travel from Naples to Pompeii to Sorrento by boat

If you want to visit Pompeii on the way to Sorrento then you’ll want to take the Circumvesuviana train from Naples or hire a driver
The ferry won’t work for a stop at Pompeii

We used this company for transfers in the area
I believe they will do a stop in Pompeii for you

https://www.topexcursionsorrento.com

Or consider a Pompeii tour with Mondo Guides from Sorrento
www.sharedtours.com

It’s also easy enough to do on your own

Just backing up Christine here: you won't be able to visit Pompeii en route to Sorrento if traveling by ferry. To do that you'll either need to take the commuter train (Circumvesuviana) from Naples Garibaldi station (connected to Centrale), checking your bags at the scavi and then taking the same train onward to Sorrento, or hire a private driver from Naples to Pompeii, then to Sorrento. Christine provided a resource for the latter option.

The other option is the Campania Express train from Naples>Sorrento. It makes a stop at Pompeii. The issue with that service is that it makes very few runs a day so unless the timing works, you can kick heels at Centrale for quite a while waiting for the next one.

We did it from Sorrento on our own via Circumvesuviana, both directions. It's a battered thing that short on creature comforts but cheap and gets the job done. Many, many tourists use it every year to travel between Naples, Herculaneum and Pompeii.

Just curious: Where are you going after Sorrento?

Hello jceccolini,

It is possible to get from Naples to Sorrento by ferry (see link) but you would need to navigate from the train station to the ferry terminal - either taxi or metro - and onto the ferry and then up from the harbor when you land in Sorrento.
https://www.ferryhopper.com/en/#results?itinerary=BEV%2CRRO&dates=20221219
And since it's running in December you might have even more choices in October. (It is not currently running on the weekends.) If you travel light and want to tangle with Naples transportation the ferry sounds like an interesting option.

As mentioned the most common method is to switch in Naples train station to the smaller Circumvesuviana train and it will take you past Pompeii and into Sorrento where the train line terminates.

Sorrento would make a good base for your trip - or a good first stop - depending on what you want to do. Sorrento is lovely, it has easy train connections back to Pompeii and has ferry service to Capri and the Amalfi coast towns. If you really want to stay on the Amalfi coast - as opposed to just visiting it you could stay in Sorrento for a couple of days and then transfer to a coastal town.

One thing to check is that October is getting into shoulder season so the ferry service may be reduced. If this is the case you might consider a private boat tour or transport. If you don't go by boat the only other way to get to Amalfi coast towns is by car or bus.

If your goal is really the Amalfi coast another thing to consider it going to Salerno. It is a bigger city and lacks the charm of Sorrento but it will offer access to Pompeii by train or tour and has much more complete ferry service to all the Amalfi towns running later into the year. Once you are on the Amalfi coast getting to Pompeii will be a much bigger effort so I suggest seeing it from a non-Amalfi base or on the way in or out.

Sounds like an great trip, if you post number of days and interests there will be more detailed suggestions I'm sure,
=Tod

To add, I looked back at your previous post regarding your trip to the coast, and hope you've decided not to try to do Sorrento>Amalfi by bus PLUS Capri in a single day (Sounds like you only have 1 day/2 nights to work with?). As mentioned in that thread, the coast and Capri each deserve a FULL day. The ferry journey alone from Amalfi to Capri takes an hour, and the boats do not run after dark. Even if you only went as far as Positano and on to Capri, it's a lot to try and do in a day, and you'd be shorting both coast and island.

Honestly? If you only have 1 full day to work with, I'd save the coast for a future trip. If that one day you have turns out to be a wet one, it's not as if you have a couple other days in reserve?

There are more ferries from Sorrento>Capri than from Positano, and the ferries can't service Positano at all if the seas are too rough. The ferries run from Sorrento along the coast as late into the year as they do from Salerno - usually through the end of October - and they make the crossing Sorrento>Capri ALL year, weather allowing.

Hi all - thanks for your prompt responses! So yes, we have simplified our original overly ambitious itinerary and are now spending 4 nights in Rome and 3 nights in Sorrento - using is as a base for Amalfi Coast/Capri visits. Since we’re traveling from Rome to Naples by train we thought we’d take the ferry from Naples port to Sorrento. Seems like an easy enough transfer from Naples station by bus to port.

Sounds like if we wanted to visit Pompeii ien route to Sorrento it would be by train.
The train mentioned in your posts sounds like a local train versus the high speed line we would take directly from Naples to Sorrento.?
We were hoping to avoid another side trip from Sorrento to Pompeii in addition to our visits to AC and Capri. Thanks again!

Use the Search box top center to read about the gritty/crowded/cheap Circumvesuviana. Lots of people with your objectives use the reliable luggage storage at the Pompeii site ticket office while en route to Sorrento. 200 feet from the Circumvesuviana stop "Pompeii Scavi-Villa de Mistiri")

There will be fewer ferries, greyer skies, and a few rough-water cancellations in October. Also fewer hours of daylight for either ferries, or Pompeii (and Capri.)

I personally prefer a longer Pompeii visit from Sorrento, but we had five summer nights there.

The Circumvesuviana is a local train. That is the only option- along with the tourist train Camapania Express (but as Kathy has posted- limited runs). They use the same tracks.

Taking the ferry might sound like an easy way but do be aware you are adding probably 3 more "seats" to your transfer- 1 seat to get to port either by taxi or bus- I'd chose taxi- then the ferry- then a taxi or bus from the port up to town and your hotel.

Depending on where you are staying in Sorrento you might be able to walk from train station to your lodgings.

You can check Circumvesuviana and Campania schedules here- these are 2022 but likely won't change much
https://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/naples-to-sorrento-train-schedule
https://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/campania-express-train-schedule

The main differences between the Campania Express and other trains that run on the same line is that the former is a tourist service, with guaranteed seats, air conditioning, and luggage storage.

If the schedule works with your arrival time to Napoli Centrale then the Campania is a very good option due to this^^

Your stops are Napoli P. Garibaldi- basically same as Napoli Centrale
and Sorrento and/or Pompeii Scavi

Stopping at Pompeii en route to Sorrento is a very good plan- many folks do it without issue.
The Circumvesuviana is certainly MUCH easier to use as a day trip without luggage but since you are short on time it is entirely doable with luggage as well. Just know going into this that you will need to be on your toes- situational awareness while on the train!

I suppose another option is to just get to Sorrento as early as you can, check in and drop your bags then head to Pompeii on the train that day-again only if time permits-we spent almost 4 hours at Pompeii and would have liked longer but the pouring rain got to be too much for us!

More great advice - thank you! It sounds like travel by ferry from Naples to Pompeii is not an option. We are nervous about traveling the Circumvesuviana for safety reasons, even with limited luggage. We will likely not be able to get the earliest Campania express train from Naples to Pompeii. It may be more productive to arrange an early departure Pompeii tour departing from Naples and travel on to Sorrento from Pompeii rather than returning back to Naples. Recommendations welcome?!

I do know that our room in Sorrento is walking distance from the top of a lift from port area, and also from train station.
We will be spending 3 nights in Sorrento and visiting Capri and AC. Returning back to Naples for return trip back to US.
Kind regards, Jane C