Positano-Pompeii-Rome in a single day?

People do Pompeii as a daytrip from Rome all the time. So, seeing Pompeii on the way from Positano to Rome isn’t crazy at all. It makes for a busy day, but it’s doable.

The best strategy is to leave Positano about 7am so you can arrive at Pompeii when the archaeological park first opens at 9am. This is critical because (1). you’ll want to get a head start before the crowds of visitors begin arriving by mid-morning. And (2) the cooler morning temperatures make the park more amenable to a visit. Even though you’ll likely be there for several hours ( a minimum of 3 hours is advisable) arriving as early as possible means your visit won’t all be during the heat of the afternoon. There are no trees at Pompeii and no shade, so hats, water bottles and sunscreen are all essential. If the weather is hot, tucking scarves or handkerchiefs under your hats to cover your necks will keep you cooler and putting water on them will cool you even more.

You can reserve your entrance tickets in advance so that you don’t have to wait in line to buy them. Keep in mind that Pompeii is limited to a maximum of 20,000 visitors and once that number of visitors has entered the park, more visitors can only enter as others exit the park.

From Positano, there are several ways to reach Pompeii. Since a taxi will cost around €200, the more reasonable option is by public transit. You can take the bus from Positano to Sorrento and then transfer to the Circumvesuviana train in Sorrento and continue to Pompeii. There is luggage storage at the Pompeii-Scavi entrance where the Circumvesuviana train stops.

When leaving Pompeii, you can take the Circumvesuviana train to Naples Centrale train station and transfer upstairs to a high-speed train to Rome. The “Garibaldi station” is the downstairs section of Napoli Centrale station where the Circumvesuviana trains arrive.

Have fun in Pompeii!

...someone asked about doing the Rome–Pompeii–Positano itinerary in
one day, and most replies advised against it.

Just guessing, Jerseydan, but the post you likely saw was about day-tripping Pompeii and Positano from Rome, meaning the poster was needing to return to Rome at the end of the day. I wouldn't advise that either. As Kenko posted above, you can absolutely do what you're proposing as it's a one-way journey with a stop along the way versus a circular one back to the starting point (Positano, in your case). Make sense?

In broad terms, the bus takes an hour to Sorrento, and the Circumvesuviana takes an hour to Pompeii Scavi. However, they are both extremely cheap. Note possible need to put your luggage under the bus, and get it back, in Sorrento. You'll have to deal with slightly reduced services on Sundays. Get an idea of the (Trenitalia) Frecciarossa schedule to Rome, and the walk-up pricing. Minimum time inside Pompeii is two hours, but that misses a lot of a huge place. It would take at least 2.5 hours additional to have pizza in Naples. We waited an hour just to get into Gino Sorbillo. There is a "satisfactory" glorified cafeteria inside Pompeii Scavi.

The SITA bus stop in Sorrento is right in front of the Circumvesuviana station. Tickets from newsstand adjacent. Because the Circumvesuviana stop is so close to the Porta Marina entrance to Pompeii Scavi, and because so many posters here were happy with Pompeii's luggage storage, the fact that you have luggage isn't such a big deal. I don't know about October, but the Circumvesuviana is full to bursting, hot, and run-down, from May to September.

It is reported that the Circumvesiuviana station also has luggage storage, but I'd stick with the Pompeii Scavi storage, about 200' away.

Hi Jersey Dan,
We did the Southern Italy RS tour last spring. Pompeii was a highlight of the trip. Need at least 2 or 3 hours. Gaetano (sp?) was our local guide in Pompeii. RS folks may know how to reach him if you want a good local guide. After our visit I read Robert Harris' book Pompeii. Excellent, wish I read it before. Since time is short and depending on budget you may wish to hire car and drive to get you to Pompeii. PBS is running a series on recent discoveries there. So agree with previous advice, go early and give yourself lots of time.

Here's some info about Pompeii's The New Dig, the 4th episode just premiered on PBS.https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/the-new-dig-4th-episode-was-fantastic-just-released-on-pbs

And I hear that the Circumvesuviana is a major pickpocket workplace

Phred, protect your valuables on the Circumvesuviana the same as you should on darn near any public transport in Italy (and indeed in any tourist hotspot in Europe) and you'll be fine. Many thousands of locals and tourists take that train every year without issue if not careless with the stuff they want to keep out of hands other than their own.

We've taken that train and emerged at the end of the day with everything we came with still intact other than what we spent, drank or ate. Cards, cash, etc, buried very securely under our clothing or in a locked, cross-body Pacsafe, and a tight hand on my Canon bag.

Excellent advice. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes due to the uneven terrain. We also used a mans hankie and dipped it in the fountains to rub on our arms and neck what a relief that was. Enjoy!!

It’s possible, but only if you accept a very long travel day. From Positano you’d go up to Sorrento, then take the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii. After your visit, continue to Naples and catch a fast train to Rome.

Allow at least 2–3 hours in Pompeii to make the stop worthwhile. There’s luggage storage at the main entrance, so that part is easy. If you’re fit and don’t mind multiple connections, it can work — just know you’ll only get a taste of the site, not a full visit.

So it is not necessary to purchase advance tickets on fast train from Naples to Rome in first half of Oct? Purchase Day of travel is ok and it wont cost an arm and a leg?

It won't cost an "arm and a leg", it will just cost normal amounts.....the advance purchasing can save you a LOT, and sometimes close to 50%, but no train in Italy is going to be exorbitant (unless you go with the uber fancy seats).....the most inconvenience might be that one train is sold out (I have had to scramble on a weekend trip to Florence from Salerno because the late afternoon Sunday trains were sold out and leave earlier than wanted) and you would have to leave earlier or later than you planned....if you want, maybe towards the end of your visit in Pompeii, check the availability of tickets on your phone and survey if you need to secure tickets on your phone before you leave Pompeii (but give yourself enough time to get to Napoli Centrale!)

Last year we stopped in Pompeii on the same day we toured the Amalfi Coast with a car and driver. We allotted 1.5 hours to Pompeii. It was worth it. Could you spend more time, of course, but in my opinion you could get a lot from an hour and a half and it's not a crazy idea.

Purchase Day of travel is ok and it wont cost an arm and a leg?

To get an idea of walk-up prices, look on Trenitalia for full price tickets for "tomorrow" - that should be the same-day price in October.

The public transportation modes in the AC are uncomfortable (sort of third world) but cheap. By uncomfortable I mean no air conditioning, and probably standing, especially the Pompeii to Naples train. Also, expect the Circumvesuviana train to run late , and the route will take longer than expected, which complicates connecting with a Naples to Rome train. You'll probably be ok in the early morning segments, but afternoons will try anyone's patience. (We had to stand in a hot train from Pompeii to Sorrento one May, and after being on our feet all day, it was more than maddening.)

I know the price is high, but I would treat yourself to a private driver from Pompeii to your Rome hotel. You really won't regret it! We used Aldo Limos, and highly recommend them.

Have a great trip!