Is this a doable itiniary?

Ruth You have received excellent advice on getting to Pompeii from Rome. Also check Rick Steves Italy Guide When you get to Pompeii, I suggest you do use a tour guide either the ones at the site or arrange for a guide in advance. If you search the Helpline you will find one guide used by RS readers get rave reviews. If Pompeii is a favorite for you, it is worth the $$ for the guide! Sorrento I would also urge you to go to Sorrento. Such a different experience from the cities you have seen. Take the Circumvesuviana (commuter train) to Sorrento from Pompeii. Rather than take a flight back from Rome, consider returning from Naples. Usually, you still can do a one stop flight home from Naples for the same amount or not much higher. There is a Curreri bus from Sorrento directly to the Naples airport several times a day (1.25 hrs.) www.curreriviaggi.it. This saves you time (Sorrento to Naples, Naples to Rome Termini and then Termini to Rome Airport), aggravation (saves 2 stops dragging luggage around) , and lots of money (see above). If you have to leave for the US from Rome, take the Curreri www.curreriviaggi.it or Marovzzi marozzivt.it bus. There are limited departures but it is really cheap 17 Euros or so one way. 4 hours, 2 quick stops, very nice coach bus. Leaves from Sorrento's train station. It arrives at the Tiburtina Train Station not the Termini. Their websites are a little confusing so you could wait until you get to Italy and have your guide or hotel help you with the booking. This is all in RS Italy book on the sections for Sorrento, Rome, and Pompeii. His books are totally practical for just this kind of transportation question. And of course his sightseeing recommendations and info is unparalelled! Buon Viaggio! Bobbie

It is certainly doable to see Pompeii in a daytrip. I would spring for the fast train, though. If you know your exact day or travel, you can book ahead and most likely score a mini fare. Early train, 09:00 current schedule gets you to Napoli at 10:10. Then you have a 30 minute or so hop on the Circumvesuviana to Pompeii - say you arrive in Pompeii Scavi at 11:30 allowing for train schedules and personal needs. Spend say 3 hours there, have lunch; it's now 3:30. Hop back on the Circumvesuviana to Napoli, catch the 17:50 and arrive back in Roma at 19:00. Rick Steves has a self-guided tour that will show you the Pompeii highlights. The museum in Naples is certainly enlightening, so if you can see your way to an extra day/night, it's amazing. Sorrento is a good 45 minutes by train past Pompeii Scavi, so if you only do a one nighter, I don't think I'd go that far. Up to you, though. Sorrento is lovely. There's a great little cafe in Napoli Garibaldi, by the way, to grab a sandwich or coffee and pastry. It's called Vyta. You will pass by it on the way from the Trenitalia trains to the Circumvesuviana.

You can skip the breakfast of your last day (if you read reviews of previous RS tours, you'll see the "actual" farewell/goodbye is late the night before the last day) and catch the earliest possible train to Napoli, then head to Pompeii and spend the day there, then go back to Rome. I'd recommend you to book a hotel close to Fiumicino airport, one that offers 24/7 free shuttles to the airport, for your last night, so you'll save a lot of money on taxi fares in the middle of the night (and the stress as well). It is what I always recommend for people catching early flights. If you opt for 2 extra nights, you could sleep one night in Sorrento, to where you'd head after Pompeii. You could then explore Sorrento the following day, depart in the mid-afternoon and head to the airport, booking a hotel that offers 24/7 shuttles....

Thank you Laurel and Andre. Andre, can you recommend a decent and safe budget hotel near the airport? Thanks,
Ruth

Thank you, Bobbie, for all your wonderful advice!
Ruth