Day Trips from Sorrento (or Vico Equense) to Amalfi, Positano, Ravello etc.

How long are you in the area ? Most people stay at least 3 nights minimum and 4-5 nights is excellent if you truly wish to explore the coast.

If you wish to see the Amalfi area, I would at least stay in Sorrento so you are at the hub of bus and ferry options from the town. And you are a train ride into Pompeii. You could cheaply ride the bus into Amalfi and up to Ravello and return by ferry if you are visiting in the summer season.
Or, you could do a private driver.

If you do have ONE day, I would hire a private driver and make that day count instead of worrying about crowded buses...

C is asking your hotel to recommend their car service partner agency. You book an air conditioned sedan with a driver who is not a "guide" but who knows well enough what you want to see. For eight hours, we paid about 250 Euros a few years ago. Taxi cabs charge similar rates, but perhaps with less luxury (or more seats, that you could share with another couple?) We were picked up at our hotel and taken to Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello, where we had over an hour free time in each place. We also "drove by" two other towns. When the driver asked us if we wanted to visit a pottery store, we said, "No, but do they have tourist bathrooms?" The answer, of course, was "Yes." So we only went inside for that.

You can do that in one day from the Sorrento area. You might get "extra" time if you meet your car in the town where it is based, say, Sorrento. Naturally, a car is subject to similar road delays as a bus, during peak tourist months. You left out what month you are planning this outing. It makes a big difference.

I saw a glimpse of Vico Equense when we were leaving Sorrento in March, taking the Curreri Viaggi bus to the Napoli Capodichino airport. Other than a couple curves in the road just west of Positano, I thought Vico Equense had the best views on the peninsula. You'll have to give a detailed trip report as that's my destination next time to the A.C.

Depending on the time of year--as Tim says--I would shoot for a hotel-recommended car service as well. That boat thing sounds nice, but you're screwed if there are bad seas or rain. For the money you'll pay--and it won't be cheap--It should be completely your call as to where you go and how long you stay in each place.

Enjoy your planning!

We are on the Coast the last week of August. I know: hot and crowded, but that's when we are there. Based in Vico Equense, a few days to play with. I even thought of one days for coastal towns (Positano and Amalfi and maybe one other). And another day to Ravello--even pondering springing for an overnight there (on top of keeping Vico room) to really enjoy it. Ravello, given its remote access doesn't fit into a do-able day, if coupled with seeing other coast towns. It's really about HOW TO GET FROM VICO AND BACK so that it's not stressful, given the crowds and heat. I don't want to penny-pinch this experience but I don't want to pay a driver and just sit in traffic. Hence the thought of a boat--at least for one direction/one of the days.

Ravello is really not far at all from Sorrento (it is about 4 miles above Amalfi)
Definitely can be done as a day trip from Sorrento ; combine both Amalfi and Ravello they make a nice day trip together as one of them alone is not enough for a full day out.
Then do another day for Positano. Both Positano and Amalfi are larger than Ravello.
Ravello at night after the day trippers have left would definitely be charming but comes at the cost of changing locations, moving locations, etc.... all just for a one night stay.

Not sure how many days you have in total for the area.

August brings about challenges, it will be so crowded that the bus system which can be a fantastic (not scary at all) option, enjoyable, fast, low cost, convenient, etc... in the off season becomes barely bearable in the summer months due to more riders than bus capacity, busy roads and towns, add in heat and likely no AC on the bus and there is a reason folks in the summer will pay big bucks instead for a private driver.
Private boat I imagine is much more than a private driver ; would be no traffic but the boat would still be a slow way to travel.
We were able to rent a motor boat from the beach in Positano and without a major expense take our own self guided tour down the coast to see the towns from the sea.

If you have the time and the funds for it the boat could be a great day out for the scenery but visiting towns while the boat driver waits on your dime doesn't make sense to me, if you want a private boat have them take you out and back ; maybe to a nice secluded cove for a dip but not to visit towns.

Ferries are great but much slower form of transportation and I imagine also very crowded in August.
Amalfi Coast in August just doesn't have that much appeal to me, while I am awaiting a chance to return, that return time will not be in August.

