Fastest travel from C.T. to Sienna and then Sienna to Salerno (then ferry to Amalfi).

Salerno is the one place besides [Naples near] the Amalfi Coast that has direct, often one-seat train service. So your plan to travel American style, in your mighty steel steed has little value. And it has plenty of risk of traffic and summer construction delays. The car isn’t wrong, it’s just not as logical (for the long jump, it’s fine for Tuscany) as you think. Number of people? Stops along the way?

Your plan has the virtue of avoiding the Circumvesuviana one-way. But I suspect that Salerno is missable. (Never been there.) Do read up on summer congestion on the AC.

I personally would not combine CT and AC, because of the travel time, but that’s up to you. It seems to represent the idea that you’ll never return to Italy. Don’t forget to plan your departure day from Amalfi (town? Coast?) carefully. That’s the tricky timing for many.

I'm thinking we would drop the car in Salerno and take a ferry to
Amalfi. Dates are beginning of July.

Stacey, any way you do it it'll be a long journey from Siena to the Amalfi Coast. Best to have some others weigh in here but I think by train to Salerno is going to be your fastest option by far, then take a ferry to Amalfi from there (35 minutes). Current schedules are showing the last one departing at 6:30 PM.

https://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/ferry-schedule?from=salerno&to=amalfi#

I am assuming that you are staying in Amalfi for a few days?

Driving from La Spezia to Siena is a good idea as otherwise it requires 3 to 4 trains. The usual admonitions about Italian laws, speed cameras, and ZTLs apply. Parking in Siena is a challenge so make sure your lodging has it.

Train is a better option to Salerno. The drive is long and traffic from Rome to Naples can be insane. The train is faster and far less stressful.

Per the above, read this about driving in Italy and restrictions involved [ZTLs]; avoid leaving anything of value in a car when parked:

http://driventoit.blogspot.com/

Siena to Naples train time is 4.5 hours with a change in Florence. A driver from the Naples station to Amalfi will cost approximately €120.

How much time do you have, and where do you fly out from? If this July, accommodation needs to be be looked at asap.
Are you going for a specific reason or do you just want dramatic coastal scenery? (There is s gem right there in Tuscany that would save you a good bit of travel).

Thank you all for your valuable feedback. We fly into Florence on June 26th and stay 2 nts. Then 1 nt in Riomaggiore, 2 nts in Sienna, 3 nts in Amalfi, 2 nts in Venice, fly to Amsterdam for 1 nt and then Ireland 2 nts. (we are using miles and that's why we're flying out of Dublin). I know it's a crazy trip but we planned a trip last summer in Scandanavia, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and had a great time. There are 4 of us (2 are teenage boys). I have been to Rome, Florence and Tuscany area before and even received the ominous honor of receiving 3 tickets in 5 minutes in the ZTL zones in Florence. I will take all of your advice and take a train to Naples from Sienna now (even though backtracking to Florence seems strange). Is it necessary to rent a car for a day to see some of the hill towns or can we take a bus from Sienna? Also, Tim, I was planning on taking the Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Salerno. Is that a nightmare? I hear that many people hire drivers but what about good ol' taxis/Ubers? What's best way to Salerno from Naples? I will need to grab the earliest ferry (9 am on schedule) from Amalfi to Salerno on July 4th. We will take a train from Naples to Venice and I do still need to coordinate that piece of the puzzle. How important is it to book the ferries and trains ahead of time? I hear mixed responses. I read that there are trains from Naples to Venice that leave often. I was going to fly but then read enough comments that train is about as long (including airport time) and it's less hassle. If my husband didn't insist on seeing Amafi, then we would've stayed North but this is our plan and I really appreciate any information. Grazie!

I can only offer well wishes--my brain cannot even begin to wrap itself around that pace with two teens in tow!
Look at train routes on the Trenitalia website to maximize your time. If you can get to Salerno instead of Naples, then you will be able to hop into a ferry (travelmar) or bus (SITA). By the time you get there you basically have to turn around.

Thanks valadelphia….our boys are seasoned travelers but yes, I realize it's a LOT of traveling in between. I wouldn't have chosen this route if my husband wasn't so adamant about Amalfi. We'll be staying in Amalfi for 3 nights. Thanks again. :)

Stacey, I misunderstood that you knew what it meant to train to Salerno (did you mean Sorrento????). Salerno is not served by the circumvesuviana, it is served by the same higher-end (!) long distance trains as Florence, Orvieto, and Rome. That’s a good thing! But as I wrote, to me it’s not a reason to go to Salerno if that’s not your destination.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/transportation-advice-from-naples-to-sorrento

Hi Tim,
So, I didn't realize that I didn't have to take the Circumvesuviana. That is good! Please share your suggestions on best way to Amalfi then. I figured Salerno and then ferry to Amalfi but I'm open to easiest way there. Grazie.

We got to Amalfi in a private car and driver as part of our daytrip from Sorrento. But your proposal is reasonable: Trenitalia train (maybe Frecciarossa service, but you've missed the window for lower priced advance tickets, non-changeable, non-refundable) to Salerno, and the ferry to Amalfi. We bought our ferry tickets (different route ... ) as a walk-up, but this is a peak time of year. It might be wise to buy the departure ferry from Amalfi in advance, when you leave from Salerno. Some people, or groups of four, might book a car service from Salerno. Many guests want to view their destination from the ferry. (I kind of think that Amalfi is not as dazzling from the water as is Positano. But we've only taken a ferry to Sorrento.)

Since you are not interested in Sorrento, you could reverse those directions for departure. I believe that a single SITA bus will take you between Salerno and Amalfi. (You'd have to change in Amalfi if you want to go to, say, Positano or Sorrento by bus.) The bus is very cheap, but very crowded.

If you were sleeping in Positano, the departure calculation might be different, because you'd have to take two busses between Salerno and Positano. You might even take one bus to Sorrento and take the Circumvesuviana for departure. (I believe there is a summer ferry from Salerno to Positano, but you have to check on that.)

It's useful to understand that, like C.T.,, the AC is transportationally isolated. It's not remote or in a forest, but it's not like visiting Orvieto from Rome!

Also, Tim, I was planning on taking the Circumvesuviana train from
Naples to Salerno. Is that a nightmare?

Stacey, as said above, you do not use those trains from Naples> Salerno. Use high-speed FS or Italo trains for that. From Salerno to Rome, to Venice, to Florence, etc, you're going to want to use the high-speed trains. Buying tickets in advance can save quite a lot of $ if you can land available bargain fares but it does nail you to specific trains at specific times.

One other comment about getting around the A.C. that may or may not apply? This can be a really challenging region to travel BY ROAD for anyone who easily experiences motion sickness. If anyone in your family has this issue and know that medication helps, by all means bring it and USE it if traveling by SITA bus or car. If meds don't help, then ferries can be a workaround when possible unless sensitive to water travel too.

Drive to Siena, stopping at San Gimignano en route. Siena will be a perfect stop after all the traveling before and after you arrive there. Note one “n” in Siena for your searching.
The drive south is not difficult on the Autostradas if you decide to keep the car. We find a car much easier than schlepping bags on and off of trains.