tuscanlifeedit

As some might know, I am helping to plan a trip for a disabled friend. He can walk, but it isn't easy for him.

Does anyone know if there is a lift or elevator in Napoli Centrale station down to the Circumvesuviana line?

I've seen numerous references about going "downstairs" to get the Circumvesuviana, but nothing that says one must take the stairs.

This is important to my friend, so if anyone knows I would be grateful for the information.

I'll arrange a car for them if there is no lift, but it's a lot more money.

PalenQ

it's not just down the stairs but then a walk thru a tunnel to the actual Circumvesuviana station

by taxi you'd take it to that station, a few blocks around the corner from Napoli Centrale/Garibaldi combined station

Garidbaldi is just down the steps from Centrale.

kybourbon

How is your friend arriving in Naples? There might be other budget options.

kybourbon

And where does he want to go from Naples?

tuscanlifeedit

PalenQ: I'm afraid that I'm confused.

They are arriving in Naples by train from Rome. The train arrives at Napoli Centrale.

If they have to leave the station and take a taxi to the Circumvesuviana, it hardly seems worth saving the money because it will be hard for him. Every bit of climbing in and out of transportation is going to be hard.

Do I undertand correctly that Garibaldi, and not the Circumvesuviana station, is down the steps from Napoli Centrale?

I wouldn't have the heart to recommend a taxi from the hotel in Rome, on to the train to Naples, into a taxi for the Circumvesuviana station, and into the station and on to another train.

kybourbon: knowing that they are coming by train from Rome to Naples, does that help? Can you suggest another option?

tuscanlifeedit

OH, I didn't mention that they are going to stay in Sorrento for a few nights. Sorry.

kybourbon

The easiest solution would be the Marozzi bus from Rome Tiburtina station to Sorrento. The cost is about 20E per person and you don't have to fool with schlepping luggage since it's stored under the bus.

tuscanlifeedit

kybourbon: that certainly sounds easiest.

I will look for a schedule for the bus.

Now, after Sorrento, they will be going to stay in Naples.

Is there a street level door from the Circumvesuviana?

Thanks
Debbie

tuscanlifeedit

The only website I could find for Marozzi bus service says it only runs from June 1 until September 30. That won't work for my friend.

Any other suggestions?

kybourbon

The web site is www.marozzivt.it. I thought Marozzi had started year round service ( I think Steve James posted the info)and you should be able to book online if it's available. My laptop is in the shop so I can't load the web site on the antique computer I'm using right now. Curreri also lists bus service, but I don't know of anyone that has used it or whether it's really the Marozzi bus. www.curerriviaggi.it

If neither of those work, he could book a Sorrento or Pompeii tour, take his luggage on the bus, and just stay in Sorrento instead of going back to Rome. www.enjoyrome.com has a bus only service to Pompeii for 45 E round trip. The Pompeii Scavi train station is at the entrance to Pompeii and you could easily train onto Sorrento from there and avoid Naples.

SeaUrchin

How is he going to board the train in Rome? We were boarding when a handicapped man was put on the train by a forklift because he could not climb the stairs to the car. It was horrible. They put him on right in the middle of the other passengers trying to board and exit with luggage and he fell in the aisle. People were stepping over him. It was a nightmare. At that point of confusion is when robbers robbed my friend in the aisle next to the man.

If at all possible I would suggest a car from Rome to Sorrento, skipping Naples at that point. It is from 300 to 400 Euro, but I think I read that he will be with other people, so if they all split the cost it shouldn't be that bad.

SeaUrchin

those tours such as enjoyrome don't operate in the winter unless someting has changed in the last year.

tuscanlifeedit

This has all been very helpful.

I think that between the three men he is traveling with, they can get him on the train. He is young and fairly strong, considering his disability. I will let them know in advance that they should be very prepared to give him a hand up on to the train. And to move quickly. But perhaps trains can be avoided, although they asked for train travel.

This is a sticky situation for me; the young man is a friendly acquaintance, more than a friend. I believe his disability was the result of a sport's accident. When I see him, he is always walking, not in a wheelchair.

Anyway, we haven't discussed his particular mobility issues or the circumstances of his accident, which happened before we met, a few years ago.

But, they've asked me to help, and I am more than willing. He seems to be a great young man, and the men he works with are treating him to this trip. I'm doing the planning for them, and I am trying my best to make it special and stay in the budget they've set. I think they are a special group of people and I'm inspired to do this for them.

