Campania ArteCard

Linda: there are TEN different varieties of the "Artecard". Have you looked at these variations and determined which best suits your needs and schedule?

The "All Region 3 Day Card" for 27 Euros also includes transportation (Naples and Sorrento city buses, Trenitalia "regionale" trains, Circumvesuviana trains, Naples funiculars, SEPSA and EAVBUS buses, Circumflegrea and Cumana rail, SITA buses along the Amalfi Coast, and more).

www.artecard.it

"The Tutta La Regione ticket (3 days) allows you to use the airport shuttle ALIBUS that connects Capodichino airport with the centre of the city (Airport/Central Train Station - Piazza Garibaldi/Port - Piazza Municipio), and allows you to use the public transport system in the Costiera
as well as on the islands of Procida and Ischia"

EXCLUDED: Transportation to and on Capri; MOST ferry and hydrofoil services.

With this 3-day card, You get free entrance to the first TWO sites, and a 50% discount on all others.

The "ALL Region 7 Day Card" for 30 Euros does NOT include transportation. You get free entrance to the first FIVE sites, and a 50% discount on all others.

Nevertheless, You can get transportation for 3 days with the UNICOCAMPANIA 3T Tourist Ticket (20 Euros). This covers the ENTIRE CAMPANIA REGION. If you do a lot of travelling, you can buy two 3T tickets for six days of transportation coverage. Or you can simply buy point-to-point tickets.

Examples of point-to-points fares: Naples/Sorrento 3.40 Euros; Naples/Pompei 2.40 Euros; Sorrento/Pompei 1.90 Euros; Sorrento/Positano: 3 Euros; Sorrento/Amalfi: 3 Euros; Amalfi/Ravello: 2 Euros; Amalfi/Salerno: 3 Euros.

You can also buy an UNICO COSTIERA 3-day bus ticket JUST FOR THE AMALFI COAST (15 Euros, valid from Sorrento to Salerno including Ravello).

Also take a look at the "Archeologia del Golfo 3 Day Card" which includes transportation (but not along the Amalfi Coast), and gets you into all COVERED sites for free.

www.unicocampania.it

GAC - Thank you! This is exactly the information I needed. I spent a lot of time on the ArteCard website and just could not figure it out. We'll get the 3 Day ArteCard which will work best for us and our plans. One other thing, if you know, how does it work if I buy the ArteCard on-line before we leave the United States?

Linda: here is what the website says about "validation" of the artecard:

There is an info point in Naples Central Rail Station from 09:00am to 06:00pm, sunday and holidays from 09:00am to 05:00pm

how does it work:

campania>artecard plus is activated on entry to the first site or on first use of the transport system and is valid for 3 or 7 days depending on the chosen itinerary.
While the card is valid it is possible to charge it with a single itinerary and several special events (pluses).
The card can only be used by the holder, is not transferable, must be endorsed on entry to each site and shown to site or transport staff on request....
Admission to all sites is permitted until one hour before closing.

Transport: Based on the chosen itinerary, the card allows use of the public transport service managed by UNICOCAMPANIA. The ticket is valid for three days and must be validated on your first trip. It expires at midnight on the third day of validity, including
the day of the first validation."

THE KEY POINT ABOVE IS THAT THE CARD'S VALIDITY STARTS FROM THE MOMENT THAT IT IS VALIDATED (NOT SIMPLY PURCHASED). I don't know for a fact whether you can "validate" it on just ANY bus, or only on buses equipped with an electronic ticket scanner. My guess is that, at a minimum, you can validate it at the Circumvesuviana train stations in Naples, Pompei and Sorrento. It certainly can be validated at all the museums and archeological sites covered by the specific artecard, or at the Naples Centrale Train Station info point.

If you buy the Tutta la Regione-3 day artecard, you'll want to use it for the TWO MOST EXPENSIVE SITES (in terms of entrance fees), then pay 50% for any remaining (less expensive) sites you choose to visit during its 3-day validity.

