Pompeii & Mt Vesuvius from Sorrento

Since you want to include both sites, then one of the bus tours that leave from Sorrento likely makes sense, since it takes care of all transportation, tickets, and the guide.

Very easy. Looks like two trains per hour on Rome2Rio app. I did it twice from Sorrento. Can’t help with Vesuvius. Takes 40 min.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/pompeii-and-vesuvius-69e8366c-1e75-4a14-a0bc-0677269492d1

The Circumvesuviana train stops at Pompeii Scavi, directly across the street from the Porta Marina entrance to the ancient city. About 45 hot and crowded minutes. Buy your tickets from the newsstand beside the Sorrento station (two tix for round trip.) Validate your ticket in the machine on the platform before boarding.

The Circumvesuviana is simple and the station at Pompeii is right at the gates. We didn't make it to Vesuvius but I noticed plenty of options from Pompeii. I believe you need to book your entrance to Vesuvius in advance as they stagger arrivals to cope with crowds. If you're late, you don't get in. However, I'm glad I didn't book a tour for the same day because we spent a lot more time than expected at Pompeii.

*consider a quick trip to Oplontis from Pompeii. It's a villa like something that would have been featured on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous 2000 years ago. There is a free shuttle from Pompeii or it's only 1 stop further north on the train.

Circumvesuvian to Pompeii.

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

Bus to Vesuvius.

https://www.visitpompeiivesuvius.com/en/bus-schedule

Thank you everyone. It is very intimidating getting around the Amalfi Coast.

Thank you everyone. It is very intimidating getting around the Amalfi
Coast.

Are you already there, or is that a comment based on your research so far? My wife and I were based in Sorrento for 11 days in April and while the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento regions have their transportation challenges, I'd describe it as frustrating more than intimidating. Have you looked at the RS Guidebook for the area? https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/amalfi-coast-guidebook, it's also available on Amazon. We found it extremely useful for the practical knowledge it has for getting around.

We went separate days to Pompeii and Mt Vesuvius from Sorrento. For Vesuvius we bought a small van tour that we took once we arrived. We took the train to the town. All the tour did was take us up to where we could walk. The tours can go further up the mountain than private cars.

If you want to do both in the same day, you might consider a tour as the logistics would be easier.

We had crowded hot train ride back from Vesuvius. Our ride the next day to Pompeii was pleasant both ways. Some of the trains are air conditioned and others are not. Coming back from Vesuvius we hit rush hour while coming back from Pompeii was mid day and thus not as crowded.