Take the Circumvesuviana - yes or no?

The Campania Express train is an alternative to the Circumvesuviana. In peak summer travel season, the heat and the crowds on the Circumvesuviana likely contribute to a decline in its cleanliness— especially this year with the spike in Jubilee travelers. I doubt that will be as much a problem in November when you are visiting.

Now, in 2025, some reports about the Circumvesuviana, including from a
private guide we’re planning on hiring for two days, suggest that it’s
unacceptably filthy, crowded, and dangerous.

The cynic in me thinks "of course the guide says that, they probably want you to hire them for an extra day".

The trains used on the Circumvesiviana are old and have seen better days. But the situation is getting better.

I took the Circumvesuviana by myself a couple years to Pompeii and back. I will say I had to stand, I had to watch my bag, and it was late and slow. On the way back the train ended service 1 stop before the main train station so I had to walk! But I never felt unsafe.

My husband and I go annually to Naples. We do not rent a car. We walk or take the Metro in the city, and for travel further afield we take the Circumvesuviana or Cumana. We have never had any difficulties on any public transportation in the area. Of course we pay attention to our surroundings, don't use our phones on transport and try not to appear to be tourists. I would suggest that in November the trains will not be as crowded as in the high season; when we go in late September the trains are full but we can find seats. We only take a taxi to and from the airport from the authorized rank after establishing the fee before we get in. We have never had any difficulty with them either.
What is your guide suggesting you do? Has he mentioned the name of a private driver?

Yes— the guide may have a vested interest in motivating the OP to hire him or a friend as a driver.
Just like a Lake Como hotel owner in a recent post who told their guests there were only two buses scheduled during an entire day that could get them from Varenna back to Milan and the hotel owner would be happy to arrange a driver for €150.

The claim there were only two buses was absolute nonsense because the Trenitalia and Trenord sites both show dozens and dozens of buses on the date
in question.

You always have to ask yourself “Does the person telling me this scare story have a vested interest in selling me something ?”

The Circumvesuviana is fine. It works, it gets the job done, you'll be fine.

You're not marrying the thing, you'll just be riding the train for a short while. Not a big deal.

Well said.

I don't know about November, but when we rode it May, 2023, the schedule was a joke, as the day wore on. And yes, we stood from Pompeii to Sorrento, which was brutal after a day on our feet. There's also no AC, but again, in November that shouldn't be an issue.
The problem seems to be the single-track tunnels, which are several. So as a train runs late, they lose their place in line to get thru the tunnel. On our trip, we sat and sat, waiting for our turn thru the tunnel, and this was repeated several times. So the trip back took at least twice as long as expected. And again, we were standing shoulder-shoulder. And-my husband caught Covid!
Wish we'd used Aldo Limos that day, but they quoted 100€, and that seemed like a lot. In retrospect, it would have been worth it. We used Aldo Limos on other days and were very happy with them.
Perhaps there's a Facebook group page that reports on this train with real-time info?
In any case, have a great trip!

I was on it a little over a year ago, and it was for a day trip from Sorrento to Pompeii. I didn't feel it was dangerous in any way, but it wasn't the nicest or most comfortable train I've been on. It is a somewhat rickety commuter train. I wouldn't avoid it for any safety concerns, but I wouldn't use it as a main transport between Naples and Sorrento with all my luggage just because it is slow, clunky and crowded. However, I understand there is the Campania Express which runs on the same route but is nicer and more direct with less stops. I can't vouch for that one since I didn't take it, but I think that is the better choice.

I did hire a driver from Naples to Sorrento and back, and that was well worth the cost to me.

I appreciate everyone’s responses and input.

