Transport from Positano to Rome (and if ferry doesn't operate due to weather)

No, if reaching Sorrento using the Sita bus. you would catch the Circumvesuviana or Campania Express train to the end of the line Naples Garibaldi. At Naples Garibaldi you would walk next door to Naples Centrale and catch either the ItaloTrain or Trenitalia to Roma Termini.

Or SITA bus Positano to/from Salerno
Train to Rome

Or get a quote from Sorentocars or other company for a transfer from your hotel to Napoli Centrale. Expect to pay around €160.

If I was to go for the SITA bus option from Positano to Sorrento, how much time should I plan before my train ride? On the SITA bus website, it says it roughly takes an hour, but taking traffic and construction in consideration, should I plan for 2 hours? Just tossing between whether I should book for my train ride first or whether I should wait and see how it goes on the day as it's may too risky to pre-book.

Thanks again!

amy,

You don't need to pre-book trains in that area, and I don't believe that's even possible on the Circumvesuviana. Just show up at the station and take the next train going in the direction you want. Rather than worry about whether the Ferries will be running or shut down due to weather, the easiest solution would be to book a private transfer from Napoli Centrale to Positano. You could also take either of the trains to Sorrento mentioned earlier and then Taxi or Bus to Positano, however I didn't check the service dates for the Campania Express (it doesn't operate in the off-season).

If you want to pre-purchase your Trenitalia or Italo high-speed train ticket from Naples to Rome, then you may want to build in some buffer time for the bus and local train segments. Decide what time you want to arrive in Naples and then work backwards to determine which SITA bus and local train you should take. Same strategy applies if you choose to depart from Salerno. Decide what time you want to arrive in Salerno and work backwards on the SITA bus schedules, keeping in mind that you'll need to change buses in Amalfi.

You need to understand that Salerno and Sorrento are served by different train companies with different standards of service and ticketing. They both do the job, but in different ways. And there are many different fares from Rome to Salerno, depending on how many hours (2 to 4) it takes, and how far in advance you buy the ticket. Salerno is actually about the same distance from Positano as is Sorrento. If you take the bus from Salerno to Positano, you have to change busses in Amalfi. These busses are crowded, and you may have to let the first one go without you! You need a ferry schedule dated for your actual travel dates - 5/10 is around the beginning of the HIGH season, when there are more ferries.

One problem with the ferry to Positano is that the Positano harbor takes only the smallest ferry boats. It sounds like you are not making enough allowance for how relatively "hard to get to" is the Amalfi Coast. In summer, I wouldn't worry about the weather that mouch. I would worry about being unable to buy a ticket on the last two ferries of the day, because they are full, and they don't run at night. This area is fully booked by the end of May. You will be getting your sixth choice of hotel, at best.

Are the dates in your OP correct?

I would advise against taking the Sorrento route. That would require the bus to Sorrento, the very slow, unless you catch one of the infrequent expresses, Circumvesuvia train to Napoli Centrale, then Train to Rome. The SITA bus to Salerno, then Train to Rome would be much easier to navigate, quicker, and more predictable for trying to make a train.

Depending where you are staying in Positano, you will also likely need a cab from your hotel up the hill to the bus stop.

Paul, are you accounting for the change of bus in Amalfi? That adds an average latency of 15 minutes to the actual high-season bus time. Even in the First World, public bus schedules are not exactly 100% reliable!

We shouldn't answer a question that wasn't asked (especially by a first-time poster), but it is possible that the OP has Pompeii plans that will be harder than they think. And that relates to the actual OP question.

I'll add that many sleeping places in Positano do not have a taxi road in front of them. Many stairs can be involved.

We shouldn't answer a question that wasn't asked (especially by a first-time poster), but it is possible that the OP has Pompeii plans that will be harder than they think. And that relates to the actual OP question.

Well, I thought I was answering the OP's question. As Stated...

Most people have suggested to Train from Rome to Salerno and ferry to Positano and same for the return trip.
If the weather is affecting the ferry schedule, would my next option be catching SITA bus from Positano to Sorrento and then Italo train from Sorrento to Rome?

