Getting around the Amalfi and Sorrento Coast WITHOUT a car

The challenge you are bumping into is that convenient and inexpensive often don’t go together. The inexpensive lodging (especially rentals) will most likely be farther out from the town centers, and therefore farther away from public transportation. I would look closely at the bus lines and schedules. Expect to be “stuck” at some point, to miss you bus/train at some point, to have to call a taxi even. And consider it part of the adventure.

Hi Cheryl - welcome to the RS forums!
Most visitors to the Amalfi coast/Sorrentine Peninsula do it without a car: they are more hinderance than help during the busier seasons!

First questions? What time of year are you planning to visit this region, and how many nights are you wishing to stay? Ferries do not run in every season, and current seasonal schedules show only 1 daily run between Vietri and Capri, and none at all between Vietri and Sorrento. Ferries to/from Capri to/from Maiori are also pretty limited, and I'm not seeing any between Maiori and Sorrento. Train service is limited to Sorrento and Salerno. Yes, there are the SITA buses but they can be very full and traffic can be very slow during high seasons.

Have you looked at Salerno perchance? That one has seen some love from posters who've chosen it, and it offers advantages for the budget conscious. It's a bit of a haul to Capri from there by ferry - that one is best done from Sorrento or Naples - but it has train service to Naples, Pompeii, Rome, etc.

Editing to add: I'm interested in how long you intend to spend in the region as it's possible, if more than a couple of nights, to split your time between two locations; one less pricey than another.

We spent 4 nights in Sorrento in a B&B without a car. We took a day trip on the train to Herculaneum (used the Rick Steves Italy guidebook to do it) and used SharedTours.com for a day trip to Amalfi which was good and all we needed to see the area. It was crazy crowded in October - so that area was a one and done deal for us. All our other time was spent in Sorrento, which is smaller, quainter, less crowded, and had some of the best food we had during our 3 weeks in Italy.

Not sure what your budget is, but we thought our B&B was very reasonable for the area. We loved Sorrento - it was the perfect ending to our 3 weeks in Italy.

Hello all and thank you for your input, experience and tips!!!! We will be staying on the peninsula for 8 nights...Sept 19 - 27. Then heading back to Rome for a Western Med. cruise that leaves the 28th. The budget isn't super tight, but we certainly are working to stretch those dollars/euros. LOL. Sounds like our time frame is when it is/can be busy and the bus/train/ferry schedules are somewhat limited.
I have been checking the schedules and will definitely go back for more solid checking. Will definitely go and check for some B&B's in Sorrento and love the day trip tour suggestion, etc. We have listed that as an option.

We were feeling a little unsure of 'getting' around and wanted to get a feel and experience from those that have traveled there...so again thank you. Of course, if you have any additional input, don't hesitate to share. Cheryl

Hello Cheryl- welcome to the forums!

8 nights is a great amount of time for the area.
We spent 9 that was just right.

If you don’t mind 2 stays I’d highly recommend Sorrento for 4 then Salerno for 4.
It helps eliminate so much travel around the area which is a big pain.

If this is for this September you need to find and book lodging asap.

If you don't want to stay in Salerno, Amalfi would be next best choice. Both transportation hubs

From Sorrento visit Pompeii, Herculaneum, Naples, Capri.
From Salerno visit Amalfi, Ravello- any other ferry stops and definitely go to Paestum.

Ferries will be your best mode of travel, so be sure you pick a place with a large ferry port- (not Positano, Vietri -too small)
The ferry ride from Amalfi to Salerno is fantastic. Best views of Positano are from the water.

You can take a direct fast train to Rome from Salerno. We really enjoyed our time there. Great food, less expensive lodging, nice waterfront/beach, historic center, passegiatta, non touristy, etc.

