Naples-Circumvesuviana Train Ticket

[HotJet]

We will be in Naples for a one-day stop (7am-6pm) on our cruise in June 2010.

 

We plan to take the Circumvesuviana train from the Naples port (Porta Nolana station) on Corso Garibaldi to visit the Herculaneum ruins at the Ecolana Scavi train stop. We would then like to take the train again to visit Sorrento.

 

Do we need to buy another train ticket at Ecolana or is our original validated ticket from Naples good for a certain timeframe that would allow us to reboard the train and travel on to Sorrento?

 

We will probably take the hydrofoil back to the Naples port from Sorrento.

[euro cruiser]

You need to buy a seperate ticket because they're only good for 90 minutes.

[GSPLover]

Keep in mind that the time ticket is for the completion of the journey (not the start). If you board a train and your ticket has 20 minutes left on it, and your journey is 40 minutes, you could face a fine (if you get caught).

[euro cruiser]

The "if you get caught" phrase is key. Many tourists never see a ticket check during their travels, which leads them to believe it doesn't happen. It does - I witnessed a particularly nasty exchange between a passenger and a ticket checker on the train in Naples once. (I've seen checkers elsewhere in Italy, but never a scene like this.) The passenger had a ticket and it had been properly stamped, but the time had expired. He vehemently argued that it was the train's fault - it was going too slow, he was only one stop from his destination, etc. It got ugly and ended with the passenger being dragged from the train at the next stop.

 

Getting caught isn't usually this entertaining, but it is expensive and would ruin your entire day. Why do people chance it to save less than $5?

[GSPLover]

Saw a similar thing (not quite as bad) on a Pompei to Sorrento train. The passenger was Italian too.

[HotJet]

You need to buy a seperate ticket because they're only good for 90 minutes.

Thanks for the info. The train takes about 70 min from Naples to Sorrento, so one ticket is just enough to get you there with no chance for stops and reboarding. Good to know. I checked and a ticket from Naples to Ercolano is only €1,80.

[jstducky]

Saw a similar thing (not quite as bad) on a Pompei to Sorrento train. The passenger was Italian too.

 

I saw a similar experience, though this was on the OSE Greek Train line. From Athens to Piraeus. (Male) Passenger got on, ticket checker (female) was standing at the station saw the passenger get on without having a ticket. She grabbed his arm and in very loud greek so that this packed train car was staring at them she demanded he get off. She tried to drag him off. But he was much stronger and wouldn't budge. They started to get into a heated debate. As the train doors were very close to closing, the ticket checker shrugged and let the guy stay on the train. At the next stop, a passenger getting off the train handed her still valid ticket to the male passenger for the remainder of his journey.

 

Anyhow, I took saw many a ticket checker (sometimes multiple times on the same journey) during my Italian train travels.