Rome to Herculaneum train

Old Jul 24th, 2015, 12:24 PM
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Rome to Herculaneum train

After reading your very helpful posts, we (4persons ) have decided to visit Herculaneum, instead of Pompeii. We have booked a guide based upon recs from you. We are having some problems booking a train from Rome to Herculaneum simply because we can't read the charts. Can anyone give us a recommendation ? I think we can get the train in Rome leaving about 08.30 to Naples. That's where it gets confusing. Also, the various classes of service are confusing. Being tall, I would prefer lots of legroom, with an adult beverage available for the return trip. We will be traveling in October, so should we book now ? Thanks
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Old Jul 24th, 2015, 12:33 PM
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In the Naples central station you will change to what is basically a commuter train that goes to Herculaneum and Pompeii. It is a different entrance from the main train station (downstairs and to the left, if I remember correctly) and there is a ticket booth at the entrance where the local tickets can be purchased.
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Old Jul 24th, 2015, 12:41 PM
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Yes take Rome train to Naples Centrale (or adjacent Naples Garibaldi) then follow signs for CircumVesuviana trains thru walkways to the CircumVesuviana station - a commuter railway you have to buy tickets - about 2 euros each at machines or the ticket window - can't be done online I think and no problem - it's like a metro - Ercolo is the Italian name of the Herculaneum station a few blocks from the large hole in the ground.

If you want extra leg room go first class to Naples - bigger seats with more room between them though 2nd class on Italy's modern high-speed trains ain't no cattle car - www.trenitalia.com for fares and advance purchase discounted tickets way cheaper than walk-ups but also train-specific and non-changeable.

for a look at the differences between first and second class and Italian trains in general check www.saet61.com - great info on discounted ducats; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

to me though Ercolo is neat and perhaps more mananageable because it is all compact in a large excavated hole in the lava it in no way compared to the awesomeness of Pompeii - just a bit down the same rail line.

I would suggest Ostia Antica, right in Rome's suburbs and its old port during Roman days offers just as much or more than Ercolo and won't take 2-3 hours each way to reach.
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Old Jul 24th, 2015, 03:37 PM
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Any of the faster trains Rome to Naples take about 70 minutes. You can book the fast trains 120 days in advance.

As for classes, standard and premium are the same in seat width (55cm), number of seats across (4)and space (for feet, etc.). The difference in the two - premium has a better fabric on the seat and you get a drink (coffee, soft drink or prosecco). They are both considered 2nd class.

The other classes on this route (usually) are business and executive. There can be variations of these such as a silent business car to choose from. Seats in business are 3 across and 69cm wide. A drink and a small snack.

Executive can be two seats across (74cm wide) or a meeting room (5 seats with table). Drink (more choices than other classes) and meal.

Anyone can go to the snack/bar car and buy an adult beverage, etc. or you can take your own beverage on board. Some of the fast trains have dining cars also. Some of these amenities in the different classes vary by route (and which fast train type) with more things offered on routes like the non-stop Milan/Rome, etc. or on the new Freccia 1000.

As for the Circumvesuviana train, it's no class and sit if there are any seats. If not, you get to stand. It's downstairs from your Rome/Naples train arrival. You want the Ercolano Scavi stop. Departs every 30 minutes and travel time is 16 minutes. Pompeii Scavi stop is about 15 minutes past Ercolano.
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Old Jul 24th, 2015, 10:07 PM
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The town and the station are called Ercolano, not Ercolo.

I will add to KyBourbon's description of the classes that Standard, Premium, and Business all have the same legroom. The distance between the seats is 106 cm, which should be sufficient even for a tall person. To get extra legroom (and a leg rest) you have to choose Executive class, which has only eight swiveling seats per carriage.

There are now a few of the new Frecciarossa 1000 trains on the Rome-Naples route. These have the same four classes but are supposed to offer more luxury in every class. However, they don't mention dimensions in the description of the seats.

I think that the only adult beverages offered are wine and beer, but I'm not certain.
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Old Jul 25th, 2015, 03:43 AM
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Yes, executive class chairs are like recliners (with controls to move the footrests/recline) and swivel. On some trains, in business class, you can also get a meeting room like you can on some routes with executive. Extra space seems to be more about width of chairs or between chairs on the sides, not leg room. Even in standard, you have more leg room than you would on an airplane in economy.

This is 2nd class (standard) on one of these fast trains. Business will have one less seat across (one seat facing one seat with table) one side of the aisle and two facing two on the other side.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ssainterno.jpg

When you select a train on Trenitalia (and before you select a price/class), you can mouse over the i under the various classes listed at the top of the choices. It will tell you basically what you get in each class, but not foot room.
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Old Jul 25th, 2015, 02:07 PM
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Main thing about first class to me is the rows with just one seat in them - an aisle and a window seat both - no bothering anyone or being bothered by anyone to get up and out and aisle seats have more leg room as you can stick your leg out a bit. This is a huge difference to me - i love those solo seats - two can face each other for couples with a table in between them.

Too bad kybourbon always only shows 2nd class pictures - first class would have one fewer seat per row - thus bigger seats - and that picture is in NO way representative of what real trains look this - this is a PR photo - how about some real photos of real trains - with baggage all over, etc. Please show both first and second class pix so folks can get an objective view of it - not a one-sided staged photo of a half-full second-class train car - which usually would be full.
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