"C" would be to take the Circumvesuvian from Vico- Sorrento. Under 15 min.

Then the little port bus down to the ferry dock. 10 min.

Ferry, Sorrento-Amalfi. 1 hour.
Despite what was said above, in August twice as fast as the bus.

Amalfi-Ravello. 30 min. Do this (before) you visit Amalfi. Have lunch in Ravello.

Back to Amalfi by bus. Visit.

Ferry, Amalfi-Positano. 20 min.
Visit Positano, have a nice dinner around 8:00p. Bus back to Sorrento, ( bus will not be crowded at this time)

Edit: bus schedule.
http://www.positano.com/en/bus-schedule

Circumvesuvian back to Vico.

It is a long day, but even with lunch and dinner, you'll spend a fraction of what you'd spend on a private driver.

The option of a car any time other than April/may or late sept/October is foolish to even consider.

I'm leaving in mid September for a month. This will be my 14 th trip to the area.

Presumably, if someone choses Vico for daily excursions (and I think that's a reasonable plan ... ) you would want to be near the Circumvesuviana stop for Vico - walkable at least. And the Sorrento bus stop for Amalfi is right in front of the Sorrento Circumvesuviana station. But check to see if there's a bus through Vico! In fact, our hotel in Sorrento, Grand Ambasciatori, is about as far as you can be from the Circumvesuviana station and still be in Sorrento. But it was a nice walk, again and again. And to downtown for dinner.

I laid out an actually executed one-day excursion that gave us at least 1:30 free time in Ravello. We saw the church and the church museum, and we walked all the way to the Villa Cimbrone, but we didn't want to pay for the smallish gardens. So we had dessert and coffee (Delicia al Limone, of course) at the associated hi-end restaurant, since it was after lunch hour. ("Il Flauto di Pan", I think.) Then we hustled back in the sun to meet our driver at the main square. No, we didn't see every inch of Ravello. And we were lucky with traffic - we only spent 10 minutes in total, stopped on the only, two-lane road through Positano. I see the Ravello Music Festival starts up again on Sept 1, 2017.

I personally wouldn't really spend the night in Ravello. But it is a very attractive place. We could have had an hour more in Ravello if we had declined the driver-suggested Green Grotto, which was certainly missable but not "bad". (We don't regret skipping the Blue Grotto in Capri because it's chancy and time consuming, and we saw one in Croatia already.)

Gerri, thank you. You've answered some key questions. It would seem to be more relaxing in a private car, but you'd trade comfort for burning many hours getting from point A to B. I had feared not being able to cram onto a Sorrento-bound bus in Positano but, like you say, at 8PM it will be far less crowded. Worse come to worse you could ferry back (I would check the last ferry back to Sorrento).
Going directly to Ravello also makes good sense. Spending quality time there is a priority (rather than the more crowded Positano and Amalfi)

If you want the experience of a very small group tour of the AC for an amazing price, take a Mondo Shared Tour. This was worked out by Rick with a private tour company. Only 50 Euros per person for a full day (9 hours), with stops at Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. We did this in March, departing from Sorrento. It was excellent! The English speaking driver drops you off at each town and you arrange for a time to meet him back at the van. Typically 1-2 hours at each stop; enough to explore the towns and grab lunch. A private driver for an equivalent tour would run you 600 Euros at least. On our particular tour, there were just 5 people (my family and two others).

Forgot to add Circumvesuvian timetable.

http://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/naples-to-sorrento-train-schedule
Edit.
If you do decide to hire a private driver, have him take you overland to Ravello, then Amalfi and the coast road to Positano and back to Vico Equense. No point in sitting in traffic any longer than necessary, and the drive down is very scenic.

Robert, The Mondo Tour is also appealing. My only concern is the amount of time getting from Sorrento to the towns south in late August. I would hate to have time in each town reduced because of excessive travel time. I assume there is an overall hour limit?

I hope you let us know what Vico Equense is like, it's spectacular looking setting was the few memorable stops on the Circumvesiana!

