Getting from Rome to Naples

Naples is fairly easy to get to. And you do have choices of train or plane. For the past several years I go to Roma Termini (by taxi or the Leonardo Express) and then catch the first Freccia train non-stop to Napoli Centrale. If you land about 1pm, you could easily be unpacked, freshened up and ready for drinks before dinner in Naples. I really don't think you would save any time by flying from Rome to Naples, in fact you'll probably spend more time waiting around for a flight and then more time getting from the airport to your hotel. Wonder what others will say but i vote for the train.

Get the Trenitalia app, tickets after luggage retrieval. Fiumicino Aeroporto to Napoli Centrale. Changing trains at Termini, locate the platform [binario] by referring to the train number on the departure board.

This would be the route I know/used. You would have to take the airport train (there is the Leonardo express, about 10euro) to the Termini station. From there you have three options for trains. Really cheap and about 3 hours, moderately priced and about 2 hours and more expensive and takes an hour. The expensive train is much cheaper when you prepurchase the ticket, but that is risky after a flight because you never know if your flight will be on time or how long customs will take. The Italian train site, trenitalia is very easy to use.

https://www.trenitalia.com/en/offers.html

Now, perhaps there is an option where you can go to Naples from the Rome Airport, I'll leave that to others. I do think there is a bus from the Rome airport to Naples.

Taking that train is pretty easy, not to mention relaxing – and after a long flight, it's nice to stretch out in a train for a bit. That's how I'd do it.

Anytime you ask a question, it's good to give the month of the year. Europe can be very crowded in high season. In this case, the train is a comfortable, easy decision. We understand that you are saying that you are sleeping in Naples the day that you arrive in Rome.

The FCO-Termini shuttle does not require advance ticketing. As another noted, the main issue is that a walk-up ticket on the excellent, very fast Frecciarossa service to Naples is quite expensive. Three months in advance, it's a giveaway price. But you CANNOT change the time or date of the ticket if your flight from the US is late and you miss the Rome Termini-Naples departure. I personally would make a conservative advance purchase and be emotionally prepared to throw the tickets in the garbage!

Thank you all for you replies.
Our date of travel is April 13, 2020.
Sounds like the train is a good option.
Also looked into Fiumicino Express. This is a bus from airport to downtown Naples. Booking not available yet for April.
It is a 3 hour trip but might be worth it to just leave straight from the airport..
If booking train I would make sure to leave plenty of time. We arrive at FCO 12:55pm, so thought a train at 3:30 or 4:00 would be prudent.

If buying tickets in advance, which I do not recommend, see the one at 15:23:

https://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en

Miss it and your tickets are worthless.

Hi Deborah! I just wanted to add that my daughter and I are flying into Rome on 4/13/20! Same day you arrive :) I just booked our tickets a couple hours ago. So excited! First time to Italy or even this far from the states!! I’ll probably be on here a lot with a ton of questions!

If booking train I would make sure to leave plenty of time. We arrive at FCO 12:55pm, so thought a train at 3:30 or 4:00 would be prudent.

Get tickets at the station. Why running the risk of wasting your money if your flight is delayed? Or wasting time if you arrive at the airport station earlier than expected?

I think 3:30 or 4 sounds risky
Land at 12:55 if on time, allow time to get off the plane, go thru passport control, get your luggage, find the train, etc.
I’d allow 2 hours minimum for all of that. And you are still not at Termini

If the Express bus timing works that would be the easiest way

Personally, I would lean towards the bus from the airport directly to Naples, if you can buy the tickets when you arrive and if the buses are fairly frequent. The express train to Termini and then the high speed train to Naples will take at least 2 hours, total time, and that, only if you are relatively lucky in the timing.

And I agree with Dario in terms of the prepurchase. We actually had a case where our plane was an hour early and we "flew" thru customs. We ended up on a train almost 3 hours earlier than the one I had considered for prepurchase. That amounted to a half day of site seeing that we hadn't planned. And of course, it can go the other way as well. Your plane can be late, or customs a mess. If you have to be very conservative with the time on the purchase of the high speed train, you could have so much extra time built in that you may be waiting and then you may as well have purchased the cheap tickets/slow train.

Thanks again for all the advice.
We have changed our flights and now arrive in Rome early, at 7am.
I definitely am leaning toward the bus direct from the airport to Naples.
No lugging bags on 2 trains, just throw it in the boot of the bus and look at the scenery, maybe even a nap.