Herculaneum Circumvesuviana HELP! and other trains in italy

Ask yourself first this question: If you were visiting NY, how far in advance would you buy tickets for the NY Subway?

You are probably way overthinking this. You do not need to buy any train tickets at all before you arrive in Italy. On long distance high speed services you can get discounts if you buy tickets in advance, but that is the only reason to do this.

The vast majority of people traveling on the Circumvesuviana are locals, going about their every day business. They travel on commuter passes, or buy tickets from a ticket vending machine (or increasingly using their phones) just before travel. And so should you.

EDIT: On the Circumvesuviana you can now apparently do Tap-In and Tap-Out with your CC. I have not been there recently enough to confirm that however.

I agree, while the long distance trains with reserved seats might sell out at peak days/times, a commuter train like the Circumvesuviana will not. It’s probably more like the PATH train if you’re familiar with New York, but regardless, when the seats fill up people will just keep stuffing themselves on the train. So work out which return train from Naples to Rome makes sense based on how long you want to spend at Herculaneum, allowing for a little cushion, and don’t fret the Circumvesuviana. Good luck!

This doesn't explain why there are hours of gaps in the train ticket schedules. Have they simply sold out of tickets that can be reserved, but still have plenty left to buy later or at station? Or is that Train that disappeared from schedule sold out? This happens on small trains and trains from for instance Rome to Florence. I really am only interested in taking high speed trains on any route that offers them.

What date are you looking for?
Possible that the full schedule is simply not available yet

No need to buy Circumvesuvuana in advance-it can’t sell out
Not even sure you can buy online in advance

Worst case scenarion take a taxi

I'm more concerned about high speed trains selling out to different cities. Or the gap in train schedules when buying tickets. No one has addressed that question. Taxi to Herculaneum is appropriately $70 instead of $13. You CAN buy tickets for the local train online. It says it is Air Conditioned too. That's why I'd like up-to-date information. I've been to Pompei years ago for instance, but old information is useless. Since Covid, things have changed completely. That's why I would appreciate information from no more than a year ago.

Circumvesuviana is not air conditioned and tix have never been sold online

Are you talking about Campania Express?

Fast trains rarely sell out
There are multiple fast trains from Rome to Naples and Naples to Rome every hour
2 train companies as well
Trenitalia and ItaloTreno

Again what date are you looking for?

What website are you using?

Recent discussions

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/circumvesuviana-train-from-pompeii-to-herculaneum-then-on-to-naples

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/campania-express-train-ticket-online-purchase

Above post reported as suspicious link.

I am a planner.

A planner usually has a process, which is to first gather information until they have a full understanding of a given subject, and then going on to implementation. You've been asked several times for the date of your trip. This is relevant because the majority of schedules for Trenitalia long distance trains are published in June. If your trip is later, that may explain why you see so few trains available.

To get an idea of what the schedule will be, look in late March or April for your routing on the day of the week you intend to travel - later schedules won't be much different. Then start thinking about buying long distance tickets approximately one month before your travel date. There will be plenty of seats available.

There are two train stations serving Herculaneum (Ercolano). One is served by Trenitalia, the other by the Circumvesuviana railway. Personally, I much prefer the Trenitalia trains, but a bit more walking is required.

I was looking at Trainline to purchase tickets and that's where you could buy the ticket from Naples Central to Ercolano Scavi. They claimed it was Air Conditioned, not that I care that much about it. And they also only had certain times and blocks of hours that were not available to buy which is why I worried that things have changed. I need to find a link to the train schedule not just what's available to buy online because I have a feeling that that's not the same thing. As the fast trains from Rome to Naples have a few hours of gaps (like nothing available after 8:30 until 10: 18 PM back to Rome) where you cannot purchase a single ticket online on May 30 (the day I plan on going to Naples and back). I do not want to take the 2 1/2 hour when there are fast trains that are only an hour and 14 minutes.
The gaps that are missing are of course, exactly the times I planned which was very annoying. Which gets back to my question, I wonder why there are gaps. The gaps were on multiple sites: Trainline, Italo, and Trentinila. I apologize if I'm not spelling anything correctly I'm doing this on my phone quickly.

