Pompeii Trip - train or tour ?

It's not really 44Euros from Rome to Naples - but close (40Euros) if you take the Eurostar-Alta Velocita. However, if you take the slightly slower and older IC train, its 19.50Euro. Same tracks. Different class of train. CLICK HERE to see a typical morning train schedule. The train fare from Naples to Pompei will be about 2.4Euro.

Even at 85 Euro round trip on the train, it doesn't save you much money (or hassle) doing it on your own.
Here are some more options, pros, and cons: http://www.italofile.com/2008/03/11/day-trip-to-pompeii-from-rome/

Why take a tour? Why be told when, with whom, and what to see. It is very very easy to get to Pompeii. There are plenty of guides waiting outside the ruins or you can rent an audio guide. An interesting story: After arriving with a small group of friends and family, I was waiting for them outside a restaurant when a tour bus arrived. As the tour group from Rome was leaving their bus, their guide told them that they had three hours before they had to get back on the bus. This was with their lunch time! We, in the meantime, arrived at 11:30 AM had lunch for two hours, walked the Ruins for hours and returned to Rome by 11 PM. Independent travel is always the way to go.

Thanks a lot for all your suggestions.They were very helpful.

Actually, my trip got cancelled and I will not be able to travel this time. My parents are now traveling by themselves.

That's why I am now considering a tour as they will not need to worry about the train schedules / connections / crowded subways. They can simply hop on a bus and everything is taken care of for them.

I agree, you definitely have more flexibility when traveling independently, and if I was with them, I might have opted for that. But for now, I think taking a tour is a good option.

But the number of tour companies is mind-boggling. I was hoping someone could suggest a company they had used. That would be so very helpful.

Thanks again,
CK

Are you looking for a tour that only covers Rome, Naples and Pompeii, or one that covers a wider part of Italy?

Regarding tour companies, I would highly recommend Rick Steves Tours! Click the "Tours" tab at the top of this page to see the various tours that are offered. The South Italy tour would cover those areas, and lots of others as well.

Good luck!

The bus tours typically have offer a guide speaking several languages so your guide will repeat everything a couple times so that everyone understands what is going on. They also stop at a cameo factory or another built in shopping zone that you could care less about but they hope you buy something so the tour company gets a kickback. You share a bus with people headed to Capri for the day so you will spend some time picking them up at the end of your day. The plus is that you get door-to-door transport and avoid the Naples train station, which is not the best place to see!

If you take the train it is rather expensive but you get to spend all the time you want touring Pompeii. You can easily pick up a guide at the entrance or rent an audio guide - or just bring your Rick Steve book.

Another option is Enjoy Rome's shuttle: http://www.enjoyrome.com/shuttle_tour/pompeii.html. It only operates on Tuesday & Friday from April to October. It is cheaper than the train and offers transport from Rome to Pompeii and back to Rome. No guide, but again you do find one there or use Rick's book.

Jeff, why paint all tours with the same brush? There are different strokes for different folks, and half a dozen different ways to "tour" Pompeii.

There is such an anti-tour bias in this group. Independent travel is fine for those who like it but for many people a local tour is the best way to go.
They are also very convenient and provide easier traveling. Not everyone is adventuresome and some may have some mobility issues. Ron in Rome is right...
different strokes for different folk!!!

I think we must be more open-minded on this board.

Ehhhehm, That's "WHEN IN ROME" Maryanne! But thank you for agreeing with me :)