Rome to Pompeii

Are you staying in Positano or are you staying in Rome?
If you're staying in Rome and trying to do Positano and Pompeii as a day trip, that would be one loooooong day.

This may not be what you are looking for but we did a day out with a company called "See Amalfi Coast." We took the fast (1 hour 10 minute) train from Rome to Naples, were met by our driver in a nice Mercedes, he took us to Sorrento, then Positano (where we had a fabulous lunch up in the hills above) then to Pompeii, where they company had also arranged for a private guide for us. It was a splurge, but we were seeing a lot in a day and I valued getting the most out of our limited time. We returned to Rome on the 6:30 (or so) train and were back to our hotel in time fora nice dinner.

So I'm sorry my question was in two parts, from Rome for a day trip to Pompeii, them after that we go from Rome to positano for 5 days

Pompeii is closer to Positano than Rome. Can't you do Pompeii from Positano or am I missing something? Would definitely not do a Rome>Pompeii then Rome>Positano.

We are with friends who want to visit Pompeii, we will be in Rome for 5 days, then they leave and we go to positano from Rome as well for 5 days, but want to see it with them?

I guess maybe we wait since we are headed that way anyway? Probably doesn't make sense to go from Rome to Pompeii, then back to Rome, then Rome to positano? Just wanted to see it with our friends?

OK, that helps.
It makes more sense for you to do Pompeii on your way to Positano. You have to go that direction anyway so why backtrack to Rome only to turn around again and go BACK towards Naples/Amalfi Coast?

I'd take a fast train to Naples Centrale, walk through the station to the connecting Garibaldi Station and buy a ticket on the Circumvesuviana commuter train - Naples to Sorrento line - to Pompeii. Tickets for the Circ. are inexpensive but must be validated before you get on your train. About 30 minutes later you'll get off at Scavi Villa dei Misteri station right in front of the main entrance to the ruins. There is a cloakroom for checking your luggage.

Then buy another ticket for the same train (validate it!), take it all the way to Sorrento (abt. 30 minutes) and then take a SITA bus to Positano (abt. 45 minutes).

That's the budget way to do it. "Easy" but much more expensive would be to hire a driver from Pompeii or Sorrento to take you all the way to Positano. If you're interested in that option, I'm sure some of the folks who've done it that way can offer up some resources.

Editing to add: you'd posted the bit about wanting to do Pompeii with friends while I was still typing.. Personally, I still wouldn't cover the same ground twice - and pay for the fast train to/from Naples that many times - if I could avoid it?

Ok Kathy thanks so much for your info! It makes way more sense to go on our way, our friends will have to go without us! Do you think we should just head for our place In positano drop off our stuff and maybe go to Pompeii within the time we are staying there? Thanks

You're welcome. :O)

You certainly can do it either way but as you'll be going right BY it, visiting en-route to Positano would be a convenient way to get 'er done. Saves a SITA bus ride back to Sorrento, another trip on the Circ. to the scavi and then the whole thing in reverse again.

Whatever works for you is fine, though.

I kind of like your first idea. It's simple. Going to Pompeii means taking the local Circumvesuviana train, which is really a tram. In tourist season, it's often crowded and there are thieves the prey on tourists, both pickpocketing and luggage theft. Going without luggage is a lot easier.

If you stop en route to Positano, then you have to leave your luggage in storage (and keep ALL valuables with you as you tour Pompeii (in the sun, in the heat). Then get back on the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento, then take the bus with your luggage to Positano. Others can tell you if there's a luggage bin on the bus or if you have to keep it with you. If you go straight to Positano from Rome, you can take the train as far as Salerno, then take the ferry to Positano. I know that in Sorrento the trains and buses stop at the top of the town, the ferries are some distance away. I don't know where the bus stops in Positano . . . or what is most convenient for wherever you are staying there.

Take into account that the Circumvesuviana runs about twice an hour and can be late. The bus to Positano is every half hour until 5 p.m, then hourly. . . per the schedule through Sept. 10/

For sure the regular Circ. is a battered, unlovely thing but as far as light fingers go, isn't any worse than public transit in Rome or some other Italian tourist cities. Keep your goodies close - as you should anywhere else - and you shouldn't have an issue.

But there is another option if you can make the timing work? The Campania Express is a "tourist" version of the Circ. that only runs during high season. It makes fewer daily runs and costs a few euros more but also makes fewer stops: only at the few between Naples and Sorrento that visitors are most likely to go to. It's also air-conditioned and more comfortable. Even if you don't use it for a stop at Pompeii en-route to Positano, take a look at it for the day you choose to do that. Here's the schedule:

http://www.eavsrl.it/web/content/campania-express-2017-it

And here are the rates:
http://www.sorrentotourism.com/_downloads/4849-Italiano-campania-express-2017.pdf

Chani's good suggestion will work as well so you have multiple options to choose from! If you go her route, here's the ferry schedule from Salerno to Positano:

http://www.positano.com/en/ferry-schedule?from=salerno&to=positano

man you know your stuff peeps! Sooo, I'm going sept 22 to positano. I take train from Rome to Naples, then ferry to Sorrento or Salerno, then ferry to positano? Sorry if I'm a bit confused. I've never been to Italy. Another question if you don't mind, we will be in Florence as well but want to go check out Siena, what is best for that also? I really appreciate all thoughts and ideas! Thanks so much!
Krystina

"we will be in Florence as well but want to go check out Siena, what is best for that also?"

Do you have Rick Steves Italy? If not, get it ASAP. He has the answers to this and many other questions, including those you didn't even think to ask.

The bus from Florence to Siena is faster than the train, and goes closer to the center of town, so that's the best way between them. Again, Rick's book will have exact directions on where to get the bus, which specific one to take (some are locals that make other stops and take longer; you want the nonstop bus), how to buy tickets, etc. When it comes to logistics, Rick's books are much more detailed than other books.