Getting to Mt Vesuvius from Cruise Port

[jenchamby]

I was wondering if anyone could give me advice on the best way to get to Mt Vesuvius from the Cruise Port.  I’ve found an excursion through Get Your Guide but it seems pricey.  Is it easy to get there via train/bus?

[euro cruiser]

It's relatively easy.

 

As I was answering your question I discovered that Vesuvio Express now offers service from Naples, so you no longer need to take the local train to Ercolano to get the bus.  That's a big improvement.

 

Right now advance tickets are required for the climb to the crater's edge and they can only be purchased on line.  Vesuvio Express will buy them for you but they charge quite a lot more for that service.  It's not hard to do it yourself.

 

HOWEVER, if you want the bus from Naples the only offer is the transfer including the ticket.  You have to go to Ercolano (which means the local Circumvesuviana train from Naples) to get the transfer only option.

 

The Transfer and ticket from Naples costs 40 euro.  On your own it would cost 28,48 euro (Circumvesuviana train 2,40 euro each way, plus transfer only from Ercolano 12 euro, plus the self-purchased ticket 11,68 euro).  So you pay quite a premium for the convenience, but I would seriously consider it.

 

Here is the national park web site with the link for tickets, which are sold:  The Great Cono | Vesuvius National Park (parconazionaledelvesuvio.it)

 

Tickets are only sold up to 30 days prior.

 

Here is the website for Vesuvio Express:  Vesuvio Express Transfer For the Vesuvio

 

You will see that the transfer alone from Ercolano is 12 euro, while the transfer plus ticket is 30 euro.

[euro cruiser]

The closest Vesuvio Express bus pickup to the cruise port in Naples is at Piazza Giovanni Bovio, which is just 900 meters/six-tenths of a mile on foot from the cruise port.

[jenchamby]

Thanks for the info! It looks like the only time the bus does the Naples run is at 7:25am.  The ship doesn’t dock until 7 so I don’t think we could make it

[edinburgher]

10 hours ago, jenchamby said:

Thanks for the info! It looks like the only time the bus does the Naples run is at 7:25am.  The ship doesn’t dock until 7 so I don’t think we could make it

The train station is actually Ercolano SCAVI, the same station you would you use to visit Herculaneum, a few minutes downhill walk from the train station, meaning you could actually combine a visit to both Vesuvius and Herculaneum if you wanted to, or  as a "Plan B" (as you will be there anyway), choose Herculaneum alone should your Vesuvius plans  not work out on the day.

[euro cruiser]

They run all day from Ercolano, so the fallback is to take the Circumvesuviana train from the Porta Nolana station in Naples (2.2 km/1.3 miles from the cruise port, on foot) to Ercolano Scavi and use the Vesuvio Express service from there.  Their office is located in the piazza in front of the train station.

 

Circumvesuviana schedule:  ORARI NAPOLI - POGGIOMARINO dal 3 Luglio_0.pdf (eavsrl.it)

 

There is a second line that makes a few stops at Ercolano but most now are on the Poggiomarino line:  ORARI NAPOLI SORRENTO dal 17 Luglio_0.pdf (eavsrl.it)  Note that the express trains are more expensive, not really worth it for this short trip.

 

You can also get to the station in Naples by using the #1 tram, located in the street in front of the cruise port.  You'll need a ticket for the tram (1,20 euro) which you can buy at several places in/near the cruise port.  You must validate the ticket on the tram by inserting it in the stamping machine.

 

There are both ticket booths and ticket machines at the Porta Nolana station, for the trip to Ercolano Scavi you need the NA2 Aziendale ticket, which costs 2,40 euro.  I would buy two of these in the morning, so you have one for the return.

Edited August 23, 2023 by euro cruiser

[jenchamby]

Thanks for the help! I decided to book the transfer and ticket from Ercolano!  I booked the 11 o’clock to give myself some time should I choose to visit Herculaneum