A- It sounds like you're OK with this private boat tour idea, and honestly given the time of year and the limited time you have this is by far the best choice. If you have the means, do it. You're trading time for money. I traveled here almost exclusively by ferry and to me it was the ONLY way to travel. The views are amazing, and being on the seas with the fresh air and sun is vastly superior to being crammed on a bus. Also, with this, a few hours in any of these towns is fairly adequate. Could you do more? Sure, but I don't think you'll feel cheated. They're all pretty touristy and will be hot and jammed in August. Plus, they may stop in places like Priano or Maiori, which would be difficult to piece together through public transport. In other words, the private boat will likely allow you see more. That's worth it.

B- No busses. Keep off the roads, especially in high season. One evening I witnessed a classic snarl. Cars we're lined up for miles just to get through Amalfi. Be warned.

C- If you balk on the private tour, I'd keep it simple. Get an early jump (critical on the AC), get to Sorrento and take one of the first boats to Capri. I'd recommend the 1hr boat tour around the island, skip the Blue Grotto. Go up to Anacapri and take the chairlift up to Mt. Solaro. The views are spectacular on and around Capri, just avoid the main town and shops. Get back to the dock in the early afternoon and ferry to Positano. Buy a rerun ticket for the last ferry back to Sorrento when you get there 5-6pm). Capri and Positano are absolutely gorgeous and will scratch that itch without getting too deep.

And then there's Ravello. I loved it, I get it. But it's not easy to get in and out of on s limited time. Talk to the boat tour people. Maybe the tour can arrange a private car for Ravello?

I think your being in Vico instead of the usual suspects like Amalfi or Positano in August will save you from a likely insanity. If you're within walking distance of the Circumvesuviana stop at Vico, that will help.

There's really only one road to get around the A.C., correct? So while you might be comfortable with an expensive private driver, you'll be moving at the same rate as the buses and traffic. Yuck.

If you want to get up and do this early in the day, that might save you. CV Vico to Sorrento 15 min, right there take the bus Sorrento to Positano 45 min, another 45 minutes to Amalfi, then up the hill to Ravello. If you lunch there, you're fine. So how do you get back? Maybe that's the time to simply hire a taxi and say 'take me back to Vico Equense'. He might go the other way around, towards Salerno then over through Castellammare di Stabia, but it wouldn't matter to you at that point, right?

Overland directions to Ravello.

Vico to the Sp145 Direction Pompei. Turn right at the junction onto SP 122.
Take another right by Angri onto the SS1. Travel down thru the national park to Ravello.
Total time 50 minutes.

Jay, your lucky you haven't yet experienced the AC busses in
August. That 90 minute ride can turn into 2 1/2-3 hours.

Jay, you're lucky you haven't yet experienced the AC busses in August.
That 90 minute ride can turn into 2 1/2-3 hours.

Gerri, something like that--especially if I was on a tight schedule, might have me pitching myself off one of the cliffs!

I was thinking if the OP got a real early start to their daytrip to the A.C.--like 8AM--the buses might not be too crowded. In early March, it was an absolute pleasure, never more than half-full.

Jay I understand perfectly.
I've been in March, April, early May, late September, October and November. Last year made the mistake of early September. WOW. Never again! We normally have a car, and other than Sorrento, we usually start in Vietri sul Mare and drive the coast backward.
Have found many shortcuts over the years.

@ronnielago: I can't answer for Mondo, but if you email them and ask, I am sure they can address your concern. I would expect - or hope- that the added traffic in August is taken into consideration.

The Mondo tours are 9 hours long. I don't think they make allowances for traffic.

Another vote for Mondo tour, we took the tour August 2nd, and we were very pleased. 8 folks in the van, we have about 1 1/2 hours in each town. For $50 each it was much better than worrying about local buses/ferries. 9 hours is plenty of time to explore, since we had been to Amalfi before, we sat down and had a nice lunch, in the other towns, we just walked around and shopped. The tour definitely takes the stress out of the day. Meeting point is about a 5 minute walk from Sorrento train station.

We also had a leisurely lunch in Amalfi during our Mondo tour, but also had enough time to go inside the duomo. I liked the gardens of Villa Rufolo in Ravello the best. Spectacular view of the Tyrrhenian Sea and Amalfi Coast!