Train to Pompeii

[cynbar]

We are a family of 4 and have booked a private guide for our tour of Pompeii. The guide has suggested we take the train from the port in Naples. Can anyone give us some guidance and feedback for doing this? Will it be hard to navigate for cruisers who don't speak a word of Italian? Are the stations easy to find, easy to navigate? Would this add a lot of extra walking to our day, since I know we'll cover a lot of ground at the site? Any and all advice will be appreciated, this is a totally new undertaking for us.

[euro cruiser]

I can explain how to take the local train (the Circumvesuviana) but first I have a suggestion - use the public bus.

 

The bus is easier to get to from the port (about a third of a mile, on foot, inside the port area), this depot is the start of the line, so no standing on the street looking for the bus, and there is a ticket office at the depot.  You can purchase both your outbound and return tickets (andata e ritorno) there in the morning.

 

Also, with the bus you are pretty much guaranteed a seat (because most cruisers don't know about this option) and the AC works.  Neither is true with the Circumvesuviana train.

 

Once at Pompei it's a short walk (two-tenths of a mile) from the bus stop to the main entrance of the ruins.

 

There is a bus from the depot, called Varco Immacolatella, at 8:00 that arrives to Pompei at 8:35.  What time are you meeting your guide?

[Thejuggler]

Rome2rio is the site for all public transport queries.

 

We have used the train from Sorrento to Pompeii and it was easy enough. No need for Italian as the ticket staff are dealing with thousands of passengers a year from all over the world asking for the same tickets.

 

The trains on the line are old, busy, no aircon and not that reliable, but its a nice trip.  
 

Pompeii is huge, its all in the open air so take plenty of water and snacks, a hat and sun lotion if visiting during the summer as it could be 85+ degrees.

 

 Don't try and do it all, you will know when you have had enough!

Edited March 26 by Thejuggler

[euro cruiser]

Rome2Rio is only a good start, it's riddled with misinformation and it is incomplete, so you're only ever getting part of the story.  Always double check anything you learn from that site.

 

Also, adding to my first post about the bus, you could take the bus to get to Pompei and a train (either the Circumvesuviana or Trenitalia) to get back to Naples if you like.  The same ticket that works on the bus will also be good on either train.

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

Rome2Rio is only a good start, it's riddled with misinformation and it is incomplete, so you're only ever getting part of the story.  Always double check anything you learn from that site.

 

I wanted to add my emphatic agreement with this. 

 

It's a starting point but can at best only give you an overview or suggestion to work from.

 

[acrane]

Piggybacking on this, does anyone have thoughts on taking a taxi vs taking the bus, assuming the cost isn't an issue? Is it hard to get a taxi to agree to give you more than 2 hours at the site?

[marazul]

5 minutes ago, acrane said:

Piggybacking on this, does anyone have thoughts on taking a taxi vs taking the bus, assuming the cost isn't an issue? Is it hard to get a taxi to agree to give you more than 2 hours at the site?

Not at all if you pay whatever they are asking.  

[euro cruiser]

It's not hard to get a driver to give you additional time.  I would go into the negotiation with a number firmly in mind, then you can decide if what he asks seems reasonable to you.