My husband and I are traveling to Rome for the first time this April. I am familiar with Paris and planning day trips to other cities/countries. I've managed day trips to Normandy, Brussels, London, Geneva and found day trip groups on line for the D-Day beaches. But I am totally out of my comfort zone trying to plan anything from Rome. I would like to plan a day trip from Rome to Pompeii. The travel group I wanted to help me book - is no longer doing day trips (they are only doing all inclusive packages). Any suggestions on trains, tour groups/guides. Is it possible and easy to navigate trains and any recommend small-group tours. We don't need a personal 1:1 type tour and am happy with trying to find a small 10 person group package (similar to D-Day tours). Any help is greatly appreciated!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23666 posts
Pompeii is a long day but fairly easy to do on your own if you are willing. You take the high speed train early morning from Rome to Naples. Walk downstairs in the Naples station, turn left for a hundred yards or so to the Circumvesuviana ticket office, buy a round trip ticket. Get off at the first Pompeii stop, walk across the platform to the entrance to Pomepeii. Buy your ticket and there will be a bunch a guides standing around offer guide service. Strike up a conversation telling one of them what you want to do, see, how long, etc., and he will tell you the price. We had an excellent guide for three hours. Reverse to go back to Rome. The Ccircumvesuviana is commuter train running several times an hour. However, to and from Naples will require tickets with fixed times.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16766 posts
Just expand on Frank's post, the name of the adjoining station at Napoli Centrale is Garibaldi, and you want the Napoli - Sorrento line of the Circumvesuviana (there is more than one line).
You'll want to get off at Villa dei Mysteri station right in front of the site; it’s about 30 minutes from Naples. Tickets for this particular train are inexpensive, and must be validated before you board.
Here is the schedule for this train:
To Pompeii:
http://www.eavsrl.it/web/sites/default/files/orariautomobilisti/NapoliSorrento_New2015.pdf
From Pompeii:
http://www.eavsrl.it/web/sites/default/files/orariautomobilisti/Orario%20Sorrento_Napoli.pdf
As he stated, this will be a long day but people do it. If you don't want to spend this sort of time, consider Ostia Antica: a shorter distance from Rome on a single BIT ticket (one way) or buy a 24-hr pass (€ 7,00).
Posted by
Alexandria, VA
771 posts
If you don't mind the expense, Walks of Italy has a full day trip from Rome to Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast for 169 euros each. We haven't used them for this, but have used them for their city tours and they are excellent, with small groups and outstanding guides. There is a 10% discount using the code ricksteves10. You would meet at a central place in Rome, and everything will be taken care of from there, including a drive of the Amalfi Coast and time in Positano.