From Rome, I would like to visit Pompeii and the coast

Sorrento and Pompeii are very special, Ruth. We just spent a week there (arrived in Rome from Sorrento yesterday). I can offer a couple of suggestions: Hotel Antiche Mura is reasonable and VERY convenient. You won't need a car at all, and really no taxis as it is a 10 minute walk from the station and very quiet. Offers a big breakfast buffet. Stay at least 3 nights, more if you can. Day 1) arrive from Rome, check in, explore Sorrento with Rick Steves' self-guided walk and try to see the very good Museo Correale. You can also consider stopping in Naples to see the Museo Archeologico Nazionale. Quite the preparation for Pompeii! Day 2) Pompeii, hire guide GaetanoManfredi if at all possible. He makes the place come alive and offers many insights into Roman culture. If you have energy, go to Ercolano the same day. Day 3) Amalfi Coast trip by bus or private driver. If you have more days, add Capri, or make Naples an all-day affair.

We took the train to Salerno and then took a boat from Salerno to Sorrento. We had a two hour layover in Positano and sat in a bar on the beach, had a wonderful buffet and bottle of wine. Heaven! I highly recommend the boat ride, you get to see the beautiful coast from the sea. When you get to Sorrento, don't walk up the hill! Take the bus ride, it's only 1 euro and totally worth it. But iff you take the train, it's an easy walk. Best thing about the boat ride is you don't have to deal with the possible problems on the train.

Actually, you wil take two trains to get to Pompei. First, you take the Trenitalia train from Rome Termini to Naples Centrale. Second, you go downstairs at the station to the Circumvesuviana train station and take the train to the Pompei-Scavi stop. You can even store your luggage at the left luggage place at the entrance to Pompei. As for flying back to the U.S. from Naples, you won't find any direct flights deparitng Naples for the U.S. It's a smaller regional airport. You will need to fly to a larger airport such as Rome-FCO to catch your flight home. Here's a link to the airlines that fly out of Naples and the cities to which they fly. http://www.portal.gesac.it/portal/page/portal/internet/inVOLO/DestinazioniCompagnie One nice option for you in Seattle is Lufthansa if 1) you really need to fly out of Naples and, 2) you could get a nice airfare. Of course, you will trainsfer in Frankfurt to get home but if you fly out of Naples, you will do that anyway. Since you will most likely be flying into Rome or other large city, you can look into flying into one city and flying out of another (Naples). With Lufthansa being a United/Continental partner, the options are there. I'm betting that Lola from Seattle can provide nice options.

Take the train from R ome to Naples. From Naples you will take a local train . On the local train you will see by the doorway stops along the way. there is Pompeii which will take a few hours. lots to see and Sorrento also. My family and I experience the local people travel and let me tell you it was interesting. We stay in Sorrento and travel to different places. On the way back we just reverse our trip back to Rome to travel back to the states.

When you get tickets from Rome to Pompeii do you buy them all in Rome or do you buy the second leg in Naples?

David, The Circumvesuviana is a different train line. You buy that ticket at the window in the lower level of the train station in Naples. The Circumvesuviana is more like a commuter train. It's an experience!
Laurel