Day trip Rome to Pompeii?

After I posted this I realized there are some older threads similar to my question. Looks like Susan did this trip with Walks of Italy. I will try to message her. I will leave the question posted and see what other advice is to be had.

The website doesn't say how much time is actually spent in Pompeii, which seems like your top interest. I would ask them to clarify before making a decision.

Ostia Antica should be considered, as it will save a long day of travel and provide a view of an ancient Roman city.

Of course only you can decide what is “worth it” or not. I was signed up to take that tour last month, with the same company, and I was very excited about it. Sadly, I lost my passport and purse (very long story) and had to cancel the tour the day before to visit the Embassy and get a new passport. My money was not refunded. I read a lot of positive things about the tour before I bought our tickets, but know that the majority of your time is spent in the van/bus. You get approx 2 1/2 hours at Pompeii, 1 1/2-2 hours over lunch in Positano and then a 20-30 minute photo stop along the coast. For many people, especially for so much money, it wouldn’t be worth it. But if it’s your only likely opportunity to see Pompeii AND the Amalfi Coast and you really, REALLY want to see both, you might list yourself among those positive reviewers who were glad they did it!
Lisa

We (two adults and two teenagers) did Pompeii as a day trip from Rome this past June using Dark Rome (aka City Wonders). We left Rome about 7:30 AM and made a coffee/wc stop enroute. At Pompeii the group was broken down into smaller groups and guided through Pompeii with an excellent local guide. We feel that the amount of time spent at Pompeii was sufficient to get a "feel" for the city without being over whelmed. We had a lunch break than a hike up Mt. Vesuvius. There was a another rest stop on the way back to Rome. It was worth the cost and the time.
We did Ostia Antica on our own the next day. They are very different sites. Yes, they're both ancient but with different histories. Ostia Antica is very easy to do on your own and there is a section in RS Rome 2017 guide book. I would suggest going from Ostia Antica to modern Ostia ,dipping your feet in the sea, having a gelatto at Le Chat (Piazza Cesario Console 6) and then dinner before taking the train back into Rome.
Have a great trip!

Thank you for your replies.
Agnes you have a great point.
Joe, Ostia Antica looks great but not what I am looking for.
Lisa, oh no. I am so sorry about your ordeal and that you were unable to make the trip.
Ann, thank you so much for responding with your review. I think I would enjoy a hike up Mt. Vesuvias more than lunch in Positano. I will strongly consider that tour!

Here's another way to look at it. For the price of the tour (about 200 EUR), you can use that money instead to stay overnight for one to two extra nights in the Amalfi Coast area (say in Sorrento or Naples) and see Pompeii and the coast on your own (and even the Archeological Museum in Naples) in a more leisurely way spread over two days. It's not hard to get around and transport is quite inexpensive, especially compared to a private tour van. If you stay overnight, you will have the luxury of spending all day at Pompeii if you want to - and if you need a guided tour, there are plenty of certified guides you can hire at the entrance, as well as audio guides. You can even take this tour that is much less costly than shuttling you directly from Rome, provided you can get yourself over to the Pompeii area (e.g. the Fiumicino Express bus runs from Rome FCO to Naples): https://www.walksofitaly.com/pompeii-tours/best-of-pompeii-tour

Yes Agnes. That makes a lot of sense. I will definitely need to consider that.
I may be very tired at the end of the RSE tour though.
If I do a tour to Pompeii the morning the tour ends and sleep in the same room that night I will have another full day in Rome after that to wander or fit some more sightseeing in before flying home the next day. (I have more money than time.) It would be nice to stay in the same room for 4 nights. The time on the bus back and forth might be "wasted" time, but the views might be nice and I could rest during that time.
Lots to think about.

Also, if there is any chance that you'll take the Best of South Italy in 13 Days Tour in the future, that tour will cover Pompeii and a lot of area south of Rome. I think if you're already on a 17 day tour, that's probably tiring (and long) enough. I would just spend the last few days in Rome and leave "south of Rome" for another trip. I don't think you'll regret spending more time in Rome, even at the expense of Pompeii (assuming you can go another time). Ostia Antica sounds like a great compromise (I didn't get a chance to go, unfortunately).

Agnes, that is very sound advice. It is so hard not to say..."But it is so close!"
My brain tells me to stay in Rome.

If you do, do the day trip to Pompeii, I would suggest you have 'low key' plans for the following day.

I just replied to your PM about WOI terrific tour but forgot to mention that half of enjoying Pompeii is seeing all the Pompeii treasures in the famous archeo museum in Napoli. Rome to Napoli is very quick and easy by train. The museum also has an amazing Egyptian collection and the city itself is really interesting!

We just got back from Italy. We did a day trip from Rome to Pompeii. It was an "independent bus shuttle" and we upgraded to include the entrance fee and a 2 hour tour. It left at 7:30am and we were back in Rome at 7pm. You have 4 hours in Pompeii of which 2 are the guided tour. The bus ride was pleasant with one stop along the way. We decided it was worth doing it this way as it was less stressful then going on our own. We have no complaints. You can find the tour on Expedia or Viator.

High speed train from Rome to Naples, and then the Circumvesuvius (spelling?) would be an easy option too. The train is fast, hitting about 300 km/hour, has a bar car and is very comfortable.

We avoided Pompei and visited Herculaneum instead. Herculaneom is smaller than Pompei, a bit closer to Naples, and pefhaps easier to comprehend.

Hi Vandrabrud,
We just returned from our Italy trip and it was awesome!
We stayed 3 nights in Florence renting a b&b near the Duomo and it was our favourite city!
Taking a train from Florence to Rome we could also enjoy this other amazing city !
For our trip to Naples and Pompeii from Rome, we decided to take a private tour by van to fit the 6 of us and an English speaking driver guide who really made this trip unforgettable! We made the reservation through "Best shore excursions of italy.com" , company suggested by a friend of ours. Checking their web site it appeared like they only provided transfers and tours from the ports but after sending them an e mail, we received the info we were looking for: they could also provide tours from Rome to Naples and Pompeii.
Our driver was so skilled driving through traffic and narrow streets of downtown Naples, giving us commentary on its history and tips where to go for a fantastic lunch! He hired an amazing private guide for our Pompeii visit (Nando) who made it alive 2 thousand years later!
We really enjoyed it and would recommend this tour company to you!