My point is that traveling from Positano to Rome via Sorrento and Naples is not the next best option, that traveling via Salerno would be better, a point of debate I suppose, but at least my opinion. (I guess I did not point out that there is no Italo train from Sorrento..my bad)

Also, not sure where Pompeii enters into the equation, the OP is seeking advice on going directly from Positano to Rome. As for a taxi in Positano to the bus stop, I indicated that "depending on where your hotel is", I have no idea where they are sleeping, but I would probably choose to go downhill to a taxi stop and take the taxi up, than climb from the bottom up, I guess they may be staying next to the bus stop as well.

I think the dates are written in the European fashion, meaning that the OP is traveling to Positano on October 5th through the 7th. Are the ferries running in October?

There are 2 bus stops in Positano, the one at the top of town and another at the end of Via Cristoforo Colombo, the street on which many hotels are located. If you're staying at one of those hotels, walk to the end of the street and look for the bus stop sign along the main road. My recollection is that the direction Amalfi stop is just to the right and the direction Sorrento stop is across the road just to the left.

To the OP-
The ferry from Positano to Salerno(via Amalfi) will be your easiest/quickest/fewer changes route. *The views from the ferry to Salerno are wonderful

Here is the ferry schedule- I am assuming you are traveling in October 2019

https://www.positano.com/en/ferry-schedule?from=positano&to=salerno#

Ferry routes run during the tourist season from the beginning of April through October.<<

If the weather is bad and ferries not running- take the bus to Salerno-change in Amalfi to Salerno for train to Rome from there.

Here is bus schedule:
https://www.positano.com/en/bus-schedule?timetable_route=amalfi_maiori_salerno

If for some reason you WANT to go thru Sorrento- those links will give you that bus/ferry info as well.

Here is the Circumvesuviana train info- (Sorrento to Naples) no need to purchase in advance- the bus stop is right outside the train station.
https://www.positano.com/en/naples-to-sorrento-train-schedule?timetable_route=sorrento_napoli
That gets you to Napoli Centrale where you will catch train to Rome.

This is the EASIEST route:
Here is the car service we used- we felt it was money well spent and were very happy with their service
Their rate from Positano to Salerno is 137€ for 2 people

https://www.topexcursionsorrento.com
https://www.topexcursionsorrento.com/en/i/SW8ZV

ETA- Somebody mentioned how crowded SITA buses are on this route- true- but I wonder if the bus from Positano to Salerno is as crowded as Positano to Sorrento?

If you want to buy your train ticket to Rome in advance- and do not want to book a car service- then I would book a mid afternoon train Salerno to Rome. (as long as that suits your itinerary- what time do you NEED to be in Rome?) That way you have many options with bus or ferry. Get up- see if ferries are running- pick one- buy ticket that day. Same thing for bus- buy ticket at tabac- no need to purchase either of those in advance.

I am hoping OP is not trying to get to the airport (FCO) for a flight that day

Hi,

Thanks so much for everyone's reply.
My travel dates are from 5th October-7th October (Australian dates are in form of DD/MM/YY). I am staying in Hotel Dimora Fornillo (via fornillo 27, Positano, Campania).
I was only looking at the Postiano (bus) -> Sorrento (train)->Rome option because someone suggested from another post that Positano (bus)-> Salerno (train) -> Rome is a bit of detour because you are travelling south and then back north?
We are actually travelling to Florence that day, so we'll need to do another transfer from Rome to Florence. I do want to pre-purchase ticket for Rome to Florence as it is cheaper doing so, but don't have to if it is too difficult to predict the travel time to Rome.
I don't have a tight schedule that day, so we can arrive in Florence anytime.

Thanks again!

amy,

There are direct trains from Napoli Centrale to Firenze S.M. Novella, so you don't have to stop in Rome. Travel time for the direct trains is 2H:51M.

There are even direct trains from Salerno to Florence: that would be my preferred option. They reverse in Napoli Centrale but you don't need to get off.

How about taking a Frecce train Rome to Naples and back to Rome; and the Positano Shuttle from Naples to Positano and back to Naples - www.positanoshuttle.com . ?