Forum search result for “Salerno”-
https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=2y&filter=Travel+Forum&query=Salerno&utf8=✓

Where are you coming from before Sorrento? Are you flying in to Naples?
Who is we?
You will need to be IN Rome 9/27

The transportation infrastructure in the area is underdeveloped and can't meet the demands made by the heavy tourist traffic. The roads are small, noisy, smell of diesel, and are packed with traffic. Public transportation is very crowded and can be uncomfortable, south of Naples. ( Salerno the exception, from what I've read here.) Private drivers are quite expensive, but are still sitting on congested roads. The ferries are weather- dependent. There is no quick mode to get anywhere.
We were just in the area in May, and honestly, I was disappointed. Amalfi town and Positano were shoulder to shoulder crowded , and I didn't see the charm. Ravello was beautiful, and worth visiting. Pompeii was incredible. I did like being in Sorrento; the town was comfortable and charming, and the food incredible. We didn't get to Capri because the ferries weren't running on the days we could go, because it was raining and stormy (May.)
If I had known then what I know now, we would have spent all our time in northern Italy.
If your heart is set on seeing the area, then that's what you will do. But you will be better informed than we were, and better prepared for the hardships of traveling around.
Have a wonderful trip!

Listen to everything Christine said! Salerno is an excellent choice: fast trains to Rome, well-preserved medieval center, large sandy beach and lovely seaside promenade, lots of restaurants, and the lowest prices on the AC for both food and lodging. It's also the terminus for AC buses and ferries, so you are more likely to get good spots on them without long lines. Use Salerno as a base to enjoy the AC. You also may consider a day trip by train or bus to Paestum with its fine archaeology museum and superb Greek temple ruins.

Sorrento is not as convenient to get to from Rome (train to Naples, local metro "Circumvesuviana" to Sorrento) but it is convenient for day trips to Naples (the National Archaeology Museum is a wow), the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the ferry to Capri. It is not as good for the AC as Salerno.

Is there ferry service to Vietri Sul Mare? There wasn't when I visited a few years ago. The only access was by bus on the Salerno-Amalfi route. That would mean a lot of difficulty getting around because the buses would likely be pretty packed when they stopped there.

Naples is an inexpensive city and very convenient for seeing Capri, Pompeii and Herculaneum--without dealing with the challenges of Amalfi Coast transportation for those destinations.

You need to figure out what it is you really want to see or do in the entire area and then you can decide where to stay. Also, what month?
You certainly do not want a car, and getting around by bus, train, and boat is easy. Yes, the Sita buses will be extremely crowded if you are there from April through September in particular, but there are the other transportation options.
If your main goals are going to Capri, Sorrento, and Positano, then you need to stay at the north end (Sorrento). Staying in Vietri or Maoiri would not be practical for visiting these places.

We spent 11 days in Sorrento in April and have a friend staying there in September and they had a tough time finding something when they booked 3 months ago and had to overpay. But Sorrento is a good hub to visit the Amalfi Coast as well as Pompeii, Herculaneum, Naples, etc. No matter where you choose to stay and what method of transportation you use, it will not be perfect and it may be frustrating. Traffic will be heavy and parking may be impossible, there could be long lineups for the bus and ferries. The key is to plan ahead and not fly by the seat of your pants.

I don't know if it will be helpful, but here's my Trip Report from our time there. A couple of others have also shared Trip reports this year. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-2-weeks-of-day-trips-from-sorrento

I staying in Cetara for about 60 euros per night (with sea view), so there is absolutely a range of accommodation types on this coast! My solution would not necessarily be great for a family as we did a fair bit of walking, but there is no reason to not look in these other villages, as they have ferry access plus bus access. The bus is sometimes crowded, but given the popularity of the area, it is a miracle it all works as well as it does.
We visited Pompeii from Vietri via the Trenitalia train line, which required a 15 minute extra walk.

At the end of May, we always saw more people in line in Sorrento for the bus to Positano/Amalfi than would fit on the next half-hourly bus.

Our host here, Rick, has written that Sorrento sleepers daytripping to Positano/Amalfi should visit Positano first; After 3:30 PM, the return bus (originates in Amalfi) may not even stop in Positano because it is so over- filled.

You cannot treat this location like a city visit.

After 3:30 PM, the return bus (originates in Amalfi) may not even stop
in Positano because it is so over- filled.

We were on a driving tour along the Amalfi Coast in April and in the late afternoon on the way back to Sorrento, as we passed through Positano there were so many people waiting for the busses to Sorrento and the other way to Amalfi that they were spilling onto the road blocking traffic. As a result there was only one lane of traffic open that had to be shared by vehicles going east and west.

Ditto what Tim and Allan observed, we saw the same mid-May this year.

