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Train Travel-Rome to Naples/to Sorrento/to Orvieto/to Florence/to Venice

Posted by (DALTON, MA, USA) on

Hello to all of you helpful posters,
After four nights in Rome, we plan to take the high speed train from Rome to Naples, then local train to Sorrento. Three nights Sorrento, then back through Naples/Rome......or is there a train that goes from Naples to Orvieto (high speed to Rome/then local to Orvieto??). Two nights in Orvieto, where we could rent a car and drop off in Florence on Monday (can't drop in Orvieto on Sunday, when we are leaving for Florence). After 3 nights in Florence, I believe there is a high speed train to Venice.

After all that, my question is - are we better off driving to/from more of these destinations, and do you think it would be cheaper to drive for 4 people ? I've only made reservations on the high speed to Naples so far, so we could pick up a car in Sorrento or Naples. At this point my plan was to train back to Orvieto and then pick up a car. It's taken me six months, but I think I have apartments, B&B, agriturisimo, and hotal booked, as well as most tours booked in Rome and Sorrento/Amalfi. I think I am almost there, but the transportation has me in a tizzy ! I finally decided to have a driver to our first apartment in Rome, just for convenience after flying, so I think that will be a good start to the trip.

Any suggestions on trains vs. car for this itinerary ?

Thank you much !

Posted by
8141 posts

You'd catch a high speed train Naples to Rome (150 miles) and then get on a local train to Orvieto--70 minutes. If you're going to be touring Umbria and Tuscany, you can rent a car at Hertz across the street from the Orvieto train station. You could drop the rental car in Florence at a Sansovino address and catch a 2 mile cab ride to the Florence train station.
If you're just going from Orvieto to Venice, a regional train would be best up to Florence and a fast train on to Venice.

Details for such a long trip do get you dizzy. But you have a good handle on your trip, and everything will work out well.

Posted by
172 posts

Thank you so much for your responses. I think I'm on the right "track" so to speak. I was thinking that would be the best thing to do....get the high speed to Rome from Naples, then the regional, and then pick up a car in Orvieto. I'm glad you suggested a place to drop off, as we can't drop off on Sunday in Orvieto and take the train to Florence, so we'll keep the car and do as you suggest. We are staying in Oltrarno neighborhood, so is the place you suggest pretty close? Should we taxi right to our apartment - or go to the train station? I will also check with the owner, but I imagine the place you recommended (I can't see it as I'm writing this, but Sangiovese is better than going to the airport ?? I think the airport is further away from our apartment.

Do you think the cost is better for 4 by trains ? At this point, after months of putting everything together, I am probably going for convenience rather than cost !!

Posted by
1589 posts

The local train from Naples to Sorrento is the "Circumvesuviana". This is truly a local commuter train. You do not want to take it at rush hour (we did) especially with luggage. It is packed to the gills (standing room only). You may want to consider a high speed ferry from Naples to Sorrento. If we go back that will be our choice. Now, we did use the Circumvesuviana to go from Sorrento to Pompeii and back after rush hour and it was enjoyable. This train is known for pickpockets so just be alert.

Posted by
4105 posts

I think it depends on whether you are comfortable driving in Italy. Most of the route from

Sorrento to Orvieto is on the autostrada. It will take you about 90 minutes less to drive vs the train.

The drive is not hard to do and you can stop if you want along the way. We did not use a garmin,

but printed out Via Michlin maps.

Cost wise the car, gas and tolls will be about $10.00 more. Family size car $95, tolls $25, and

fuel, we had a diesel, $55.

For me the convenience is the fact that you load the luggage in Sorrento and remove it in

Orvieto. Parking in Orvieto for 24 hrs ran us 5E at the Campo della Fiera lot.

The train means that you schlep the luggage onto and off the circumvesuvian, the same

occurs in Naples and again in Rome. Pick up in Sorrento and drop in Florence.

Have a great trip.

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