So on Sept. 17 we're taking a non-stop flight to Rome, arriving on 9/18 at about 9 a.m. We want to hang in Rome for the day, and maybe one more day, then leave for Naples, where we'll take a day trip to Pompeii, then scoot over to Sorrento, Positano, and end our trip in Bari, where we'll also be flying out -- on 9/27. We will be relying on public transportation for this trip, so we're packing light and trying to book ahead -- but not TOO far ahead; plans change, desires change, and this is supposed to be a fun, romantic vacation for the hubs and I. My question is this: since we're not terribly familiar with the train systems in Italy (we went all over the country last year and had a rental car, so we were pretty free of any transportation issues), how easy will it be for us to get to all these cities? We are not opposed to taking taxis for small trips, or buses for slightly longer trips (if they're available), but trains seem the easiest and fastest, and probably the most cost-effective. I'm looking up cheap, clean hotels in and around Rome right now that will be easy to get to from the airport, and I think we're going to book in Ostia, which (the site says) is about 15 miles from the center of town. Not terrible on a train or bus, or whatever we find.
Posted by
CA, USA
1272 posts
IMHO staying in Ostia is a mistake. You want to spend a day in Rome, stay in Rome. There is an express train from Rome (Leonardo express) that takes you right to the middle of the city from the airport. I'm not even sure how you'll get into town from Ostia, probably on that same train! Stay in Rome and you can go back to your room to change or rest during the day, clean up before dinner, etc. Stay in Ostia and you'll go into Rome and back once, so you'll be away from your hotel the entire day.
From Positano to Bari I'd look into a bus; I think the train will be circuitous, have to admit I'm not sure though.
Posted by
OP
Oak Park, MI, USA
62 posts
Yeah, I kinda figured that about Ostia. The hotel was so cute, though! I'm still looking -- we haven't booked any rooms yet -- so if I can find something in Rome that is comparatively priced, I'm going to snap it up.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23669 posts
What is your price for Rome? Ostia is off the main route and 15 miles could be an hour getting into Rome.
Posted by
CA, USA
1272 posts
so if I can find something in Rome that is comparatively priced, I'm
going to snap it up.
There's usually a tradeoff between distance and price. After all, if the distant hotel was priced the same as the ones in town, who'd stay there? Sometimes a base makes sense, to me often in the country. If we're going to be driving most of the day anyway, why not stay in a decent town where the prices are good? But for a larger city I ask myself how much I'd pay for an extra 2 hours of sightseeing that day, the convenience of being able to go back to my room, and have that amount in mind when I look at price differences. I'd add there is no "absolute" right even though some people seem so dogmatic about things, just what is right for you. Even when visiting a city some people would rather save the $50 or whatever, and that may be the best decision for them.
Posted by
OP
Oak Park, MI, USA
62 posts
Well the price for the hotel in Ostia was going to be $56 a night (!!!) so I really can't expect to find that in or near the city center without some trade-off...and I don't want to think about what that trade-off might be. I'll keep looking; like I said, nothing is booked yet. But we'll need the room for two nights at least, and then we're moving on to Naples. There, I'd like to stay someplace in town, too, and we'll be taking a day trip to Pompeii and maybe Capri.
Posted by
1 posts
I've made my way back and forth between Bari and Sorrento a couple of times now. From Sorrento you will probably take the train to Naples and then take a bus to Bari. It is possible to take the train, but I think you have to make a transfer, while the buses are direct and cost a lot less. In both Naples and Bari the bus and train station share the same area.
The Naples station is a bit trickier to navigate your first time. To take the train to Sorrento you'll want the part of the station that's underground. If you are coming into Naples by train you have to go outside and renter the building (on the side furthest from the bus area). From the bus stop it's the second entryway, and the only one with stairs.
Unfortunately, the buses running between Naples and Bari tend to be at inconvenient times. (So early in the morning that it's hard to make the transfer from Sorrento. Or so late that you won't arrive in Bari until late in the afternoon or evening- which limits what you can see in a day). Check when your train will arrive in Naples, assume it will be at least 10 minutes late and that you'll need 15-20 minutes to find the bus and buy your ticket. The time tables can be found online. Should you decide to buy your ticket on the day of, find out if you will need to buy the ticket on the bus or from the office. The office you buy the tickets from is parallel to the bus platform and is on the side closest to the train station, located roughly in the middle of the complex. It doesn't have any signage about tickets and you have to be very clear that you wish to buy the ticket, not just find the bus. You can also chose to book the ticket a couple or days in advance. I usually just walk into a travel agent's in Italy and book my bus ticket there, which you might want to consider if you are having a hard time navigating the public transit websites.
If you miss the early morning bus and the next one doesn't come for a very long time, fear not. Try going to Foggia (by train or bus) and then transferring to Bari from there. It tends to work out to almost the same price and can salvage a good portion of your day if you're stuck.
By the way, the caves in Grotte di Castelana are beautiful, if you are looking for a day trip outside of Bari :)
Good luck. It sounds like a great trip :)