Rome to Sorrento -- train or private car

The train from Rome to Naples is a high-speed Frecciarossa from Trenitalia and a bargain. Absolutely take that and if you can commit to a day and time, reserve well in advance for the best fares. You can also look at competitor Italo Treno. Both offer good service.

From Naples to Sorrento the Circumvesuviana can be off-putting. I get that. Not sure I would take it again. One option is the ferry from Naples to Sorrento. You will need a taxi from the train station to the pier and it is good to reserve the ferry in advance too as they do fill up. We’ve done this once and it was a good trip via hydrofoil and efficient. You may want a taxi in Sorrento from the dock to your hotel. All in all, nowhere near €500.

I am headed to Sorrento from Naples in April then onto Rome afterwards. After researching I'm convinced the train is best. From Rome to Naples is about 90 minutes and 30 minutes to Sorrento on the Circumvesuviana. The trains essentially use the same station, Naples Centralia on top of Naples Garibaldi. Check out the 'Man in Seat Sixty-One' website for details on train travel anywhere in the world. The section on Italy has very detailed information on getting around Naples and Sorrento.

For me train travel is so much better than driving. Fewer headaches, cheaper, and offers often better views than the roads.

Have a great time!

A driver from Rome to a Sorrento hotel will charge about €340; from Napoli Centrale about €80.

Train time from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale is 70 minutes; then it's downstairs to Garibaldi for one of the local trains:

https://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/naples-to-sorrento-train-schedule

https://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/campania-express-train-schedule [less uncomfortable, mid-March to mid-Oct]

Trains a less desirable option if the hotel is not close to the station. Note that "Pompeii Scavi" stop is the station at the ruins. IMO
a ferry from Naples is the worst option. Taxi to Molo Beverello [fixed fare to insist on €13] there is waiting at the queue and dealing with traffic. The ferries run every 2 hours, so quite a bit of slop needs to be added to make the one that is planned, and therefore a lot of time would be spent waiting.

There is also the Italotreno train/bus combo: it's a fast train to Napoli Afragola and change to an air-conditioned coach onward to Sorrento. As July tickets are not yet available, a random May date I chose shows "Smart" tickets (2nd class, which is perfectly comfortable) for 33.90 € each, one way. That could change a bit depending on your actual date but is a pretty great price, and the journey in total takes approx. 3 hours. It has come up as a suggested method in some similar Rome>Sorrento threads this past year.

https://www.italotreno.it/en

Choose "Roma Termini" for the "From" box, and "Sorrento" (not Napoli Afragola; the system will auto-sort that connection) for the "To" box, then choose date, etc.

Personally, a private car transfer from Rome to Sorrento would be my absolute last choice, even if willing to spend the $$$.

Taking a car service from Rome is dramatically slower, as well as more expensive. I haven't driven it, but it seems unlikely there is anything especially scenic about it.

Having taken both the Circumvesuviana and a private car between Sorrento and Naples, I will add that the (likely?) need for a taxi at 15 Euros and up within Sorrento makes it easier to pay for a car service between Naples and your hotel. I always recommend that people ask their hotel for the name of their local travel partner. We got to charge our car service to our room at the Ambasciatori. (As well as ? benefiting from the car service's presumed desire to please the hotel's guests.)

I would mention that there are some hotels on the outskirts of Sorrento that may not take as good advantage of Sorrento's location for daytrips - because of the need for a shuttle or taxi into town to begin the daytrip. I'm including some of the hotels up on the hillside that may or many not have some good views. For more money, we got a nice view from cliffside, and ten minutes walk from the Circumvesuviana station.

Private car is by far the most expensive way to go but oh so relaxing. Especially after coming in on an overseas flight. For us, a party of 4 including my husband, daughter and son-in-law, it was more the fact that we could just relax and not worry about our luggage, getting on the correct train, etc and being delivered to the door of our Positano hotel. With my husband having some mobility issues it was 500 Euro's well spent. I look at it as a splurge but it's vacation and I like making things as stress free as possible. However, you are only going to Sorrento where there is train service. We were ending in Positano so it was a "no brainer" for us, especially divided 4 ways. If you are trying to stay on a strict budget, the train option is probably the better choice for you.

If you do decide to do private car, we used Giovanni, owner of topexcursionsorrento.com. He grew up in Sorrento, was in the hotel business in the states, speaks beautiful English, and met us right as we came from the gate. We actually used his company for 2 other trips while in the Amalfi Coast.

Enjoy your trip!

Train time from Rome to Naples 70 minutes. Driver to Positano €120; Sorrento €80.

Pete,

I definitely agree with the others. Take the high speed train from Rome to Naples, as it will be much faster and certainly cheaper. When you arrive in Naples, you have several choices to get to Sorrento....

• Circumvesuviana train - this is a commuter train used by locals and it's a bit "colourful" with graffiti-laden coaches, but it will get you there.
• Campania Express - another train but more intended for tourists, with air conditioned coaches so a more comfortable experience. Both the Circumvesuviana and Campania Express are accessed at the Garibaldi station, which is downstairs from Napoli Centrale.
• Italo coach - as mentioned earlier, you take the Italo coach from Naples to Sorrento. If you decide on that option, it would probably be prudent to book the Italo high speed train as the connection will be easier.
• Private car service - if you want a private transfer, it would be cheaper to do that from Naples rather than Rome. The driver will meet you at the station and drop you at your hotel in Sorrento.