You won't be able to use it on the hydrofoils between Naples and Sorrento, but certainly on the Circumvesuviana rail, "regionale" trains, and on the SITA buses in the entire Campania Region.

AN AFTERTHOUGHT FOR TOURISTS WANTING TO VISIT AS MANY MUSEUMS AND ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES COVERED BY THE ARTECARD AS POSSIBLE, DURING THEIR STAY IN THE CAMPANIA REGION:

The VERY VERY BEST DEAL available with the artecard is the

"campania>artecard 365", which affords TWO (not just one) free entrances to EACH of the sites on the circuit "Tutta la regione"; price: 40 Euros; validity: 365 days.

NO TRANSPORT IS INCLUDED.

There is also a "youth card" version of this card for young people between 18 and 25, which costs only 30 Euros, and is similarly valid for TWO free entrances of ALL sites for 365 days.

HINT: You'll want to make a return visit to the Campania Region just to get a second look at all the sites covered by this card!!!

A TRUE BARGAIN.

I read on another forum that you can get one trip on the Metro Del Mare, is that true?

The website is pretty easy to use. Alot of forums I've read are saying that it's entry to the first two places and discount to the third, however, I entered the places I want to visit and it came up that I can visit those three places for free with the "archeologia del golfo" card. I tested it out by adding another location and it offered a different type of card that only allowed two free and then discounted rates.

I just can't figure out the ferry situation, I'm staying in Sorrento so I'd love to take a ferry to Sorrento from Naples instead of the train.

For this card the website says this... "There are four tiers of transport available according to your
chosen itinerary:

Napoli e Campi Flegrei

Napoli e Caserta

Napoli, Campi Flegrei e Area vesuviana

Tutta la Regione

The Tutta La Regione ticket allows you to use the airport shuttle ALIBUS that connects Capodichino airport with the centre of the city
(Airport/Central Train Station - Piazza Garibaldi/Port - Piazza
Municipio), and allows you to use the public transport system in the Costiera
as well as on the islands of Procida and Ischia."

So I assume the ferry would be included if you're going to islands...? Does anyone know for sure?

Thanks! :):)

I have never read anything "official" which states that you get one free ride on the Metro del Mare hydrofoils (or indeed, any other maritime service) when you purchase the artecard with the public transporation option.

Nevertheless, I too have read postings that (at least during some periods when boats are in service), you get ONE free ride on the Metro del Mare.

I am pretty sure that you don't get free transport on any of the crossings between Naples and either Procida, Ischia or Capri.

The UNICO CAMPANIA 3T tourist ticket (20 Euros), valid for unlimited LAND transportation for three consecutive days, does include the buses on Ischia and Procida (but NOT on Capri), as well as all the SITA buses to and along the Amalfi Coast. Consequently, the UNICO CAMPANIA 3T tourist ticket duplicates the 3-day UNICO COSTIERA ticket, for only two Euros more, but gives much wider coverage (the entire Campania Region).

Since my original posting above, the UNICO COSTIERA tickets have had fare increases:

45-minute ticket: 2.40 Euros
90-minute ticket: 3.60 Euros
1-day ticket: 7.20 Euros
3-day ticket: 18 Euros

Note as well that the UNICO CAMPANIA website now reflects that on any bus route along the Amalfi Coast which has an official travel time of MORE than 90 minutes, you MUST use the 1-day ticket (or the 3-day ticket), and NOT the 90-minute ticket. These routes include Sorrento/Amalfi, Sorrento/Ravello, Salerno/Praiano, and Salerno/Ravello, among others. The 45-minute ticket is valid only between city pairings which have an official travel time of 45 minutes OR LESS (e.g. Amalfi/Ravello; Amalfi/Positano; Amalfi/Maiori). There is a table which indicates which tickets are valid on which city pairings. BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DON'T BOARD A BUS WITH THE WRONG TYPE OF TICKET. It is safest when you have either the 1-day or the 3-day unlimited ride ticket (since these tickets are valid on ALL UNICO COSTIERA routes between Sorrento and Salerno

www.unicocampania.it