Rome to Pompeii tour recommendations

As the Search function here is awkward , I'll attempt to find previous discussions, as this is a frequent topic. I hope some of the info is helpful. Also wishing you a wonderful family trip! Safe travels.

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Many thanks Pat. Much appreciated

And this-

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It's easy to plan yourself. I don't see a need for a guide. However, I would not do it as a day trip.

From Rome to Naples, you can take a high speed train thats about an hour. In Naples station, you go downstairs and get a ticket to the Circumvesuivius train line for about 5 eu, and then it takes over an hour on a slow train with a bunch of kids. There is station that is a short walk to Pompeii. It's a big place and you can spend hours walking. Then you have to repeat the same travel back. So realistically you are looking at about 3 hours down and 3 hours back.

Instead, I would spend two nights in Sorrento, just another 20 minutes further down that train line. Do an easy day trip to Pompeii, and/or the Isle of Capri where the Augustus and Tiberius had villas, and where Caligula hung out with uncle Tiberius. You could also hit the most beautiful view in Italy in Positano. just across the peninsula from Sorrento.

I have been to Rome and Sorrento multiple times, and always loved Sorrento much more. Naples is kind of dirty and rough but cheap food. I would just pass through the station but not hang around.

It can be done as a day trip, but be mindful of the short daylight hours at that time of year. As mentioned, the high speed train takes an hour to Naples. Much faster than any bus tour could do. Then the Circumvesuviana train (currently €3.20) to the Pompeii Scavi station takes about 36 minutes. The entrance to the Archeological site is close by. You can DIY using a guidebook, or hire a guide at the entrance. You could spend anywhere from a couple of hours to the whole day, depending on your level of interest. But weather will be a determining factor. You will want a day that isn't too cold, and isn't raining. So keep your schedule flexible. If you have time after your explorations, you could go to the Archeological Museum in Naples, and perhaps grab a pizza before catching an evening train back to Rome. At least at that time of year you won't need to worry about heavy crowds and heat stroke.

Here's a link to the Man in Seat 61, who explains how to do Pompeii from Rome: https://www.seat61.com/places-of-interest/day-trip-to-pompeii.htm#:~:text=Circumvesuviana%20electric%20trains%20run%20from,around%20%E2%82%AC3.20%20each%20way.

Realistically you need to get Roma Termini, buy a ticket to Naples and go. then in Naples, you need to find the downstairs ticket office and stand in line. Then wait for the Circumvesuius train. That train is not supposed to be that long but it seems it has about 30 stops, and takes forever ... I think 1.5 hours to Sorrento, which is only a few more stops past Pompeii. So thats about 2.5 hours each way, assuming short train connections. So more like 5 hours of travel time or more. Also, I don't recall restaurants in or around Pompeii - although it's been many years since I went there. So I wouldn't do it.

Not recommended. You won't have time for Naples, because of all the travel time. We waited an hour for a seat in a name Pizzeria. Pompeii daylight hours are strictly enforced. Frecciarossa tickets with discounts are not changeable or refundable. Circumvesuviana is not 100% schedule-reliable. Professional tour will not take less travel time.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/pompeii-day-trip-from-rome-2c38f926-9036-480d-95fd-403dd7694e4a

I have done Pompeii as a day trip from Rome twice but did not stop in Naples either time. Once was a big bus tour that also drove along the Amalfi Coast. The other was simply bus transportation-I think the company was called Enjoy Rome. I think the long day trip is fine but stopping in Naples too might be too much for that day.

@miuccia Nearly everyone sees Pompei as a day trip from somewhere distant.

What?!? You mean like Sorrento or Naples or Salerno? There is a big difference between five hours (each way) in a motorcoach and one hour (each way) in a motorcoach.

I took a tour with Through Eternity Tours. You take the fast train to Naples (they send you the tickets) then a driver picks you up and takes you to Pompeii where a guide meets you and takes you through Pompeii. You do the reverse on the way back. It was very easy and our guide was very good. The downsides are that it is expensive (though for four people it would be more reasonable since the cost of the driver and guide is the same for one or four people) and you only get 2.5 hours in Pompeii (this was a negative to me, but a plus to my husband). You can choose which train you want to take — we went early to beat the crowds and heat and came back right after our tour of Pompeii. But you could take a later train back in order to spend time in Naples.

We did a big bus tour from Rome to Pompeii and enjoyed it. We are actually on our way back on the bus as I’m writing this. It’s well run and if you go with the mindset that you will only see the highlights, and that it’s a big bus catered to tourists, it’s enjoyable.

We are not typically big bus tour people, but I had some big projects happening at work and didn’t have the time to fully plan every detail of our trip. We did a full day tour through City Wonders and it also included a hike up Mt. Vesuvius. There were others leaving at the same time that were going to other places after Pompeii.

I thought everyone knew that Sorrento, Capri, Positano and the Amalfi coast, adjacent to Pompeii are some of the most beautiful places in all of Italy - much more enjoyable than over-crowded traffic congested Rome with is pickpockets. It's so funny to me to do a tiring day trip to Pompeii and skip the best parts, while staying in some dodgy places. Incidentally, there are additional Roman ruins under the church in Positano. There was an expensive villa that was caved in by the volcano, and for a few Euros you go down under the church and see the painted living room walls.