train from Rome to Pompeii

Do you want to go to the city of Pompei or do you want to see the ruins? Pompei has two train stations. The one you see on Trentialia goes to the city. It's a short taxi ride fom the ruins. The one you may want is the Circumvesuviana train that goes from Naples to Sorrento. This is the train that stops at the Pompei ruins. You will want the Pompei-Scavi stop. You can't buy the tickets in advance for this train. It's simply a local train with no reserved seats. It works like your underground except that it's on train tracks above the ground. The fare will be about 3Eu. Really cheap. The Circumvesuviana train (www.vesuviana.it) is not part of the Trenitalia train system. It's a different system. To get to it, you take the Trenitalia train to Naples Centrale, go downstairs to the Circumvesuviana train station, and then buy your ticket.

Jennifer, I'm assuming that you want to travel to the Pompeii ruins site? As the previous reply mentioned, you'll need to use two different trains to reach the site. You'll travel from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale via Trenitalia (the EuroStar Italia / Alta Velocita trains are the quickest), and then Circumvesuviana to Pompeii. Note that the Circumvesuviana has several routes, so be sure to board the correct one (the one you want is the train that goes to Sorrento). Purchasing a "Mini" ticket is certainly a good option, and as long as you have your travel dates firmly set, that's a good way to save money. However, AFAIK those tickets are only for a specific train, travel date and time so you'll be "locked in" once the tickets are purchased. You might find it helpful to have a look at This Excellent Website for full details on the "Mini" tickets. For touring Pompeii, you might consider hiring a local Guide, as that makes the site visit so much more interesting. There are excellent Guides listed in the Italy book, and I'd highly recommend Gaetano Manfredi (be sure to book early, as he's VERY popular - check his website for details). You'll probably be approached by a few local Guides as you enter the site, so you could also use one of those (I have no idea what they charge or what type of tour they provide, as Gaetano provided my tour). Happy travels!

The mini fare is a great way to save money. Only buy it if your travel plans are set. Consider it like buying a non-refundable plane ticket. It's for a specific train at a specific time with no changes or refunds. If this is okay with you then I suggest you buy them and save money. Those fares are limited and will sell out. You can also check different times of the day as the mini fare changes depending on demand. If going to the ruins be sure to buy tickets to Naples. It is from here that you'll board the commuter train, the circumvesuviana, to the ruins. This part of the trip will take about a half hour but is very easy. The commuter station is in the same building as the fast train from Rome. You just go downstairs. You can buy your commuter tickets along the way. Donna

Thank you everyone for your help. I am going to decide on a date and book our train to Naples. You were very helpful. Jennifer