car or no car in Sorrento?

No- no-no car.
This is a weekly question here, so there's a wealth on info in the Search below. Public transportation has been sadly neglected. There is no shoulder season anymore. Moving about takes time and patience. Knowing the realities on the ground , and planning for them, will make for an enjoyable trip. Safe travels!

https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=2y&filter=Travel+Forum&query=Sorrento+transportation&utf8=%E2%9C%93

https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=2y&filter=Travel+Forum&query=Naples+to+sorrento&utf8=%E2%9C%93

You could rent a car in Sorrento and use it for a few days of day trips. As long as you understand how backed up the traffic can be on the Amalfi Drive, the driving is easy. But you'll be fine with no car as long as you know that taxi prices are astonishingly high. Much depends on which sites you want to explore.

Car not needed.

PLEASE, post the month of the year. Every night as we walked to dinner in Sorrento (from the Ambasciatori hotel), we passed a huge underground garage, with a stationary line of cars waiting to enter, I suppose for their "night life" in Sorrento. There is very little parking anywhere in this area, and close to zero parking in Positano and Amalfi. You are making a huge mistake to think this is like going from mall to mall in the USA. You will have to park farther from your targets than the public transit will deliver you. It is true that you have to walk to a bus stop or Circumvesuviana stop in the morning, but Sorrento is the best location for daytrips.

The Circumvesuviana stop for Pompeii Scavi/Villa di Mistiri is almost directly across the street from the (main) Porta Marina entrance. You can see this on Google Maps.

It is fair to say that in the last week of May, every time we walked past the Positano bus stop in Sorrento, there were more people in line than would fit on the next, half-hourly bus. But you should not use the bus for this. You should do like we did, and ask your hotel to book their Land Services partner for an 8-hour car and driver to see Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello, plus some photo stops along the way.

We were in Compania in January, based in Pompei for 4 nights and used a car to visit sights and take day trips (including to Sorrento). My wife also has bad knees so avoiding a half-mile walk to/from a train station mattered. We also really like the flexibility to go places like supermarkets and shopping malls that can be problematic without a car.

If you can find a good place to stay that provides parking then you can rent the car and use it to go places without the extra walking for public transit or the uncertainty of taxis. Just check the details on ZTLs for the places you plan to go; depending on the time of year you may not be able to actually drive or park in Positano or Amalfi.

Good luck with the trip!

...depending on the time of year you may not be able to actually drive
or park in Positano or Amalfi.

Or drive the costal road between Positano and Vietri Sul Mare just any day depending on your license plate #. I haven't seen that they will be enforcing odd/even days for high-season/holiday visitors in 2025 but also haven't heard that they've scrapped the regulations.

https://distrettocostadamalfi.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Distretto-Turistico-Costa-dAmalfi-Traffic-Regulation-Sytem-2024.pdf

What Tim said. We were there in April a couple years ago, same observation. You do not want to be driving the Amalfi - do a day tour via hotel or Mondo Shared Tours. If the trek to the bus or train stations is too much, take a taxi/Uber there, easy to arrange with your hotel. We loved Sorrento, stayed at Hotel Antiche Mura which was very centrally located.

Along the Amalfi Coast you may actually walk further if you have a car because parking is so rare. The lot in Positano fills up quickly and people park along the road above Positano and walk into town, sometimes 1-2km. As for Naples, a big no. I don't think there are traffic rules there. Car or not, your hubby is going to need to be prepared for steps, steep hills and uneven surfaces wherever you visit in the region.

No car needed.

Thank you for all the responses.
The month of our stay will be late March/early April this year.
We will most likely forego the car.

@ Ted and Mrs Schnauzer.

Well, I am a contrarian and a sandgroper. This is my families experience. 9th,10th, 11th, 12th May 2024. Two leased cars. BnB Agerola, which overlooks Positano. Thinking I should write a trip report.

Had an absolutely smashing time in Sorrento. Friday 10th. Drove to Sorrento for the day. Dropped my wife, DIL and granddaughter at Piazza Tasso for them to meander the roads adjacent to Corso Italia, Via San Cesaro and Via Accademia. Obviously, we had been here before and the women knew what they wanted to browse for. And train my granddaughter in the art of shopping for who knows what. Some useful, some not.

My two sons, BIL, grandson and I parked our two cars at Stinga Parking, via degli Aranci. Walked to Piazza della Vittoria and wandered the broad walks overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Sat for the odd beer or three and had lunch at Ristorante Museo Caruso in a side alley. Got a belly laugh from the waiter when we asked for the Italian Menu, which he went and got for us. There were two wedding parties along the broad walk. Managed to entice the brides to allow us to add them to our holiday photo records. Added us to theirs. Intruders from an exotic far away galaxy. Never ask the groom, he is only interested in getting his leg over.

Walking back to the cars, along Corso Italia, I heard a rumbling V8 motor. Without looking I identified it as a Ferrari. I was wrong. It was a Maserati. Not a car but a black hearse. I asked the driver in my best Lombardian Italian if he spoke English. To which he replied, “so where the bloody hell do you come from, mate.” Did not expect a Melbournian to answer back. After exchanging complimentary greetings (cannot write was said, would probably get me ejected from this board for life), I asked if he had anyone on board, if so who. With a laugh said that I really should not be asking those questions in Campania.

As you are from NZ and we are brothers and sisters, for Amalfi see if you can get your hands on https://www.penguin.com.au/books/my-amalfi-coast-9781921382314.
Getting a bit old now but has been our go to book. 320 pages. Coffee table material.

My Amalfi Coast, Amanda Tabberer described her experiences as she lived and loved in her adopted homeland, where she forged her career as a fashion stylist, working in Milan for Condé Nast before moving to Positano. Soon she established her own signature retail outlet for designer wear, exclusive screenprints and luxury villa rentals on the Amalfi Coast.
(Still has them.)

In her second book, Amalfi Coast Recipes, Amanda offers a stunning collection of authentic local recipes, generously shared by a wonderful variety of regional cooks and VIP chefs, many of whom became close friends over her 20 years in the area. And yes, she is also Maggie Tabberer's daughter!

You may have seen her mum on TV in NZ.

We have driven all over Amalfi and survived to tell the tale. And to Naples, using a car park on via Generale Giordano Orsini. Just loved it.

In conclusion Mrs Schnauzer, it can be done. Not being put off by negativity around you. Though you must also be prepared and not naive. You must be special, like my family.

But as you have had to ask the question, I would recommend you follow the admonition of the majority of corresponds and stick to the alternatives, even if hubby’s knees give him pain.

Could be worse. You could have just watched, with me, as a SpaceX upper stage rocket spun out of control and explode over Florida, wasting billions of American taxpayers’ dollars, while SpaceX owner screws US veterans and others under the directions of an old man.

On a positive note, the attractive SpaceX female presenter had what looked like to me, a magnificent diamond rock on her left-hand ring finger.

Regards Ron

Thanks Ron. You have some wonderful stories. Definitely food for thought in terms of having a car.
I laughed at Ted and Mrs Schnauzer. My name is Hermione and my dog is a beautiful schnauzer named Ted who we have left back in NZ during our travels, hence the username SchnauzerTed.

@ Hermione

Thats funny.

Regards Ron