Best way to get from Tuscany to Amalfi Coast
Aug 5th, 2008, 07:28 AM
#1
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Best way to get from Tuscany to Amalfi Coast
We're spending several days travelling around Tuscany and Umbria and would like to spend about 3 days on the Amalfi Coast. We'll have a rental car for Tuscany/Umbria, but have read many posts saying it's best to take public transport to Sorento.
Any recommendations on how best to travel to Sorento - we were thinking of checking the rental car in at Orvieto.
Any recommendations on how best to travel to Sorento - we were thinking of checking the rental car in at Orvieto.
Aug 5th, 2008, 07:43 AM
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We drove in and it was great.... we actually stayed in Positano. Slower curvy roads but really beautiful and we then had the luxury of exploring other villages via our car.
I'm sure you could train down and then catch a bus but I've never done that.
I'm sure you could train down and then catch a bus but I've never done that.
Aug 5th, 2008, 09:23 AM
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We did this the opposite direction last Sept. We picked up our rental in Sorrento and drove to Tuscany. Easy as pie!! We stayed in Positano and had a driver pick us up and take us to Sorrento to pick up the car because there is NO WAY I would drive on those roads to Positano...two lanes, cliff with no barrier on one side, tour buses stopping and backing up around corners trying to get around...
Aug 5th, 2008, 09:35 AM
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Really easy train link between Orvieto and Sorrento via Naples
Take regional train to Rome and then transfer to train for Naples - taking about 3 hrs - then hop on the CircumVesuviana commuter type train to Sorrento - this is a slow train however and takes an hour or so. In Sorrento hop the buses that ply the Amalfi Coast to Positano
Other route take train Rome to Salerno then bus over to Positano
Train may even be cheaper than driving, given $9/gas and predatory tolls on Italian autostrada IME
www.trenitalia.com for schedules and prices and, in theory at least, booking
Take regional train to Rome and then transfer to train for Naples - taking about 3 hrs - then hop on the CircumVesuviana commuter type train to Sorrento - this is a slow train however and takes an hour or so. In Sorrento hop the buses that ply the Amalfi Coast to Positano
Other route take train Rome to Salerno then bus over to Positano
Train may even be cheaper than driving, given $9/gas and predatory tolls on Italian autostrada IME
www.trenitalia.com for schedules and prices and, in theory at least, booking
Aug 5th, 2008, 09:53 AM
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You don't say how many people you are or what time of year this is.
In high season for two people, dump the car in Orvieto.
If you are a group and you are going past Sept, I would take the car, especially if you are going to Sorrento to visit Pompeii, and you might enjoy driving it on the Amalfi drive, but do some research to know what you are in for.
Where are you going after Sorrento? If to the center of Roma, leave the car in Sorrento. If you are going to the airport, drive yourselves the airport.
In high season for two people, dump the car in Orvieto.
If you are a group and you are going past Sept, I would take the car, especially if you are going to Sorrento to visit Pompeii, and you might enjoy driving it on the Amalfi drive, but do some research to know what you are in for.
Where are you going after Sorrento? If to the center of Roma, leave the car in Sorrento. If you are going to the airport, drive yourselves the airport.
Aug 5th, 2008, 10:06 AM
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Thanks for the feedback!
It will be only two of us travelling, leaving Tuscany on Oct 10 to spend 3 nights on the AC, and then back to Rome to finish off the trip.
I'm a little hesitant to drive on the coast after reading the comments on this site! I've driven in Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Northern Italy but don't think it will compare to driving along the coast!
It will be only two of us travelling, leaving Tuscany on Oct 10 to spend 3 nights on the AC, and then back to Rome to finish off the trip.
I'm a little hesitant to drive on the coast after reading the comments on this site! I've driven in Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Northern Italy but don't think it will compare to driving along the coast!
Aug 5th, 2008, 10:09 AM
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When i took the cliff-hugging bus one October the road even then was bumper to bumper so driving is not always so life-threatening when you're moving a few miles an hour
maybe was exceptional however?
maybe was exceptional however?
Aug 5th, 2008, 11:04 AM
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Hi S,
>leaving Tuscany on Oct 10 to spend 3 nights on the AC, and then back to Rome to finish off the trip. <
You will be arriving on the AC just after high season.
There will still be a lot of traffic on the Coast Road.
That, and finding a place to park will be your main problems with a car.
You might want to drive to Sorrento and drop the car there. Much easier than taking the train to Naples and the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento.
If you haven't picked a hotel yet, I can highly recommend www.lesirene.com in Praiano.
We hired a limo to take us to the Naples train station - about 100E.
You can also take the SITA bus (via Amalfi) or the ferry to Salerno and the train to Rome.
See http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html for train schedules.
>leaving Tuscany on Oct 10 to spend 3 nights on the AC, and then back to Rome to finish off the trip. <
You will be arriving on the AC just after high season.
There will still be a lot of traffic on the Coast Road.
That, and finding a place to park will be your main problems with a car.
You might want to drive to Sorrento and drop the car there. Much easier than taking the train to Naples and the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento.
If you haven't picked a hotel yet, I can highly recommend www.lesirene.com in Praiano.
We hired a limo to take us to the Naples train station - about 100E.
You can also take the SITA bus (via Amalfi) or the ferry to Salerno and the train to Rome.
See http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html for train schedules.
Aug 5th, 2008, 11:09 AM
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This question comes up all the time. If you have a car just drive to Sorrento and drop it there. Why would you jockey 3 trains with luggage to get to the same place, with the last one being dirty and less than safe. The drive is easy--it is not the Amalfi coast.
Aug 5th, 2008, 12:27 PM
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Bob certainly has a point. My point of view is colored by the fact that I like Orvieto, I sometimes weary of driving in Italy and enjoy the train, and I think that drivers around Napoli are among the most aggressive and unpredictable in Italy -- but many people drive to Sorrento and think it's fine.
If you won't have time to see the cathedral in Orvieto, have heavy luggage, fear the Napoli train station, and don't mind the drive, Bob is right that you won't be anywhere near the scary parts of the Amalfi drive.
If you won't have time to see the cathedral in Orvieto, have heavy luggage, fear the Napoli train station, and don't mind the drive, Bob is right that you won't be anywhere near the scary parts of the Amalfi drive.
