Circumvesuviana-Napoli to Pompeii train schedule

I'm having a heck of a time getting a train schedule for the Circumvesuviana train. We're doing the port ourselves, going from Napoli to Pompeii, and then back to Napoli, stopping at Ercolano (Herculaneum) on the way back if there's time. The Circumvesuviana site doesn't want to give out the schedule (I tried the english and italian parts-it just doesn't work), and I tried the Trenitalia site, too, and that didn't work either. The Trenitalia site has very buggy code, so unless you know exactly what the station is called (and there is no list of stations-the names don't seem to have any rhyme or reason-example Napoli is called "Napoli P.za Garibaldi" and I just fell on that by accident) it comes up with an odd page that dates back to 2002 and doesn't finish loading.:confused:

Sorry that turned into a novel:o , but the upshot is, does anyone know where I can get a schedule? I found what looks like a schedule here:

http://www.massalubrense.it/CIRCUM.HTM

but it's not an official site, so I'm not sure whether to believe it or not!

Here it is from http://www.ondaverde.it/gruppo2i.htm

The Circumvesuviana is a private line so it won't be on the Trenitalia Site and it looks like the timetable info on the Circumvesuviana Site(http://WWW.vesuviana.it) is currently down.

The Circumvesuviana is a fast commuter- like train which runs generally twice an hour. Stops are every 3-4 kilometers and I recall Pompei was the 21st stop (45 min.) from Napoli; Sorrento was almost 30 stops and took 1 1/4 hour. There is a map above each door so you can track your progress.

BTW, the Pompei stop is right at the entrance to the site.

From recent postings, I understand that you have to be carefull in Naples which platform you get on the train at.

knighton

Just remember to go down the stairs to the lower level at Naples station to both buy your tickets AND catch the train. We wasted a lot of time in queues upstairs. And don't forget to validate the ticket you buy in the machine on the wall before travelling

Make sure you get off at Pompeii Scavi station

We are thinking of Herculaneum this year. Is Erculano between Pompeii and Naples? (?same train)

Sue,

Correct, I posted on this board some instructions from a recent visitor on how to get there.

Andy

You really do not need to be too concerned about the schedule. There are frequent trains on this line (at least one or two per hour) and there are a few of their routes that stop at Pompeii. Just be careful that you get on the right train (it can get confusing in the large station) and remember to get off at Pompeii Scavi (not Pompeii).

Hank

My husband and I took the train to Pompeii in late June. I agree that the train schedule is not a problem as it leaves to & from Pompeii frequently. However, getting to the train station from the port is a little more difficult than we anticipated. You cross a (6 lane) busy street directly in front of the Port to a kiosk that sells round trip tickets for the train and includes the streetcar/shuttle bus to get you to the train station. The shuttle "to" is easy to find (in the center of the busy street you just crossed)....but when trying to find the same route for your return from the train station, it's quite a walk, while trying to avoid Kamikazi drivers that won't stop much less slow down...and no crosswalks. Once you find the correct bus...people cram on like sardines...seriously....I had sweaty men pressed up against every part of my body...not a pleasant experience...my husband and I just had to laugh...really got the local flavor. I don't know how much taxi fare would have been but would recommend taking a taxi from the train station back to the pier. And when you get to Pompeii, you can rent the audio guides for about 8 euro and they worked out great for us.

April all the info people posted above is accurate, and we would only add that we took the same train a few weeks ago from Naples through Pompeii to Sorrento, and we "negotiated" the taxi from the ship to the train station at 10 euros, I think he started at 15E. Don't try walking it, even though it's perhaps a 20-30 minute walk, it's through a bad area, rundown industrial, bums sleeping on the street. When you go down one level to get the Circ train, if you need a ticket they're sold at the magazine stand. Then you'll see several cue lines leading to the trains, ask the train staff which line is for the Circ train to Pompeii, then put your ticket in the machine, it will validate it and spit it back out, or beep at you if you insert it wrong or it doesn't like it. We had to stick ours in a few times before it worked. Then you go through the turnstile, and the train platform is right there. If you don't do this, and board with an unvalidated ticket, and the inspectors catch you, we were told it's an immediate fine. We didn't see any train inspectors.

These Circumvesuvius trains run every 20 minutes, and cost a few euros, ours to Sorrento was 3 euros each, very cheap. The run was a disappoitment, no views, through industrial areas, some residential areas, lots of tunnels, nothing much to see. And there is no A/C, but all the windows are wide open, and it helps to move to seats on the shady side of the train. As mentioned the stops are posted above the doors, just like in our subway trains. Lots of local flavor, at one stop a beggar got on playing an accordian, sending a little girl about 5 y.o. around with a cup begging for money. She had practiced the saddest face you ever saw, but no one coughed up anything.

