GAC - maybe you can help me
 

Do you know if there's a train that leaves from Naples to Tropea? I checked out trenitalia's website and I believe there is a main terminal in Calabria. I just hope I have the right train. Thanks in advance.

Go to the Trenitalia site. Click on the Italian flag (works better than the English version). Enter Napoli as departure station and Tropea as destination. This is what I got for around noon on Sept. 30. It looks like you need to change, usually in Lamezia.



Stazione di partenza: Napoli ( Tutte Le Stazioni ) Stazione di arrivo: Tropea Data: 30/9/2004




Info Partenza Arrivo Stazione di Cambio Treni Durata Acquista
Stazione Arrivo
1.
13:42
NA C.LE 19:38
LAMEZIA 16:51 05:56
ROSARNO 18:26
2.
15:42
NA P.GA 20:10
LAMEZIA 18:40 04:28
3.
16:36
NA C.LE 21:56
LAMEZIA 20:10 05:20
4.
23:03
NA C.FL 05:54
LAMEZIA 02:26 06:51
5.
23:09
NA P.GA 05:54
SALERNO 23:59 06:45
LAMEZIA 04:19

Thank you - when do you think the schedule for 2005 is available. also which is the closest train station in naples from naples aiport?

THE train station in Naples from which 99.9% of trains to other cities in Italy leave is Napoli Centrale.

From the airport, you can either take a city bus that goes to Piazza Garibaldi (in front of Napoli Centrale) or a shuttle bus. The shuttle bus is probably faster, but the details about it on the Naples airport Web site are skimpy. There is probably an information booth at the airport where you can ask about the shuttle.

Do you know if we can rent a car from Positano to get to Tropea and return the car in Tropea afterwards? Thanks in advance.

No you can't. The only car rental place in Positano is a local company which doesn't do one-way rentals.

Your best bet will be to rent in SALERNO. There are a number of rental companies there.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

If you worked your itinerary from south to north, and flew into Lamezia you could rent at the airport. Although finding a cheap fare from London to Lamezia may prove difficult.

Thanks Steve and AP6380. I checked out volare's website and they have a flight from Venice to Lamezia Terme (once a day). Then from Lamezia Terme we can get to Positano (by taking the train to Salerno and either take the bus or ferry from there to Positano). Do you think this will work? GAC gave me a website earlier on salerno to get info in regards to the ferry that goes straight to Positano but it's in Italian :( He also mentioned that there's a bus that will take us to Positano from Salerno. My concern is if the train station in Salerno is close to the Bus (SITA)stop that can take us to Positano.

Italy2005: here is an example of how to get from Tropea to Positano by train/bus. You will need to re-check the schedules when the 2005 schedules are available (later in the year), and you'll need to enter the actual date of departure, as schedules are usually a little different on Sundays.

lv. Tropea 8:06 "Regionale" train
ar. Lamezia 9:03
lv. Lamezia 9:16 "Eurostar" train
ar. Salerno 11:39

One-way train fare: 27.58 Euros in second class (including mandatory seat reservation on the Eurostar train)

lv. Salerno 12:00 SITA bus Mon-Sat
ar. Amalfi 13:15
lv. Amalfi 13:30 SITA bus Mon-Sat
ar. Positano 14:10

The ferry boat from Salerno to Positano leaves at 14:10 and arrives one hour later, so the SITA bus will get you to Positano much earlier, even though you must change buses in Amalfi.

You board the bus from directly outside the Salerno train station. Purchase the bus ticket at the newsstand inside the station. Ask for a ticket all the way to Positano.

Overall, this schedule is very reasonable, as you arrive at your destination in a mere 6 hours.

Thanks everyone for your help. I'll try to put this itinerary together. I really appreciate this :)

GAC - I mapped out our itinerary today. Here's what I have:

london-rome
rome-capri
capri - positano
positano - tropea
tropea - venice

we need to get from positano to tropea. i checked the bus schedule and i dont think we'll make it because of the transfer in amalfi. i think taking the ferry from positano to salerno is a better way. you mentioned it is only an hour away? however, is the ferry station in salerno close to the salerno train station (trenitalia)?

lv. Positano 10:00 Ferry boat
ar. Salerno 11:00
lv. Salerno 12:19 Eurostar Italia train
ar. Lamezia Terme 14:40
lv. Lamezia Terme 15:10 Regionale train
ar. Tropea 16:16

One way fare (second class): 27.58 Euros
Note that the "Regionale" train from Lamezia carries only second class.

The ferry costs 6 Euros from Positano, and it docks about 500 yards from the Salerno train station. Be sure to take the ferry which goes to the Concordia dock in Salerno, NOT the hydrofoil which docks at Molo Manfredi, which is across town. Allow at least 6 minutes to walk from the ferry dock to the train station.

The schedule above should allow sufficient "cushion" time for possible delays, etc.