Driving from Rome to Positano

Is the only reason you're considering renting a car is to get to Positano? Where are you going from there?

We are going to stop in Pompeii and tour the ruins and then back to Rome where we will drop off the car. No need for one around Rome.

You really don't need a car for this trip, local trains, buses and ferries will get you where you want to go.

In season you could take a direct high speed train to Salerno and then a ferry to Positano.
Out of season a train to Salerno followed by a private driver to Positano would be faster and cheaper.

So... why are you going to drive if there is a train and rent a car to leave it parked for days? What did I miss?

Going back to Rome, a private driver could make a stop at Pompeii, wait for a couple of hours and then head to Naples' Centrale Station where you could get on another high speed train.

Keep also in mind that you can't leave anything in the car, even if it's hidden in the trunk.

We will be in Rome on 1/17 at 9:30 in the am and thought we would just grab a car and head south. It would save time and we could still have the afternoon to explore Positano. Unfortunately, we cannot cancel the rental - no refund : ( So we are trying to figure out whether to drive to Sorrento and take the bus to Positano and then pick up the car on our way back.. Or.. if the driving is nerve wracking around Sorrento, just leave the car in Pompeii and take the train to Sorrento and then the SITA to Positano.

WOW, I am confused on what to do. Help!!

We will be in Rome on 1/17 at 9:30 in the am and thought we would just grab a car and head south. It would save time and we could still have the afternoon to explore Positano. Unfortunately, we cannot cancel the rental - no refund : ( So we are trying to figure out whether to drive to Sorrento and take the bus to Positano and then pick up the car on our way back.. Or.. if the driving is nerve wracking around Sorrento, just leave the car in Pompeii and take the train to Sorrento and then the SITA to Positano.

Does that mean that you arrive in Rome at 9.30? At Termini? It will take time to pick up the rental car. According to viamichelin.com, it's a 240 km drive that will take at least 2.25 hours and cost (gas and tolls) €42. Sunset's at 5 pm. If you don't get lost or stuck in traffic, you'll get to Pompeii well after noon. You'll barely have time to drive to Positano (1.15 hours minimum) before dark if you rush through Pompeii. I think you might do better to see Pompeii on the way back to Rome. Be sure that all your belongings are out of sight when you park the car and that you keep all your valuables with you, don't leave them in the car. Looking at Google maps, you don't actually drive through Sorrento to get to Positano.

I'm planning to rent a car in Salerno for 3 days to visit Paestum and the Amalfi Coast towns. I've been told that there's little traffic on the AC road in winter because most tourist-oriented places close up and driving the road isn't any harder than other narrow, winding mountain roads (as long as you aren't distracted by the views ☺). I'm taking my Garmin GPS with me and if I find the driving too challenging, I'll park and use buses.

Sorry, I'm still confused.

We will be in Rome on 1/17 at 9:30 in the am and thought we would just
grab a car and head south. It would save time and we could still have
the afternoon to explore Positano.

We are trying to decide whether to drive to Pompeii and park the car
for three nights

We are going to stop in Pompeii and tour the ruins and then back to
Rome where we will drop off the car.

Why have you rented the car for 3 nights if you're planning on dropping it back in Rome the same day you pick it up?

We will be in Rome on 1/17 at 9:30 in the am.

Flying in? Train in from another city? Picking up the car where? Depending, there could be lots of iffy about that 9:30. What with daylight being short this time of year, my gut feeling is that you really don't have time to try and do both locations in a day. Pompeii is a huge site which takes considerable time to do justice to.

If I am understanding correctly, you will be in Italy in just a couple of weeks? If that is the case, the Amalfi Coast will be very uncrowded. We have done this drive several times and the difficult part is when it's high season, there are lots of buses and cars on very narrow and twisty roads. This can make it difficult at the turns if two buses are trying to pass at the same time. You won't have this problem though. Just take your time and enjoy the drive. It's beautiful. Do make sure that your hotel in Positano has parking though.

Take the car to Positano. Find hotel that has parking arrangements on premises or with a local garage.
Use the car To go to the places you want to visit while in Positano (Pompeii, Amalfi, Ravello, other coastal villages, Paestum, Sorrento. Don't take the car to island of Capri of course.