Naples/Amalfi Coast - Italy Travel

Two things, Sam, FYI:

-Most seem to prefer Sorrento as the home base for exploring the Amalfi Coast via bus or car or private guide, because a) Sorrento is a neat town, and B) this puts Capri in play for a day trip, too. Sorrento also has a little night life. But, of course, the Amalfi Coast is stunning! Just quiet, small, relaxed.
-To get from the airport in Naples (by no means the nicest airport you'll ever see!) to your hotel, I think, in this case, a private car hire, if not outside of your budget, is best. We paid 110 Euros to go from the airport to our hotel door in Sorrento, so you'd probably be about double that? Just speculating. We used Benvenuto, with a friendly driver willing to talk about anything Italian (including politics), and who insisted on stopping for pictures of us on the way at various scenic lookouts! Email is [email protected].

I think the other options, depending on the exact location of your hotel, would be a train followed by at least one winding bus, or a boat followed by a taxi or bus? Salerno is a hike.

I traveled there a year ago, staying in Amalfi. I took the train to Salerno, from Rome, and rented a car from there (only for those with nerves of steel). I chose Salerno, because it is not a zoo like Naples and it was closer to our destination. You should be able to readily get a taxi at the Salerno train station, however, it would be better if your hotel arranged for a car to pick you up. They should be able to arrange a fixed price ride rather than chance getting a dishonest taxi driver. Judging from the location of your hotel, which is very near Salerno, taking the train to Salerno makes so much sense. You can't buy your tickets online with a U.S. issued credit card. You really shouldn't buy ahead of time anyway, because you never know when you will be delayed getting to the train station. Your best bet is to go online and research which train and at what time you want to leave. Also, have an alternative in case you miss it. Get to the train station early if possible and use the automated kiosks in the lobby. They take Visa/MC and are in various languages, plus they are very intuitive to use. If by some chance your train is sold out (which it won't be), just catch the next one. They run quite often. The train (Eurostar) running from Salerno to Rome does make a stop in Naples. Watch your bags when stopped in the Naples station! September is not exactly the height of the peak season, it's more like the "shoulder" season, so it won't be as crowded as you think. June, July, August are the absolute peak. I usually go in May. Let me know if you have an follow-up questions.

If you decide to go by train, just buy the ticket to Salerno on the same day at the Naples train station. It's easy and won't be full. Salerno's tourist info office is close to the train station, so I can't imagine it would be that difficult to arrange transportation if you arrive during the day. 3+ days in advance should be fine for train tickets.