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Rome to Positano - best way to get there?

In September we would like to travel from Rome to Positano and have a couple of questions about how to get there.
1. Wondering whether it is best to go through Naples or Solerno? We are looking for the easiest and most efficient route. The following Trip Advisor thread has a lot of information - anything we're missing? Trip Advisor 2. We were originally only planning to stay one night and then head over to Florence, but I'm realizing this isn't going to provide us with enough time. This is our first trip to Italy and we're not sure how much time we should allocate for Positano - 1 or 2 days? Thank you for your help!

Posted by
6898 posts

There are a few ways to get to Positano from Rome. The most popular way is the high-speed Trenitalia train to Napoli Centrale (1hr10min-1hr45min depending on which high-speed you are on Frecciarossa vs Freccibianca). Fare is 45Euro. Then, you go downstairs at the Napoli station and take the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento (about 1hr10min and 5 Euro). Then, you have to take the SITAsud bus to Positano. Another hour. With train and bus transfers, its about 4.0-4.5hrs. If you go to Salerno, you again have to take the SITAsud bus but you change buses at Amalfi to get to Positano. Or, you can take the very nice Marozzi bus from the bus station just outside of the Roma-Tiburtina train station. It goes once a day at 7:00am to Positano-Chiesa Nuova. 4.5hrs. It would be a real shame to arrive mid-day in one of the most beautiful places in Italy, spend the night and then spend 6.5hrs to get to Florence. Lots of Euros on the high-speeds and its not really worth it for just a few hours.

Posted by
32171 posts

Lindsey, Given the time and effort to get to Positano, my suggestion would be to stay AT LEAST two nights. You likely won't arrive until the afternoon, which would only leave the evening to see the town and then you'd be travelling again right after breakfast the following morning. That's not worth the effort (IMHO). The information provided on the Trip Advisor post is all good, and that gives you several choices. There is another option you could consider, depending on your budget. You could travel via high speed train from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale and then use a private transfer service in a car or minivan. There are details on the car service Rick uses in the Guidebooks. I'd suggest booking this WELL in advance. If you're travelling in peak season, you might want to avoid the "Circumvesuviana experience". One point to note is that larger Buses can not get into Positano due to the narrow winding streets. That means stopping somewhere outside of town and transferring all your luggage to a minivan for the final segment to your hotel. With a private service, you'll likely be taken right to the front door of your hotel. Which hotel are you staying in? Of course you'll also have to plan for the return visit, which will involve travel to either Salerno or Napoli to connect with the high speed train to Florence. Note that your destination station in Florence will be Firenze Santa Maria Novella (often abbreviated as "SMN"). Buon Viaggio!

Posted by
5 posts

Thank you both for the feedback and guidance. I've adjusted our itinerary to 2 days for Positano and now feel like I have a much better sense for how to get there (successfully!) frome Rome and then head over to Florence. Thank you again!

Posted by
2829 posts

Lindsey, be advised that recently (5 weeks ago) they increased the number of high-speed trains running north from Salerno to Roma, Firenze etc.