Bus ride to Positano

Old Apr 18th, 2015, 05:35 PM
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Bus ride to Positano

Just how scary and uncomfortable is the bus ride from Sorrento to Positano? I have two teens who get car sick quite easily. Thanks
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Old Apr 18th, 2015, 07:22 PM
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It's not scary.

My husband is susceptible to motion sickness, and he was a little uncomfortable. We even sat in the front row. On subsequent trips, we rented a car and he drove.
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Old Apr 18th, 2015, 07:39 PM
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I was very sick on the bus ride, and on an earlier trip, my daughter was very sick. My daughter was so ill that we got off the bus and hired a driver for the rest of the journey.

If your teens get car sick easily, my very best advice is to take the boat from Sorrento to Positano, and to use boats while traveling the AC.

I have also been somewhat ill in cars on the AC, but not nearly as ill as I was on the bus. For me, it was the worst bus ride ever.

Scary isn't the issue; sickening is. Take a boat. I also recommend getting prescription medication for your teens. Scopolamine patches work for me, as does meclizine. I don't know if these are suitable for adolescents, but I'd ask.

Do try the boats. The view is much lovelier than from the road and you can save your children much discomfort.
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Old Apr 18th, 2015, 08:20 PM
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I agree with tuscanlife that the boats are the more enjoyable way to travel. We took several ferry rides when we were there, and it's a lovely way to see the coast.

Otherwise, I would recommend hiring a driver. We hired a driver for the ride from Naples to Positano, even though DH had driven on some pretty frightening roads in Provence and Tuscany hill towns on previous trips. It was one of our wisest decisions ever to hire the driver! The roads cling to the edges of the cliffs with numerous hairpin curves, which doesn't seem to faze the bus drivers a bit! Our driver did a wonderful job, and we were able to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery.

We took a bus ride from Amalfi to Ravello, which was the worst transportation experience of our lives! Totally overcrowded to the point that the locals took new passengers on their laps. And still the bus would stop along the way to pick up new riders. Never again--we took a taxi back down!
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Old Apr 19th, 2015, 01:29 AM
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I took the bus from Amalfi to Positano and felt ill. I also felt ill on a taxi ride from Pompeii to Ravello which took the back way over the mountains. I only point these things out to say that it is not just that one stretch of road that can be of concern, and that while hiring a driver is optimal, you might need to stop anyway and take a break. (But at least you can stop whenever needed, unlike the bus).

I think "scary" is an issue if you are traveling on the side of the bus that directly overlooks the drop down to the sea. The elevated position of the seats puts you well above the guard rails, and looking down can make the stomach flip if anybody is sensitive to heights.

Some other tips: Try to plan your days so that meals are not immediately followed by a trip on a winding road. It is better to pack a picnic breakfast and eat it after you arrive somewhere than to eat breakfast and immediately travel on the winding roads. Bring crackers or breadsticks with you if you travel the roads. Eat dinner in the town where you are staying rather than have a car ride back from someplace else because the trip is even more sickening in the dark.

If you go to Ravello and have lunch, you can walk down from Ravello to the coast in about 30 minutes and take a ferry in Amalfi back to Positano.
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Old Apr 19th, 2015, 04:52 AM
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I agree with the others about the motion sickness. I personally have done that route a few times and not felt ill but my husband certainly was. His doctor was happy to prescribe the scopalamine patches the second time we went. They can work quite well so that the bus can still be an option for those with motion sickness.

The boats are a totally enjoyable way to travel and you should do that one way even if motion sickness were not an issue. HOWEVER, the schedule is much more limited. Also, I disagree with the person who said the view was superior from the water. It's great, but I think it's even better from the road. But there are places to get great views from just outside each town so if you just do the boat you can still enjoy the road views.

The walk from Amalfi to Atrani, coming around the corner in both directions the view is wonderful. You are on the road and there's no sidewalk but the cars, vespas and pedestrians all share quite well. On the other side of Amalfi you can hike up the stairs towards the Convent Hotel (not exactly it's name) for great views. From the bus stop in Positano closest to Amalfi you can walk back along the road a ways for more great views.

We did the walk from Ravello down to Atrani and it took over an hour and we are at least average speed walkers. Sandra you must have really been walking fast. But it is a great walk. We took an open top sightseeing type bus from Amalfi up to Ravello as there was a regular bus strike that day and it was much less motion sickness inducing than the regular bus.
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Old Apr 19th, 2015, 09:41 AM
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If kids get motion sick I reco meclizine for the boat ride - and avoid the bus - which is mobbed and can take forever.

There is no scary - but just sick-making. But if they get motion sick it will probably happen on the ferry as well (I wasn't sick at all on the drive - but was a passenger in the front seat of a private car. We weren;t going fast enough for me to get sick.

