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Rome to Sorrento in December 2013

I will be flying into Rome the first week of December and plan to partake in the wonderful Immaculate Conception of Mary on Sunday, December 8th and then on Monday, travel via train from Rome to Naples on 'Trenitalia' to Stazione Centrale in Naples. Then I go downstairs and buy a ticket on the Circumvesuviano to Sorrento. I am going to home base in Sorrento and from there each day, take the Circumvesuviano or the Sita bus to various locations for day trips. Which train should I take from Rome to Naples, as I know there is a fast train and others? And then on the Circumvesuviano, do I buy the ticket to Sorrento direct? Sometimes there are multiple 'lines' and I always pick the wrong one(my own adventure)!! Thank You,
Kathy

Posted by
2347 posts

I can't remember much about train from Rome to Naples other than the fact that slow train was cheaper than fast train and a lot slower, I think it was about two hours versus about hour and fifteen minutes for faster train. Get off at last Naples stop. Be sure to validate ticket before you get on train. In Naples the ticket booth for train to Sorrento was to the right as you got off train from Rome, it is on the same level,or it was when we were there, then you walk down stairs to the track, it takes about an hour and costs only about five euro or so. Good luck.

Posted by
23177 posts

Take any train you like from Rome that meets your schedule. Obviously the fast trains are faster and more expensive. Use trenitalia.com to check your options or schedules. If you have a specific seat reservation on a specific train you do not, in fact, you cannot validate the ticket since the ticket ONLY good for that train at that time. Miss it and you need a new ticket. However, the tickets for Regional trains are good for any Regional train so that ticket has to be validated - time stamped. The Circum... is a private commuter train to Sorrento with a couple of stops before Sorrento - Pompeii. Buy the ticket on the lower level and validate that ticket.

Posted by
15560 posts

You have to descend a couple of levels to get to the Circumvesuviana. Here's what I found before I did it, and it was correct then (Feb. 2012): ..... find the main escalator that will take you down from the central train station to the circumvesuvia, also follow signs for the Metropolitana (M) or their metro, which is also in the downstairs level. Once you take the escalator down, turn right if you need to use the public (1 euro I think) bathroom, or turn left if you want to head to the Circumvesuvia.
Assuming you've turned left to head to the Circumvesuvia, you will then see on your right glass walls that lead down to the virtually unmarked Metropolitana. Continue walking and you will pass through a corridor with shops on either side. At the end on the left is a cafe. Then as mentioned in the original post, the ticket office and turnstyle entrance for the Circumvesuvia is just after that.... If you aren't sure at any point, just say Circumvesuviana (pronounced "cheer" then just the way it looks) and people will point. From the entrance, you go down one flight of stairs to the platform (there's an up elevator for your return :-). I think there may be more than one platform - just ask "Sorrento?" if you aren't sure. Someone will point. Same thing when the train comes, if you aren't sure, ask the people getting on "Sorrento?" The journey is an hour or more (there are "express" trains that skip a few stops). If you don't get a seat at first, don't despair, there are people getting off at every stop along the way. The last stop on the train is Sorrento. When you come out of the station, go down a short flight of stairs and turn left to the elevator if you want to avoid all the stairs down to the street.

Posted by
15560 posts

You have to descend a couple of levels to get to the Circumvesuviana. Here's what I found before I did it, and it was correct then (Feb. 2012): ..... find the main escalator that will take you down from the central train station to the circumvesuvia, also follow signs for the Metropolitana (M) or their metro, which is also in the downstairs level. Once you take the escalator down, turn right if you need to use the public (1 euro I think) bathroom, or turn left if you want to head to the Circumvesuvia.
Assuming you've turned left to head to the Circumvesuvia, you will then see on your right glass walls that lead down to the virtually unmarked Metropolitana. Continue walking and you will pass through a corridor with shops on either side. At the end on the left is a cafe. Then as mentioned in the original post, the ticket office and turnstyle entrance for the Circumvesuvia is just after that.... If you aren't sure at any point, just say Circumvesuviana (pronounced "cheer" then just the way it looks) and people will point. From the entrance, you go down one flight of stairs to the platform (there's an up elevator for your return :-). I think there may be more than one platform - just ask "Sorrento?" if you aren't sure. Someone will point. Same thing when the train comes, if you aren't sure, ask the people getting on "Sorrento?" The journey is an hour or more (there are "express" trains that skip a few stops). If you don't get a seat at first, don't despair, there are people getting off at every stop along the way. The last stop on the train is Sorrento. When you come out of the station, go down a short flight of stairs and turn left to the elevator if you want to avoid all the stairs down to the street.