Sorrento to Amalfi Road Closure?

Here is an article about the closure.from a local newspaper, click on the Union Jack (British flag) to get a translation. Buses are on diversion. http://www.positanonews.it/articoli/75518/positano_chiusa_strada_statale_a_piano_di_sorrento_frana_costone_video.html

Thanks for the reply! Looks like it will be about a 2.5 hour bus through Agerola, and it will go to Amalfi, not Positano. We are exploring another option of boat by www.metrodelmare.net. They have a schedule posted online with a 9:20 boat out of Sorrento for Positano, however, I am getting conflicting information. Many people and sites say it only runs in the summer, however, our hotel believes it is running since the timetable is posted online. We are hoping to figure this out in the next hour. I'd obviously prefer a 35 in boat over the bus, plus, I'd rather see Positano than Amalfi. Thanks again. I'll update this with what we find out today. As I'm typing this, our hotel staff got a hold of Metro del Mare. No boats in April. Looks like it's either a 2.5 hour bus, or a private car.

I can't seem to get the website showing the article about the closure to work. Would you please explain what it said the reason for the closure is and how long the road is to remain closed?

Robin, As near as I can determine, the road is closed due to a rock slide below Sorrento, caused by rains over the last few weeks. Reportedly some large boulders passed through the wire mesh protective barrier and landed on the roadway, and some bridges may have been at risk for damage. The story was dated 24 April, and I wasn't able to find any mention of when it will be re-opened. As tourist season will be ramping-up for the year, I'm sure this will be a high priority. Cheers!

Yesterday evening it rained here for about 3 hours, and apparently was the last straw for the preceding weeks if rain and some rocks fell onto the road. Our hotel says that cars can still get by the rock slide, so we will be taking a private car to Positano in about 30 min. 110 euro round trip for your reference (4 pax). Hopefully, the hotel is right, and if so, it should be about 40 min each way. No word on the reopening. It seems odd this closure isn't posted on the SITA website. Hopefully, our luck improves over the next two weeks on our trip. Sent from my iPhone.

Hi, We drove from Amalfi to Sorrento yesterday (4/23) on this road. We saw the "road closed" sign and just figured we'd drive until we could not go any further and turn back. We happened on the actual "road closure" barrier (half of the road) right when a local was behind us...and they just honked at us as we slowed down and they drove around the barrier! We figured we would just follow them. The "problem" was a few rocks and branches...looked like it could have been cleared in about 30 minutes with minimal effort. What was interesting is that whilst going from Amalfi to Sorrento the barrier was right there where the problem was. However, for the Sorrento to Amalfi direction the road closure barrier was all the way at the road junction, miles and miles beyond where the problem was. We saw lots of cars turning round because of this. Lesson learned: Just wait for a local and follow them through. Not that you asked, but just after the junction I mentioned (going in the Amalfi to Sorrento direction) there is the choice of the 20 Km or 9 km route into Sorrento. We took the 20 Km route. Nothing to see the whole way into Sorrento.

They are trying to clear the road by 25 April which is the Liberation Day holiday. It is a major holiday in Italy and Italian visitors usually pour in to the area by car for that (and often stay over for the May 1 holiday). Although private cars can go through it is at personal risk and they are hoping that it is not like the closure last Nov when the road was eventually closed to all traffic for over a week.

I just got back to Sorrento from Positano. This rock slide or land slide is a joke. It was a few rocks in half the lane. There were a ton of tour buses on the road. There is absolutely no reason the SITA bus could not have gone. On a side note, everyone told us before we left the road was crazy and not to drive it. I don't get that at all either. The road seemed perfectly fine to me. The boats were running from Positano to Amalfi (7 euro each way).

The worry is that the few actual rocks on the road may be an indication of a major weakness on the slope above which could give at any time. As I said before private persons are welcome to take the risk but for public transport bodies it is a different matter. Sounds like a one-way system was operating.

Here is the temporay timetable to and from Amalfi (with connections to Positano). Second item on the link. http://www.sitasudtrasporti.it/ Salerno - Campania Comunicato Generale Si porta a conoscenza della Spett.le Clientela che a seguito della chiusura della S.S. 163 nel tratto del comune d Positano e' stata disposta la chiusura al transito. Pertanto, fino alla riapertura saranno garantiti i seguenti collegamenti: Da Sorrento per Amalfi via Agerola : ore 6,30 - 8,30 - 9,00 - 10,00 - 10,30 - 11,30- 12,30- 13,00 -13,30- 14,30 -17,00 - 18.00; Da Amalfi per Sorrento via Agerola: ore 6,20 - 8,05 - 9,00 - 11.00 - 12,00 - 13,30 - 15,00 - 15,30 -16,00 - 17,00 - 19,00 - 20.00. I servizi si effettuano sia i giorni feriali che festivi. Da Amalfi per Positano: 6.20-(6.30h)- 8.05* - 9.30* - 10.30* - 11.30 - 12.15 - 13.30 -14.10 - 14.30* - 16.00 - 17.00* - 18.00 - 18.30 - 20.00 Da Positano per Amalfi: 6.00 - 7.00 - 8.55 - (9.10h)-(9.35h)-10.25 -(10.50h) 11.25 - (11.50h)-12.30 - 13.00 - 14.45 - 15.20 - 16.20 - (16.35h)-17.20 - (17.50h)- 19.00 - 19.25 - 20.50 * si effettua anche nei festivi
h si effettua solo i festivi

Left Sorrento area a few days ago, so not sure if road situation still issue. Note to those making bus trip from Sorrento to Amalfi, and then on to Positano...we did the trip, but when we returned to Amalfi at 7pm and tried to find bus back to Sorrento we were told there were no more running that evening, despite the bus schedule saying otherwise. Taxi wanted 100 euro. Local helped us get affordable room at Hotel Lidomare (beautiful hotel) for night.