Hello. We would like to visit both in one day but I'm confused about the train schedule. I'm looking at the schedule on visitpompeiivesuvius.com and it looks like the train only stops at Ercolano Scavi (the stop for Herculaneum from what I understand) at limited times - 14:22, 16:18, 17:22. Am I reading this correctly? Thank you.
Posted by
Wengen
2841 posts
You are not reading it correctly.
Have a look at the website of the company actually running the trains:
What you are seeing is that there are few trains that stop at both Pompei and Ercolaneo. Most trains from Sorrento continue to Naples non stop after Torre Annunziata. So to get from Pompei to Ercolaneo you would first take a train direction Naples till that station, and change for a local service there.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
8211 posts
Be aware that while Pompeii Scavi is right at the commuter rail stop, Herculaneum is 12-15 minutes on foot downhill towards the scavi. The Herculaneum Circumvesuviana station was unstaffed the day we went. I don't believe there was luggage checking at the station, but there was at the scavi. No snack bar inside Er Ercolano Scavi. No re-entry on same day ticket.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16986 posts
This Circumvesuviana schedule (Naples to Sorrento and points in between) might be a little easier to read. Scroll sideways to see the full schedule.
https://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/naples-to-sorrento-train-schedule
Posted by
OP
Sheffield Lake, OH
62 posts
It sounds more complicated than I first thought. I think we'll see how much we enjoy Pompeii and maybe skip Herculaneum. Thank you for your help!
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16986 posts
IMHO? Trying to do both in a day would be a lot, especially during the warmer months. Pompeii is VAST - if choosing to explore more than just a bit of it (which I recommend doing) - and there's little shade. We spent 5+ hours there and didn't cover it all. If you haven't yet seen a map of the scavi....
https://pompeiisites.org/en/visiting-info/map-and-guide-to-the-excavations/
https://pompeiisites.org/wp-content/uploads/Pompeiweb2023.pdf
Extensive printed guide in in English:
https://pompeiisites.org/wp-content/uploads/A-Guide-to-the-Pompeii-Excavations-2.pdf
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
8211 posts
Posted by
OP
Sheffield Lake, OH
62 posts
Thank you for the links, I had no idea! We have a 3 hr tour booked with Walks of Italy and I kinda thought we'd see most of it but apparently not.
Posted by
San Diego, California, USA
1360 posts
I was underprepared for Pompeii on my first trip and I bought train tickets assuming we'd do Pompeii and then move onto Herculaneum. But the sheer size of Pompeii was a complete surprise and we spent as much of the day as we could do on Pompeii and didn't see nearly all of it.
They are two very different sites and even if you had the energy I think doing both in one day wouldn't do Herculaneum justice because it is a much smaller and more intimate site but pales in sheer size to Pompeii. If you have to choose one I'd choose Pompeii but that doesn't mean Herculaneum doesn't deserve its own visit at another time.
Have a great trip!
=Tod
Posted by
Canada 1st, not 51st.
4900 posts
Edith, if you decide to skip Herculaneum consider Oplontis. It's run by the same organization as Pompeii and it's one villa that was also buried. It's one train station north of Pompeii and hardly had any crowds when we were there. It'll take about an hour to visit. https://pompeiisites.org/en/oplontis/
Posted by
OP
Sheffield Lake, OH
62 posts
Allen, thank you for that, I've never heard of Opiotis
Posted by
Wengen
2841 posts
It sounds more complicated than I first thought.
It is not complicated. You just take a train direction Naples in Pompei. Get out in Torre Annunziata. Look for the locals to Napels. Get on. Trains are frequent on that route. It is a urban rail, after all.
And you can apparently just tap in and out with your CC now. Would be good if someone confirmed that.