Sorrento to Positano / Amalfi

I'd keep it simple. If you're flying in from the States you're going to be tired, and it may well be later than noon before you actually check in to your hotel. Then back to the bus station, wait for the right bus... Frankly, if it were me I'd stay in Sorrento the first day, getting my bearings, then start exploring the next day. If you only have the one day there, then go to Positano if you must, and skip Amalfi. Save it for another time.

There's plenty to see in Sorrento, including a beach. How much time do you have?

actually i am flying in from Venice. We are going to Sorrento the first day (with the exploring the Amalfi) just for the day, with Pompeii/(maybe Vesuvius) the next morning/day before staying in Naples the next night for the early morning train to Rome.

Yeah if time is limited i was thinking of just visiting Positano for a few hours, at least we get some of that bus ride to there

Perhaps it's less crowded in April, but you are not making sufficient allowance for how isolated is the Amalfi Coast. There is a bus from the airport direct to Sorrento, or you can go downtown and take the one-hour train. Because you're in a discount (?) hotel, you can expect a long hike there from the train station. Then you go back to the train station for the half-hourly bus to Positano, which might take an hour to get there. Once you get to Positano, it's too far to walk to any other town on foot. Our travel-writer host, Rick, reports that the bus home from Positano often (in high season, which is not your problem, maybe) fails to stop in Positano at all, because it was full when it left the origination station of Amalfi.

You don't just "explore" around here. You plan, and spend time getting everywhere. There is one two-lane road through Positano, and it gets backed up for construction, busses stuck on sharp turns, and tourists pulled over to take photos. Have a look a Google Maps, also to see your hotel location.

im also thinking of just spending the 2 nights in Naples now instead of the one, and maybe saving Amalfi for another trip. At least in the two days i can see Naples a little more, goto Pompeii and visit the Arc. Museum. So it would be 2 days in Naples, 3 in Rome.

Bryan--

Per your last post, frankly this itinerary sounds anything but relaxing!

First, check out the Curreri bus for a good cheap ride (~10 Euro) from the Naples airport to Sorrento station. http://www.curreriviaggi.it/

But even if you do get there at noon, get to your hotel (how close to the station?) check in, then back to the station, you probably want to do only Positano at the most. The SITA bus runs from Sorrento station to Positano every half-hour, and takes minimum of an hour. Like Tim says, it could take longer. Good thing is that it's no more than 4 Euro each way.

We will be in Sorrento in a couple weeks and plan a daytrip to Positano (we've already been to Amalfi) but that's all we're doing that day and will leave mid-to-late morning. Not sure how much will be open, the journey is half the fun, however, especially off-season when the buses can be like a roller-coaster ride at times!

Your next day--and I understand time is tight and you want to cram a lot in, I've been guilty of that myself--is leaving Sorrento, going to Pompeii for the day, traveling to & staying in Naples, early next morning train to Rome. That's speed travel--to each his own!

Enjoy your planning!

Yeah that end of the trip is a little rushed but we have 3 nights in Venice before that, where i havent planned anything except for wandering around and getting "lost". It appearss the Hostel in Sorrento is only 3 minutes walk away. But thats where the bus stop is i dont know if i have to goto the bus "station" for a ticket first.

is that bus from the Naples airport to Sorrento something i can get at the airport instead of ahead of time?

According to the link above, Curreri buses leave Naples airport daily for Sorrento at 9:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:30, 16:30, 18:00, 19:30. In fact, the only place you can pick it up in Naples is at the airport. About a 90 minute ride.

We are taking it the other way next month, from Sorrento to Naples airport, and we were told that from Sorrento in the off-season, it does not fill up. Not sure about from the airport. If concerned, book it.

I dont know if this sounds crazy or not. But what about going to Naples Central then 45 min train to Salerno and working our way back to Sorrento, checking into the hotel in the evening? We both travel very light, only a small backpack.

If you are not visiting Pompeii that day, it's barely possible. Advisable? Let's look at it.

You get into Napoli Capodichino at 10AM. You need to get to Naples Centrale train station (maybe an hour). Then catch the train to Salerno (45 min). Then catch the bus at the adjacent station to Amalfi (1 hour), visit?, change buses (? wait), to Positano (1 hour), visit?, then catch the bus to Sorrento (1 hour). That's a lot of hours, and that's not figuring in the waits for the bus and train schedules!

Traveling light, seeking logistical adventures/nightmares depending on the way you look at it, it's doable. Me? I'd forego the taxi to Naples Centrale, the train to Salerno, the bus to Amalfi, the bus change to Positano and then Sorrento...and just take the 10 Euro Curreri bus from the airport to Sorrento and be done with it. Get there in the early afternoon, check in and you could still take the bus to Positano for dinner and the sunset before returning to Sorrento.

Yeah i think your right, im forgetting about travel times, I think ill stick to the original plan and just have a quick visit to positano