sundowner

We have reservations to fly into Naples on 3/15/04. It's ATL to Rome to Naples. I checked our Delta reservations and discovered the flight from Rome to Naples has been changed to a later time. We will now be stuck at FCO from 9:10 am until 5:40 pm.

Delta gave me no options other than to change to a flight thru Paris to Naples but the same class of svc is not available and the tickets are $200 apiece higher.

Since this is a "spring break" trip, we don't have enough time to sit in an airport all day. Especially when we are only traveling a few hours away.

Can you help me figure out the best way to get from Rome to Sorrento and what it is likely to cost - there are 3 of us - 9 yr old, 21 yr old and me (just old). Our end destination is Sorrento.

I've read all the other posts regarding traveling between cities but didn't see this one. Oh - I should probably mention I'm one of those people that get lost finding a bathroom in a restaurant. The more details the better!

Thanks
Cindy

adrienne

Hi Cindy,

From the Rome airport you take a train to Rome. There is a train station at the airport. Ask for directions once you've arrived in Rome

Once at Rome Termini train station, buy a ticket to Naples.

In Naples you exit the train and walk downstairs to the Circumvesuviana train and buy a ticket on the platform.

This train will take you to Sorrento.

It's 2 hours to Naples and another hour to Sorrento. I'm not sure how long the train from FCO airport to Rome takes as I've never taken it.

You can find prices on
www.trenitalia.com
for the Naples to Rome Train.

I don't remember the URL for the Circumvesuviana URL but there is a very recent post about getting to Sorrento by train in which I've posted the URL.

GAC

You need to take the nonstop train from Rome Fiumicino Airport to Rome Termini Central Train Station, then connect to a fast train (Eurostar or Intercity) to Naples Centrale Station; then take the local commuter train ("Circumvesuviana&quot to Sorrento.

Here are the schedules:

lv. Fiumicino airport 10:07
ar. Rome Termini Station 10:38
lv. Rome Termini Station 11:20
ar. Naples Centrale 13:07

Fare (reseved second class Eurostar train to Naples) Euro 31.71; OR

lv. airport 10:37
ar. Rome Termini 11:08
lv. Rome Termini 11:27
arr. Naples 13:24

Fare (reserved second class Intercity train to Naples) Euro 29:03; OR

lv. airport 11:37
ar. Rome Termini 12:08
lv. Rome Termini 12:45
ar Naples 14:30

Fare (reserved second class Eurostar train to Naples) Euro 31.71

The above prices are inclusive of the cost of the ticket between the airport train station and Rome Termini Station (the leg from the airport to Termini costs Euro 9.50 alone). The fare for the Intercity train above includes a seat reservation fee of Euro 3.00 (which you must specify when purchasing the ticket). The fare for the Eurostar trains automatically include a reserved seat (you don't need to request one).

From Naples Centrale, go down the escalators to the Circumvesuviana tracks (THESE ARE NOT PART OF THE ITALIAN NATIONAL RAIL SYSTEM) and take the first commuter train leaving for Sorrento. Departures every 30 minutes; travel time 70 minutes. Fare about 3 Euros.

At the Rome airport train station ticket window, purchase BOTH the ticket for Rome Termini and the separate ticket from Rome Termini to Naples Centrale. You must punch the first ticket in the yellow machine by the tracks before boarding the train.

Schedules and fares: www.trenitalia.com

Sher

Cindy. Allow two hours from your arrival at FCO to boarding the train at the Rome Termini.
This would include getting luggage, customs, buying a ticket at FCO for the train into Rome and the train to Naples (you can do that at the ticket counter at the airport train station) and finding the correct train platform at Rome Termini.
Doing this, I think a conservative estimate for your arrival in Naples would be about 3:00 by train.
It would shave a little time from the 5:40 arrival by air.
If you were planning to take the train to Sorrento (Circumvesuviana) you would still go from the Naples Airport to the train station. You didn't say how you planned to get to Sorrento. So one plus for the train is that you would already be at the station.
If you were planning on a private car service to Sorrento, it would not matter.
Another suggestion would be to just let them transfer your luggage and take the airport train into Rome for a few hours. YOu didn't say if you were planning on any time in Rome. Maybe you aren't interested. Anyway, you could hop on the subway and see some of the sights. Even if you only saw those along the subway line. It would depend on how you felt.
It is a tough decision. I am one of those that likes to get going immediately. I really wouldn't be happy in the airport for several hours.
Good luck.

GeoffHamer

From Roma to Napoli, apart from Eurostar and Intercity trains, there are slow trains every hour; these are cheap and still take under three hours. Whichever train you catch, you will see mountains and, at Formia, the coast. In Napoli, alight at Napoli Centrale or Napoli Piazza Garibaldi: the stations are adjacent, but trains only stop at one or the other. From either, just follow the signs to the Circumvesuvia railway which has two trains an hour to Sorrento. The trains terminate at Sorrento so it's easy to find the right one. The schedule is on www.vesuviana.it, but you don't need to plan it in advance - just get the next Sorrento train.

sundowner

Thanks to all of you. Great directions - even I should be able to get there!

We are starting the week in Sorrento for a few days to do Pompeii, Herculaneum and Naples. Then we'll spend a few days in Rome and fly out of Rome.

kayd

Since this is an international itinerary (though purchased from a US carrier), the rules might be different, BUT when a new schedule change creates an unreasonable delay, the airline should get you to your destination as close as possible to the originally scheduled time, on another airline if necessary, at no extra cost to you.
Did you take it up with a Delta supervisor? Might be worth another phone call. I'd make an effort to avoid the exhausting slog on through three train stations after an overnight flight from the U.S. Good luck.

sundowner

kayd -
The original flight left Rome at 1:00pm and arrived Naples at 2:00pm.

The new flight is 5:40pm to 6:30pm.

Considering the original flight times, are the new times unreasonable? They are to me only because I'll be in Italy but just wasting time!

kayd

I'd argue that it is unreasonable, very politely of course, and see if Delta couldn't do a little better for you. What do you have to lose by making another phone call (other than a half hour on hold)?

bobthenavigator

GAC--you are unreal--great stuff.

tetrabit

Perhaps you should hire a car & driver to take you and your family to Sorrento and also see the gorgeous Amalfi coast. The Circumvesuviana train is a very slow, 'local' train from Naples to Sorrento. What what I gather from this board, it can be very uncomfortable, (if not dangerous) especially for a woman. Naples is pretty scary, especially the area around the train station. Of course this is just my own opinion.

Oh_so_bucko

I think you need to call Delta back. There are plenty of options on their website. You may have just gotten an uncooperative ticketing agent. This does happen.