We only have two nights to stay in the area. We'll train from Florence on Easter Sunday. My first choice is staying in Maiori...train to Salerno, bus to Amalfi then Maiori. Local bus to Pompeii next day. Will that work? I can't see anywhere a bus schedule for Maiori...and I wonder about buses on Easter Monday as well.
Should we just stay in Naples and skip the coast?
Thanks for your help.
Pat
Posted by
Bromley, Kent,, UK
1829 posts
Here are a selection of Sita bus timetables for the area. If you are only going south to visit Pompeii, and apart from Naples itself, Sorrento would be the most convenient place for a stopover.
http://www.sitabus.it/wps/portal/OrariCampania
PS - or Pompeii itself? Some hotel reviews from TripAdvisor
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotels-g187786-Pompeii_Campania-Hotels.html
Posted by
Los Angeles
425 posts
http://www.sitabus.it/sitabus/campania/orarioCAMPANIA/QUADROXV.pdf
Here you will find DIRECT bus service between Maiori and Pompei. Buses run Monday through Saturday.
An alternative is to take the SITA bus to Salerno, then the train to Pompei.
Posted by
OP
Harbor Springs
6 posts
Thank you both. I do find the bus schedules rather confusing, but I'll work through it.
And your comment about the train from Sorrento is apt. Over the weekend we decided to take the train from Florence to Naples then on to Sorrento for the nights. The train to Pompei...circumsuviana? Getting off at which stop?
Appreciate your help. I'm getting pretty excited about the trip.
Posted by
Dallas, TX, USA
1170 posts
I would also recommend that you make Sorrento your base and either bus or hire a car to take you down the coast.
Posted by
Bromley, Kent,, UK
1829 posts
The Circumvesuviana train stop you want from Sorrento to Pompeii is "Pompeii Scavi". You won't miss it, just follow the crowd! Trains are about every half hour as is the length of the journey.
Turn right outside the station and it is less than 5 minutes walk to the site entrance.
After paying for your tickets don't forget to pick up your free site map and guide booklet from the information window (info correct as of Oct 2009).
Posted by
OP
Harbor Springs
6 posts
Thanks to everyone for their help.
Another question: How long did you spend at the ruins. A local travel agent suggested 3-4 hours.
I've been waiting to visit Pompeii for a LONG time and it seems to me it would be an all day visit.
Yes?
Posted by
Chicago
2876 posts
The last train from Pompeii back to Sorrento (as of last fall) was at about 10 PM - and they run frequently all day long - so you can certainly play it by ear.
Posted by
Bromley, Kent,, UK
1829 posts
The free site map suggests 2, 4 and 6 hour itineraries so yes it is possible, with breaks for lunch and ice cream, to spend a day there.
It can be hard going but if you resist the usual first timers impulse to look at everything you pass you will be able to pace yourself and avoid ruin overdose. There is also a audio guide you can hire. If you do some reading and googling before you go it will be a more rewarding visit. Maybe even read Robert Harris's "Pompeii" novel? Here is a site I dip into from time to time to keep abreast with developments
http://bloggingpompeii.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html
I have visited the site 25 times over the last thirty years and still can't resist a visit when we are in Sorrento!