanted to lie on a beach that was near and easy to get to. The afternoon, I booked perhaps my favourite part of the trip, I went on a dolphin and snorkel trip. The tour I did was: https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g187879-d17402777-Dolphin_Watching_Tour_with_Snorkeling_from_Olbia-Sardinia.html This was amazing, as I got to experience the amazing waters of Olbia without needing a car, and it was a great way to meet people. Again, it was super easy to get there on public transport, taking the local bus (no 01).
Day Three: La Maddalena
When staying in the north of Sardinia, it seemed that La Maddalena was a pretty unmissable thing to do. This was one of the longer journeys, where I took the public bus (Linea 601) to Palau. This is a different bus to the local ones in Olbia, however was very accessible, take a book and the journey was lovely going through Sardinia. I did another boat tour: https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g612430-d15135674-La_Maddalena_Archipelago_Boat_Tour_from_Palau-La_Maddalena_Maddalena_Islands_Provi.html which was less intimate than the day's before, but it was still gorgeous and got to see some truly amazing and beautiful beaches in the La Maddalena archipelago.
Day Four: Olbia > Cagliari
I was flying out of Cagliari, so travelled down at this point. I got the train from Olbia to Cagliari, which involved a change of trains at Ozieri Chilivani. The train was really quick, probably quicker than driving, with the total journey being just over 3 hours. The train was really affordable, at a 16€ journey. I bought the ticket on Trainline the week before. The trains themselves were on time, spacious and air-conditioned.
Day Five: Villasimius
I really wanted to go to Villasimius as I heard such amazing things about the water there. I was so glad I went, taking the bus from the main bus station in Cagliari to the town on the Linea 135. Again the journey was a little longer, but nothing a book wouldn't solve and it was incredibly beautiful, especially on the way back as the sun was setting and was also the day of the summer solecist. I went to Spaggia Simius, which was about a 30 minute, relatively flat walk from the town. I got food and beers from the supermarket and rented a sun lounger and a parasol for 35€ for the day. It was absolutely gorgeous and my favourite day of the trip.
How to use public transport
I found all my routes on Google Maps, and as I mentioned, there was not one time in which the bus did not come at the exact minute Google Maps said it would take.
I bought tickets for the bus through apps, like Aspo Olbia for the local buses in Olbia and Drop Ticket for the buses that went out of the towns of Olbia and Cagliari (like the ones to La Maddalena and Villasimius). For local buses in Cagliari, I used CTM BusFinder. It works where you pay a small fee (like 1-2€) for the ticket, and then you had unlimited use for 90 mins, or a bit more (like 3-4€) and you could use it for the whole day.
I had the most amazing time, and I hope this inspires, even just one person, that public transport around Sardinia is not only possible, but really easy. Just plan exactly what you want to do, be prepared to pay for a boat trip and don't take everything so seriously!