Has anyone taken a Mondo tour one way? I'm thinking of signing up for the Amalfi Coast tour but instead of coming back to Sorrento, going from Ravello to Paestum. My concern is whether they'll let me take my (Rick Steves) bag. I've written to them but so far they've only replied with unrelated questions. Also I'm wondering what time they get to Ravello and whether I can get a bus from there to Salerno where I need to catch a bus or train to Paestum. Would I be missing anything on the return trip to Sorrento?
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
5006 posts
We took the tour in 2023 but not one-way. I don't think there was any room in his vehicle for luggage but it's not something I was paying attention to-I think it was a 9 passenger SUV. It was a 9 hour tour starting at 9am in Sorrento and I think we left Ravello at about 4:00-4:30 after after a 1 hour visit, getting back to Sorrento at 6:00. The drive back to Sorrento was just a drive back with a stop at the top of Positano to enjoy the views again.
Posted by
OP
San Francisco, California, USA
177 posts
Thank you Allan. That information helps.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
8287 posts
Ravello is VERY attractive. Budget Ravello-Paestum on (3 SITA busses/2 busses one train) could take some time. Are you saying you have a hotel in Paestum?
Posted by
OP
San Francisco, California, USA
177 posts
Tim - I don't have a hotel yet in Paestum but I do plan on booking one.
Posted by
OP
San Francisco, California, USA
177 posts
Would it be easier to go to Paestum from Sorrento? Rick says you take the train from Sorrento to Naples and then catch a train down to Paestum. Would I be better off taking the Amalfi Mondo tour roundtrip and leave from Sorrento the next day rather than try to go from Ravello to Paestum by public transportation?
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7959 posts
Would I be better off taking the Amalfi Mondo tour roundtrip and leave
from Sorrento the next day rather than try to go from Ravello to
Paestum by public transportation?
Yes.
What you have proposed is basically using the Mondo tour as your one way transportation- I don't think they'd appreciate that.
Salerno makes a good base for visiting Paestum
Posted by
OP
San Francisco, California, USA
177 posts
In Ireland I made a practice of using tours to get from on place to another. The bus drivers and tour guides were always fine with it as long as I told them ahead of time so that they knew not to wait for me. Why would a company not appreciate it as long as you're paying the full amount and let them know? The only issue here seems to be whether they have room for my bag since these are not big buses, but mini vans. If they don't have room, I can understand.
Posted by
Washington DC
28989 posts
I see no harm in inquiring. Although I haven't tried to connect Amalfi to Paestum, it would clearly be faster to travel that way than from Sorrento to Naples and then back down to Paestum. I think you'd have both bus and ferry options between Amalfi and Salerno, though I have no idea about the frequency of the buses and ferries. From Salerno it's a simple train trip to Paestum.
Posted by
OP
San Francisco, California, USA
177 posts
Doesn't look too easy to get from Ravello to Paestum by public transportation. First, it seems you have to get to Minori to catch a bus to Salerno. Minori appears to be a half hour hike but a 50 dollar taxi ride. Different route according to Rome2Rio. Trail vs roadway? Anyway, the buses only run hourly out of Minori and Salerno. I could leave the tour way early in Amalfi and take a ferry to the Port of Salerno and then a train from there to Paestum. But that seems to also involve a long walk from the Port to the rail station. One would think Amalfi to Paestum would be easier than going from Sorrento to Naples to Paestum but I'm not so sure.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7959 posts
From the ferry dock in Salerno to the station is only a 10 min walk, if that
Ferry or bus from Amalfi to Salerno then train to Paestum is the simplest
Ferry schedule
https://www.positano.com/en/t/amalfi/salerno
Bus schedule
https://www.positano.com/en/bus-schedule?route=amalfi_maiori_salerno
Rome2Rio is a fun tool but not always s accurate
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
5006 posts
On our tour we backtracked through Amalfi after Ravello. Maybe he can drop you off there.
Posted by
OP
San Francisco, California, USA
177 posts
Thanks to Christine for that info... very helpful. Mondo says it's okay for me to bring my bag and not return with them to Sorrento.
Thanks to Allan for answering was what going to be my next question... whether the tour backtracks to Amalfi after Ravello. This is looking like it's possible. My other choice is to take the tour round trip the day before and then leave from Sorrento for Paestum in the morning. Trouble with that is a big gap in train connections: A 7AM train out of Sorrento would get me to Paestum (via Naples) around 10 AM, and then it's an 11 AM train to Naples that gets me to Paestum at 2. Nothing in between.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7959 posts
What date?
Are you using the official train site?
https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html
Could just be too early and schedule not up yet but I do remember going from Salerno to Paestum there is a long mid day gap between trains
If they don’t take you back thru Amalfi you can take bus from Ravello to Amalfi then grab a ferry to Salerno then train to Paestum (schedule permitting)
Posted by
OP
San Francisco, California, USA
177 posts
Hi Christine - The date is Sept 24. I tried the Trenitalia link you sent and put in Sorrento to Paestum and all I got were trains leaving in the afternoon starting at 14:45, even tho I entered 07:00 as the departure time. I thought maybe it's too far in advance so I tried searching for May and got the same results. Am I doing something wrong. Rome2Rio says I can leave Sorrento at 7 or 11 in the morning and connect in Naples for a train to Paestum. I'm thinking this is the way to go instead of using the Mondo tour to get me halfway there.