I replied earlier up above, but do want to add to and agree with what others have said - it is a VERY VERY crowded area - there will be frustrations. The crowds and traffic are CRAZY. And, yes, getting to and from Sorrento from Rome is a haul on the regional train, or if you hire a car/driver, the TRAFFIC is INSANE. While we LOVED Sorrento, it was a one and done trip for us. Again, we did like Sorrento better than Amalfi for sure - both for crowd control, charm, and food.

Another good thing about Salerno is that it is much less expensive than Sorrento - for both food and lodging. By staying in Salerno, and Pompei, we were able to afford private guides, including a boat charter (probably not something that would interest you since you're taking a cruise), and car services.

Plus, Salerno is an easy train ride back to Rome.

going back to your OP we should note that the solution to all of these impediments is NOT renting a car because a car is much more of a hindrance than an advantage. There is almost no place to park a car in the towns on the Amalfi coast and parking in Sorrento is still quite difficult and expensive. Well, some hotels and villas do promise a parking space with the rental. But you still have no place reasonable to leave the car when you go on an excursion to a busy town.

Adding in, I visited in Jan 2023, so low season, so will miss most the problems of summer.

We did the coast without a car, in fact we did 28 nights in italy without a car, and it was perfect for our family of 4.

Some hints

++++1 to staying in Salerno. We stayed in Salerno for 4 nights, and used this as a base. It was fantastic for visiting all the towns in the Amalfi coast. The lodging was excellent, and the food was some of the best we had in italy. We loved Salerno, and stayed in the old city, just above the cathedral, close to the second train stop.

We also chose Salerno, as it was a train hub, with direct train from florence, and train back to rome (With stops of course, but no changes). I originally chose Sorrento, but changed to Salerno, when i figured it was a lot better located for a transport hub, and my wife wanted to see the famous christmas lights.

Really easy to get around, ferries in summer to Amalfi, which means you can avoid the Sita if you want.
In terms of Sita. Even in Jan the timings were dodgy. We had a nice Italian man help us with the correct bus, and helped tell us where to go etc for the bus. It wasnt much stress. We purchased day passes to stop the stress of buying individual tickets.

• Catch the ferry as much as you can
• eat in Salerno, the food is fantastic, and reasonably priced.
• get to Salerno via Trenitalia from Rome easily
• catch the Sita for a once in a lifetime bus ride. Its scary but worth it. We passed another bus and a donkey on a corner, I still dont know how..
• Easy train to Pompeii, about a 20 min walk from the train station
• If you stay in Salerno, you MUST check out Paestum, about 30 min train south of Salerno. This place took my breath away. And also visited a buffalo farm.
• The Salerno cathedral has an amazing underground section, and the Salerno Museum is small, but the artifacts are top notch. Somehow it was free for us once we let them know the country we were from.
  

If you do decide to spend some time in Salerno, happy to share my notes of the stay including restaurants and things to do.

Let us know what you do. Hope this helps..

Just adding my voice to the choir that with 8 nights, you have plenty of time for two locations in region. As posted, Salerno is a good location for exploring the Amalfi Coast, and ferry service is not "limited" from there, As well is available "fast" train service to/from Rome.

Sorrento is a better spot for Capri (ferry), Pompeii and Herculaneum (Circumvesuviana commuter train). Naples is also a contender if watching the pennies, and offers ferry service to Sorrento and Capri as well as commuter train to Sorrento Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Explore ferry options around the region here, using the drop-down to toggle between ports:
https://www.naplesbayferry.com/en/t/salerno/positano

Circumvesuviana schedule here:
https://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/naples-to-sorrento-train-schedule

Personal preference but we did Capri on our own (stayed there 2 nights) and explored it just fine without any guided tours.

catch the Sita for a once in a lifetime bus ride. Its scary but worth
it. We passed another bus and a donkey on a corner, I still dont know
how..

If that doesn't describe one of the great memories of the Amalfi Coast, I don't know what does. The views are beautiful but on my trips to the AC, in 2014 and last April, it was experiencing the traffic that I talk about the most.

Allan, I haven’t been to the Amalfi coast yet, but if you decide you want to see some really crazy traffic again, go to Egypt! My husband is a traffic engineer and could not believe it!