Kenko and Badger, I hear you. I was dubious while reading the initial message from the guide when I’d first sent her a message asking about her availability. She’s highly recommended by Rick, and I’m still trying to reconcile whether she would be using whatever means of transportation we chose as well. If we hired a private driver, either found on our own or recommended by her, would she be riding with us? Or taking a different car? If we rode a train, would she be standing alongside us, wary of anything untoward? Still need to establish how we’d meet her, and how all of us would get there, and back.

annemargaret, it didn’t seem unsafe in late December 2012, nor crowded, either. Going from just outside of Sorrento, we were among the first to get on the train as it journeyed towards Naples, so scoring a seat was easy. We never rode east of Naples back then, so didn’t deal with riding to or from Pompeii or Herculaneum. It’s bothersome that you were stuck having to walk because the train stopped its service.

musicmoll1 and David, that had been my experience with that one time in Naples. Not certain why the prospective guide denigrated other transportation options so much, unless things had gotten so bad in the last 13 years. I have yet to find whether a specific driver is strongly suggested, or just a driver in general.

Pat, I’m hoping that November will be a different situation than High Season, in many ways. I didn’t remember tunnel issues, but we didn’t take the train between Naples and Pompeii. And shoulder-to-shoulder, standing the whole time, with a Covid spreader onboard - how awful! Thank you for mentioning Aldo Limos.

StellaB, it’s good to assess all the options.

Things should improve. The Circumvesuviana is getting new (Swiss built!) trains, that will have AC...

The first ones should already be in service, and I believe this is what they use in the Campania Express.

Just wanted to add that we hired a private driver last month, in Poland, to drive us from Krakow to Auschwitz, wait while we were guided there, and take us back to Krakow. It cost more than taking public transportation, but compared to elsewhere in Europe (or South Africa), private drivers in Poland are inexpensive. Paying a driver to wait while we spend a whole day at archaeological sights near Naples seems a bit excessive, but if that’s what it takes to get a ride there and back (with or without a private guide in the car as well), then that’s what is involved, if you don’t take a taxi or Circumvesuviana.

I shouldn't be so skeptical but I'm waiting for your guide to handily have an uncle or friend or friend of a friend who, for a nice big pile of money will be happy to drive you.

The train runs in both directions on one track, so it pulls to the side from time to time to let opposing trains by. That’s why it always takes an hour liner than scheduled.
We took it to Pompeii from Sorrento two years ago in March, had seats, nice seat mates but a long delay. Living in a city, I don’t notice much dirt anymore.
We took the Campania Express back to Sorrento with no delays. Take the Campania Express.

The trains can be behind schedule and because of that, check the sign on the front of the train before you get on. In April 2023 there was a group of us-all strangers, that hopped on the train that we thought was to Sorrento because it showed up exactly on time. However it was the train heading to Salerno which was behind schedule, in hindsight, I imagine the Sorrento train was also behind schedule. There was no signage inside the train to indicate where it was going and we didn't realize until it turned toward Salerno. We got off and waited for the train back to the Sorrento line where the track splits between Salerno and Sorrento. This brings me to this excerpt from my Trip Report:

We had some laughs about our train mishap yesterday, but overall, I
think the Circumvesuviana train’s reputation has been unfairly blown
way out of proportion to what it actually is. The RS guidebook
evaluation is fair, but when you start reading comments on various
sites such as Facebook and Trip Advisor we had wondered if we were
going to be knifed, shot and violated all in one trip. The train is
run-down, graffiti covered, and in bad need of an update, but it is
cheap and efficient. Even on full trains with our luggage, we had no
issues, and it was on time. If you ask me, the Campania Express is the
disappointment based on the reviews it gets. The trains are only in
slightly better condition with less graffiti on the outside, and
supposedly padded seats, but they are so worn, they’re as hard as the
plastic seats on the Circumvesuviana. We were on it a few times and
didn’t even realize it until it dawned on us later. There are no signs
on the train of what it is, and if it was the next train to Sorrento,
Pompeii, Naples, etc. then people would just hop on. Maybe the locals
knew, but there were plenty of them as well. It should be noted that
not once did we see train staff anywhere except on the platform at
Sorrento and Naples, so it’s not like anyone was going to get caught.

You may have to stand part of your journey, we did one day on a leg from Naples to a station near Pompeii. But only that one did we not get a seat. Remember that this is a comer train and the closer to rush hour you take it, the more likely you'll stand. But getting on at Sorrento you'll probably be OK.