Rome to Positano

nadia,

Given the time you'll be arriving, I'd suggest spending one night in Rome and then continuing to Positano the next day. While your flight may land at 19:15 (if it's not delayed), you likely won't get into Rome until about 20:30 or later. Positano does not have rail service, so getting there at that time of night will present some "challenges".

If you have an unlimited budget, you could hire a private driver, but that's not going to be cheap.

Thank you! I was actually considering spending the night in Rome since it will be so late. I would like to avoid hiring a private driver because of how expensive it is. If we were to leave for positano the following day, would the train be the best route?

nadia,

As you're only going to be spending one night, I'd suggest booking a hotel close to Termini station. Check Hotel Sonya or Hotel Aberdeen to see if they have a room available.

Yes, train is absolutely the best method to reach Positano, at least for the first part of the journey. Here are some options....

• Take the high speed Freccia or Italo trains from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale (1.5-2 hours as I recall).
• From Naples you have two choices: (1.) Use the somewhat colourful Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento. It has somewhat of a reputation as a haven for pickpockets and scammers, but it will get you to Sorrento. Note that the Circumvesuviana has several routes, so be sure to board the correct train. From Sorrento arrange a private driver such as the Monetti Taxi which I believe is listed in the guidebook, to take you from Sorrento to Positano OR you can take a Bus or other Taxi (2.) Have the private driver meet you at the station in Naples and take you directly to Positano.

Our friends go to Positano every summer and just have a car drive them. It's true they travel a bit nicer than I do, but the cost may not actually be so bad. Contact your hotel there and see if they have any recommendations. One thing I can tell you is they refuse to drive on the Amalfi coast at all costs.

Nadia. car in Positano is a bad idea.
If you can get to the Naples airport via rental car or train you can bus from Naples to
Sorrento then bus to Positano. 3 1/2 hour drive from Rome to Naples
1 hour 15 minute bus ride to Sorrento then 1 hour bus trip to Positano.
A taxi from Naples to Positano is 1 1/2 hours but 120 euro.
Perhaps staying in Rome as suggested is a great idea.

Thank you everyone for the great suggestions! My husband and I have decided to stay in Rome on the 16th seeing that we will be arriving in the city late. Then we will head to positano first thing in the morning by train to Naples and we will look into hiring a driver to take us from the train station to our hotel in positano.

Any suggestions on seeing Pompeii while we are there?!