Best way to get from Naples to sorrento?
 

questions- family of 5-July
what's the most economical yet still convenient way to get from Napoli to sorrento?
Is it do-able to take the local train and combine a trip to Pompeii with a pizza outting in Napoli in one still relaxing day?
Does the local train take credit cards for train tickets?
What's a recommended, moderately priced restaurant in sorrento (good fish? Good views?)

Thanks!

Sure - I did exactly that a couple of years ago. I used the Circumvesuviana (kind of a light rail train) to get from Naples to Sorrento where I stayed a few nights as a base. I took the Circumvesuviana back to Pompeii, visited the ruins, then took the Circumvesuviana back to Naples for a day visit and some pizza.

I have no idea how I bought tickets when I was there (2007), but unless you have a credit card with a chip (European style), you may not be able to buy Circumvesuviana tickets from a machine with a credit card. You can surely buy them with Euros.

Pompeii is a big site that will involve a lot of walking, FYI.

The Naples train station area feels a little seedy but once you get a few blocks away it's a little nicer. I'm sure you can dig up a few pizza restaurant recommendations that aren't far from the station. I liked Naples and regretted not staying there instead of in Sorrento, though Sorrento is definitely more tourist-friendly.

If you're going to stop in Naples for a pizza within walking distance of the train station, try Il Pizzaiolo del Presidente. Sit at a table downstairs.

Slight quibble with Andrew's statement that Naples "gets nicer" a few blocks from the station. It may get a little nicer (maybe depending on what direction you head in), but IMHO it's still kind of seedy. Just didn't want you to think there would be some upscale neighborhood just a few blocks away.

We did exactly that last week, just got back from Italy. Our flight reached Naples at 1 pm and we wanted to cover Pompeii the same day before going to Sorrento where we were staying. So we hired a private taxi, the driver was ready and waiting for us when we got out of the airport, that saved us time. But if you don't have time crunch, I would not worry about taxi.You can take circumvesuviana train which takes about 1/2 an hour to Pompeii. We spent 2 hours at Pompeii, got really tired and thought we could not have spent any more time even if we had. But then of course, we did not enjoy or understand much. I would at least keep three hours for Pompeii and def. hire a guide or do enough research before going if not hiring a guide. We were in Sorrento by 6 pm and had enough time to go out for a stroll in the city center. While leaving Sorrento for Rome we took the local train with less stops from the main Sorrento station to Naples( preety decent) and changed train at Naples for Rome. I think you can easily cover Pompeii and Naples by train in one day. Naples to Sorrento is an hour ride and Pompeii is somewhere in between. At Pompeii they even have free luggage storage.
We really liked Gigianno's Pizza( recommended by our local driver) about a 5 min. walk from Piazza Tasso, the main square in Sorrento.

We (family of 4) recently were in Naples for a couple of days and took the train to Pompeii (go early in the morning before it gets hot and crowded) and then went on to Sorrento for the afternoon. The train was very cheap (don't need credit card-plus I think it's only cash..Pompeii also didn't take credit cards, but had an ATM machine). Be careful on the train. A man tried to nudge our teenage daughter off the train. Otherwise- a great experience. Be sure to stop and get gelato at David's just around the corner from the train in Sorrento.

Another vote for Da Gigino's in Sorrento- great for pizza and other menu items too, based on visits in
2011 and 2013. The Davide's mentioned earlier for gelato by the train station appeared to be long gone when we were there in April, but there is another Davide's not far from Da Gigino's which we thought was good. As for Naples (which we disliked- dirty, gritty, etc.), the pizza at Gino Sorbillo's as well as at Da Michele was awesome- but be prepared to wait for up to 45 minutes to get in (I actually thought the pizza was actually worth it!). And we LOVED Pompeii, spent 5+ hours there with the audio guide. Herculaneum (Ercolano) is also fascinating and a lot smaller/more manageable, also easily reached by the Circumvesuviana train from Sorrento.
However- doing Pompeii in the heat of July plus a ride into Naples for pizza will NOT be relaxing, in my opinion!