Scopolamine only works in about 80% of people - is useless for the other 20% (I found this out on a VERY rough cruise - was trying it since it didn't have to be taken so often. Got very sick - had to take it off and wash off the patch area and go back to dramamine - which always works for me.)
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Old Apr 19th, 2015, 12:20 PM
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Since nytraveler has never taken the bus on the Amalfi drive, she wasn't in a position to judge whether someone sensitive to heights would find it a problem. You can do a simple google search for "bus amalfi drive scary" and get plenty of hits.

Unless your kids have taken motion sickness drugs before and know they work or don't have side effects for them, I'd opt for a different plan.
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Old Apr 19th, 2015, 01:01 PM
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The boat is the least nauseating of any mode of transportation along the Amalfi Coast. I highly recommend taking it between towns when possible.
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Old Apr 19th, 2015, 07:21 PM
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Maybe I thought the view was better from the water because I was too sick to enjoy it from the road.
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Old Apr 19th, 2015, 08:33 PM
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With 4 of you, hire a car service. A Mercedez driven vehicle or van will not set you that much more and it's very convenient. As you get closer to Positano, it's hilly and several winding roads, you can ask the driver to slow down.
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Old Apr 19th, 2015, 09:46 PM
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I would say it depends when you travel. June to the end of August you may find it will indeed be scary as you could all find yourselves standing for the entire journey.
October to March - you could get a seat on the left hand side and stare at the cliffs - in which case no views of the drop.
The thing with this drive is once you leave Sorrento it doesn't take long and the majority of the trip, especially in the busy months, is at a crawl as it's a very busy road, so the kids won't have enough motion to actually get sick.
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Old Apr 19th, 2015, 09:51 PM
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>

Just a footnote to Isabel's post. Do NOT walk on the road around the bend she refers to on this quote. There is no need as there is a pathway than links Amalfi and Atrani. You'll see the stairs for this path on the left hand side of the road just as the road exits Amalfi (at the far end of the beach). These stairs are not signposted but are beside a couple of shops. The pathway is beautiful and very scenic.

Again, do not walk on that road - it is far too dangerous.
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Old Apr 20th, 2015, 03:11 AM
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Blueeye - if you mean don't walk on the road through the tunnel part I agree - there is a path that looks like it's going through a restaurant, then down some steps. But otherwise that stretch of road is fine. Every time I've been on it there have been lots of pedestrians, it's a curve, and it's essentially 'in town' and the cars go very slowly. The views are fantastic. There is a path that goes between the buildings that goes between the towns but you aren't near the water and can't see anything.

And while we are disagreeing (but then, that's what is so great about this forum, you get lots of opinions) - the bus can go pretty fast and lots of people do get plenty motion sick between Sorrento and Positano.
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Old Apr 20th, 2015, 03:26 AM
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Isabel - I'm warning people that the walk around the road is not safe. People walk *on* the road. As you say - there is no path. You many think it is safe but I would caution anyone attempting it.

Not sure if you've ever walked the path that connects Amalfi to Atrani but there are plenty of views - you can see the coastline for most of the way. It climbs through a residential area with tunnels and houses - most of the path is empty of tourists which I find surprising as it's such a beautiful walk - but then again its a good thing as Amalfi can be exploding with visitors but five minutes away, this beautiful path is quiet.

As for the bus - I was talking in peak times when there is gridlock traffic and the bus crawls along behind tour coaches and the like.The OP could consider the new Coast to Coast service which is like a HoHo bus - it only has two stops but may offer more comfort than the SITA bus.

http://www.sorrento.city-sightseeing...t_to_coast.pdf
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Old Apr 20th, 2015, 10:29 AM
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The bus my daughter got violently ill on was an uncrowded private coach for a group we were a part of. The bus I got sick on was in very slow traffic; going slow, stopping and starting, was horrendous.

Those trying to convince you that your kids won't get sick are puzzling. It's up to the OP; good luck.
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Old Apr 25th, 2015, 01:05 PM
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Thanks everyone, however I may be more confused about which option to do instead of the bus. Anyway, I will definitely not be taking the bus, will ask the doctor about those nausea meds and look into the ferry schedules. We did a boat trip a few years ago and none of us got nauseous so maybe that is the way to go. Again, thanks for all the tips and walks to try.
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Old Apr 25th, 2015, 02:22 PM
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Ferry schedules are here

http://www.coopsantandrea.com/it/ser...rrivo=Positano

There are no services listed at the moment - I believe this is due to the coastal sea route being closed due to unexploded WW2 arms being discovered in the sea off the Amalfi Coast and these have to be dealt with. Apparently the sea route is closed to the end of May, however this is from friends I know who live there so not 'official' sources.
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