I do think the bus might be a good option for them.

kybourbon, I couldn't find that particular website, despite searching. I thank you.

kybourbon

What is the entire itinerary/dates? Will they be spending a few days in Rome first? There may be other options if you have more info.

There is e-mail contact on the Marozzi bus web site if you want to make sure it's now year round. I've used this bus in the summer before and it only makes a few stops very brief stops between Rome and Sorrento.

Since he is traveling with other people, a car rental might be the best and cheapest option once the price is split among them. The drive is mostly autostrada and easy.

Steve_James

Hi Tuscan - When are they travelling? The Marozzi Rome-Sorrento bus still runs Fri/Sat/Sun in winter, I believe.

Alternatively if they prefer to go by train they could catch one of the Rome-Napoli GARIBALDI trains (e.g. 07.45, 09.45 ...) which stops downstairs IN Piazza Garibaldi station (- rather than Napoli Centrale).

That way he'd only have to get off one train and get on the other - without changing platform, climbing steps or walking anywhere)

Hope this helps ...

Steve

caroline_edinburgh

Italian trains are quite high up - even as a fairly short woman it can be a bit of an effort for me to climb up there. It does sound as though buses are the way to go, Rome-Sorrento and Sorrento-Naples.

ira

Hi T,

Good advice from SJ.

The 09:45, 11:45, 13:45 trains go to Garibaldi.

See http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html

Also, a limo from Naples train station to Sorrento will be under 100E. More expensive than the C train, but not outrageous for 3 people splitting the fare.

Steve_James

Tuscan - I see from your other post the planned visit is in January.

I've just re-checked the Marozzi website and there is a service every day throughout January.

(It's considerably cheaper than the train - if budget is a consideration)

The service runs:

ONCE daily between Sun-Thur, and
TWICE daily on Fridays & Saturdays.



Departure time:

MON-THUR

Dep 15.00 Roma Tiburtina
Arr.19.00 Sorrento



FRI & SAT (- 2 departures daily)

Dep 07.00 Roma Tib.
Arr.10.45 Sorrento

and

Dep 15.00 Roma Tib.
Arr.19.00 Sorrento


FARE:

€ 17 one way
€ 29 return

For details/booking see:
www.marozzivt.it


[Roma Tiburtina can be reached by Metro (- Line 'B'), bus or taxi].

Hope this helps ...

Steve

ParadiseLost

"...which stops downstairs IN Piazza Garibaldi station (- rather than Napoli Centrale).
That way he'd only have to get off one train and get on the other - without changing platform, climbing steps or walking anywhere)"

Steve, It has been a couple of years since I've been in Naples and I don't know if anything has changed, but are you sure?

I thought that they had just changed the name of the Circumvesuviana stop for the train station to Garibaldi for the Piazza location?

With the end of the Circumvesuviana Line only ~500m away at the main Circumvesuviana Station, I can't see how they could combine the 2 stations and the 2 different lines into 1 station?

Piazza Gribaldi Train Station is in front of Napoli Centrale but underground beneath the Piazza.

The Circumvesuviana station is also underground but on the side of Napoli Centrale.

They are both connected by a corridor which is in-between the Centrale Station at groundlevel and the lower level of both Garibaldi and the Circumvesuviana platforms.

So from Garibali you must go up 1 level on an escalator (it's also timed to stop X minutes after the train arrives).

Then down the corridor, thru ticket turnstiles and then a long flight of stairs down to the Circumvesuviana platforms.

Debbie, For the Sorrento-Naples leg they could take the Circumvesuviana.
As I said above ~500m after the stop for the train station the next & last stop (end of the Line) is the main Circumvesuviana Station.
This station is on street level, there might be 2-3 steps in the station and maybe 4 steps down outside the station to a taxi.
From the train to the taxi the walk is ~100m at the most.

I've never taken the Circumvesuviana as far as Sorrento, so I can't speak for that station.
But I have never heard anyone mention a luggage/stair hassle there so I assume it's all streetlevel.
Regards, Walter

PalenQ

I agree and questioned that as well

last Jan i walked around the Circumvesuviana station and the trains were standing at dead-end platforms - i don't see how they could have gone to Garibaldi before heading south - and the tracks seemed to go south and not back towards Garibaldi

but i cannot be sure