The hydrofoils from Naples are much nicer, 7 euros, nice views, smooth ride, leave from the same dock as the ship, but I don't think they go to Pompeii, just Sorrento and further south, and Capri.

We did Herculaneum, here's the link to our photos, click on the Western Med section:

http://community.webshots.com/user/rob42ca

Thanks to everyone for the great info-it's a huge help! This is going to be so much fun-I'm glad we can figure out how to do this on our own-it will be so much better than a ships tour that rushes through it , doesn't bother to stop at Herculaneum, and makes us stop at a "cameo factory". (Unless we take the separate Herculaneum tour, which also just happens to stop at the "cameo factory". :rolleyes: )

Very useful information and very helpful for my August 18 Brilliance trip. Just one further question: looking on http://www.metrodelmare.com/ there seem to be two Naples stops for the Hydrofoil, Napoli Beverello and Napoli Mergellina. Can anyone please advise which is the most suitable stop to get back on the ship? Also, how far is it from the Hydrofoil to the ship - can you see the ship when you get off the Hydrofoil?

Thanks.

Andrew:)

Try this link: http://www.trenitalia.com/home/en/index.html

I don't know the name of the particular dock, but I do know that the hydrofoil went from the same port as we were moored on the Brilliance last September. You buy the ticket from the dock office and the hydrofoil is right nearby.

We plan to hydrofoil to Sorrento, then catch the train to Herculaneum, then back to Naples and taxi to the Splendour this year

Andrew, yes it's a bit confusing because there are 2 hydrofoil companies, one is the Metrodelmare mentioned and we took the other one, Jet Napoli something. They are both nice boats. In Sorrento their docks are about 50 yards apart, confusing for tourists, no clear signs, the cashier selling tickets wasn't even sure where it would arrive, but the docks have letters at each jetty and by talking to crew and others in Sorrento at the dock we figured out which letter was for us. There are other fairly large boats coming and going that aren't for tourists, they seem to be from resorts on Capri etc.

In Naples our cruise ship the Sunbird was docked at the Beverello dock, and the hydrofoil was at the same dock, you just walk around the terminal building and it's there on the other side.

On the local map we got in Naples it shows the hydrofoils leaving the Beverello dock to Sorrento, Capri, and Ischia-Procida, and the ones from the Stazione Maritima dock (next dock north) going to Eolie, Sicily, and Cagliari. Then is shows ferries/hydrofoils going from the Mergellina dock (perhaps a mile north) going to Ischia, Capri, Sorrento, and Eolie. It's published by the tourism association: http://www.inaples.it.

-Bob

Andrew I thought I'd post this ... we were moving our cruise stuff and guess what fell out, our hydrofoil ticket from Sorrento to Naples, so now I have the name of the company sailing from the Beverello dock in Naples to Sorrento and thte Amalfi area, and Capri, it's called Linee Maritime Partenopee, and their web site is: http://www.consorziolmp.it. I haven't surfed there to see what it's got. The ticket was 7.5 euros to Sorrento.

-Bob

.We did Herculaneum, here's the link to our photos, click on the Western Med section:

http://community.webshots.com/user/rob42ca

Those are great pics - thanks for the link. Can't wait for Sorrento and Herculaneum in September :D

Is it feasible to take the hydrofoil to Sorrento, spend some time, then the train to Pompeii (spend some more time) before going back to Naples and the ship? We will be there from 7am - 7pm. Knowing my family, we probably won't get off the boat until 8-9am, and definately want to be back onboard by 6 or so.

Will this work? How do you get from the hydrofoil in Sorrento to town, and more precisely, the train station?

Thanks.

Ann Marie

We JUST DID THIS THING... we took the SITA BUS, bought the ARTE CARD at the SITA BUS STATION, which is about 3 blocks from where the ship docked. We were on the BRILLIANCE OF SEAS, RCCL. WE took the bus to POMPEII SCAVI, and did POMPEII from about 9:30 to 11:30. We then took the TRAIN, which you catch right outside POMPEII, and took it to SORRENTO. We had lunch at AURORA's PIZZA, which the ship recommended, best PIZZA I ever had... and then we paid 15.00 EURO for 2 of us, and took the HYDROFOIL back to the SHIP, the HYDROFOIL stops about 1 BLOCK from where the ship was.. worked out well, and we got back at about 5:00 to the ship.

:)