A private driver would be the easiest and most expensive. Is it worth taking the train to go thur the cities en route or better to take the ferry to Naples and the fast train to Rome? We are not in a big hurry as we are overnighing in Rome or an airport hotel as our flight is at 7:15p the next day.
Thank you in advance.
The cheapest is the local train from Naples to Sorrento. For me it was a miserable experience so on a return trip I hired a private driver from Rome FCO to Sorrento and back to Rome. Very expensive but we were six people so the difference in fare was minimal enough to make the decision easy.
Many people would take a private driver to the Naples rail station. You did not give the month of the year, which makes a huge difference. You have to deal with the fact that Frecciarossa tickets are not exchangeable or refundable, so you have to be on time. You chose to stay in a place that's a little hard to reach. I would never take the SITA bus (note that you did not explain whether you are before or after Amalfi town, where you have to change busses!) followed by the squalid Circumvesuviana train. Are you in a town where there might be HUNDREDS of steps between your hotel and the bus or taxi road? Some people write "best" when they mean "cheapest" or "fastest". "best" really is an opinion, and although you said you're not in a hurry, we don't really know your priorities. The ride from Amalfi town to Sorrento has nice views. The rest of the ride, either to Naples or Rome has forgettable views. You might have to specify the long ride with views if your driver knows a faster way to Naples, BTW. And you might have to pay extra for his time in traffic.
We paid our Sorrento hotel 95 Euros to drive us to the Naples rail station. It was money well spent, especially since we would have paid 15 Euros at least for a cab to the Circumvesuviana in Sorrento.
A little perspective -- The Circumvesuviannan is an old, private, commuter line. IF you have ridden the subway in New York or the "L" in Chicago, it is comparable. We have been on it a number of times and didn't find it that gruesome and the ride is not that long. It works if you have to use it. On the other hand, private drivers are nice. Depending on where you are on the Amalfi coast you could catch the train to Rome at Salerno.
You could go to Salerno by Ferry (leaving from Positano, Amalfi etc. ) check the travelmar.com website for times and ports. You can then get the train from Salerno to Rome. You can also take the Ferry from Sorrento to Naples (Alilauro) is the ferry company. You can repurchase tickets on Direct Ferries.com or when you get there, and then the train from there to Rome to bypass the Circumvesuviana. You can check the Rome2Rio website for some transportation ideas. Not always 100% on their scheduling, but it will give you some ideas. If we knew when and where you were staying, we could be a little more definitive on the options.
I agree with the suggestion to ferry to Salerno, walk the relatively short walk to the train station and take the train to Rome! We booked tickets for the Frecciarossa online and it was a relaxing trip to Rome.
Where are you staying on the Amalfi Coast? That can make a difference. Season can also make a difference so when will you be traveling?
We've also taken the Circumvesuviana from Sorrento without any trauma but your ability to deal with it depends on how much big-city public transit you've previously experienced.
Private driver for two from the coast to Rome would definitely be more than we'd want to fork over!
I just returned from the Amalfi coast two days ago. I stayed for four days in Praiano. I took a private taxi to Amalfi on the morning of my return. The SITA bus begins in Positano so is often crowded and difficult to get on with luggage. Once in Amalfi I got the ferry( booked online) to Salerno where I caught the train to Rome. There are express trains but you will need to check the schedules. The walk from the ferry to the train terminus is about three blocks and lots of people were doing travel to Rome this way. It was the least expensive and the safest way to guarantee catching a morning train from Salerno to Rome. Rita