Forget trainline. Use Trenitalia https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html or Italo https://www.italotreno.com/en to buy your high speed ticket from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale, and return ticket.

Then, no need to book the Circumvesuviana train, one leaves about every half hour, just buy your ticket then, you can see a schedule here, https://www.sorrentoreview.com/circumvesuviana-train-timetables.html but verify that this is the latest.

The problem you describe in your post, is that to book ahead requires using the Campania Express, a train that runs on the same route as the Circumvesuviana. Despite it's name, it really is no faster than the regular train and runs very infrequently (only a few times a day).

I see fast trains from Napoli Centrale to Roma Termini May 30 almost 2 an hour from 9 am thru 8 pm

Use the official train site

https://www.trenitalia.com/content/tcom/en.html

Campania Express has only a few runs a day which is why you are seeing gaps

Why make things so complicated-just take the Circumvesuviana to Napoli Centrale

Here is Circumvesuviana schedlue

https://www.positano.com/en/naples-to-sorrento-train-schedule?timetable_route=sorrento_napoli

I would take an earlier train than you think you jerd because if the chaos of travel in the area
This trains often run late
Buy the ticket when you get to the station- they are NOT available online
or you can buy your return ticket at Napoli Centrale if you are coming thru there earlier in day

The gap starts at 8 pm. That's the problem. Leaving before 8pm is too soon. Then nothing until 10 pm. Gaps leaving Rome too in afternoon. I checked all 3 sites. Thanks for the links. The 2 trains per hour does not seem to apply to purchasing on line between 8-10pm. Still curious as to why. There were trains at 8:30 ish and a 9pm but it said "2 tickets left at this price", but that disappeared before I could complete purchase. Now, forced on train leaving after 10PM. Did it sell out completely or are they holding tickets back until later?

A "Planner" meets Italian train schedules. You still have not told us your planned date, or exactly what your plan is, so how can anyone confirm what you are saying and offer any help? The Italians have a way of expressing this with their hands, pinching their fingers together, "What is it that you want?"

Ok
I just checked both Trenitalia and ItaloTreno for several Fridays in March April and May
It appears neither have fast trains Napoli to Roma between 8/8:30-10 pm
That is the legit schedule
It is what it is

Get to Naples and have a pizza while you are waiting

Looking at Circumvesuvisna schedule here:
https://www.sorrentoreview.com/circumvesuviana-train-timetables.html

It appears that the train does not stop at Ercolano mid day other than 2 something
Your last train to Naples is at 6:15 PM
The red “ Express” you see is the Campania Express

Same on this schedule

https://www.positano.com/en/naples-to-sorrento-train-schedule?route=sorrento_napoli#section-schedule-result

I would make sure to be on that 6:15 train

The pizza was already in the plans. I just didn't need 8 1/2 hours to see Herculaneum and get a pizza. I'm somewhat handicapped, so that's a very long day without a hotel room to go to for a break. Unfortunately, I bought a nonrefundable ticket at 12:55 PM. I guess all I can do like I said in the original post, eat the cost of that ticket (12:55) , buy an earlier one out so I can come home earlier, or wait until I get to Rome and exchange it at the station for earlier time, if there is one. You can't exchange for an earlier train online with the semi flexible fare. It is what it is. (The plan was to to leave Rome in the afternoon, see Herculaneum, get the pizza, go on the Naples walk without going to the museum, and catch a return train at around 8 PM. As I thought I explained, I bought the ticket going there and then couldn't get the 8 PM ticket because it's sold out before I could finish the purchasing process. Thank you everyone. Although, why the gaps? lol

On 30 May, your travel date there is also a 2045 to Roma Ostiense and the 2110 night train (which has seated cars) to Roma Tiburtina

Trenitalia has tickets available
Fast train 6:30, 6:40, 730 and 8:30 pm for 22.90 euros
May 30

I don’t know where you are seeing Sold Out