Getting to Herculaneum
 

This is the information I copied and pasted from a link on Fodors. Are there any additional details I should be aware of?

Herculaneum Getting Here:

Take a train on the Circumvesuviana to Ercolano. From the station, walk across at the nearest roundabout and head down Via 4 Novembre for 10 minutes. If driving from Naples, take the Ercolano exit from the Napoli-Salerno autostrada. Follow signs for Scavi di Ercolano.

IMO this is poorly written, especially "take a train on the Circumvesuviana."

Anyway, sometimes it's all in the details. I'd appreciate any info people would care to share with me.

There are a few different Circumvusviana train lines that stop at Erculano Scavi, the top closest to the excavations.

You can plot the route on maps.google.com. Starting point would be the Erculano Scavi station at Via Vittorio Veneto. Ending point would be Scavi di Erculano at Corso Resina 187. As described in your posting, pretty much a straight 10-minute walk from the station to the excavations along Via 4 Novembre.

ellenem,

First, thank you for responding. Second, I tried to follow your instructions on google maps, and selected the pedestrian icon, but ended up with convoluted directions. Obviously, I did something wrong.

Are you departing from Naples? If so, downstairs in the Naples station is the Circumvesuviana train lines. You take the train to the Ecrolano Scavi stop (16 minutes from Naples - 2.10€). Trains run every 30 minutes.

As you exit the station, head downhill. I would be surprised if it took you 10 minutes to walk. Here's a picture of the street. Then entrance is at the bottom of the hill.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tompowell/3208824944/

A Brit in Ischia has a series of picture directions.
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/123061482

kybourbon,

I'll follow-up with your instructions. No Naples, we will be traveling from Sorrento to Ercolano Scavi. Thanks.

Great links...a picture's worth a thousand words. More than likely, we will visit in the morning. Are there any recommended (small) restaurants in the City of Ercolano for lunch? Otherwise, we will try to catch a train back to Sorrento for lunch.

The last time I was at Herculaneum (two years ago), the entrance was taking cash only and they were out of audio guides in English.

You'll find plenty of lunch places on the street that Kybourbon posted the picture of... we ate at a little deli that had a hot table of food presented in the window and it was delicious.

You'll love Herculaneum, we ended up taking a guided tour (found the guide at the entrance gate -- his name was Hector -- an older professorial, scholarly guy, fluent in a half dozen languages. He gave us a fabulous tour.) So, if you see an older gent and feel like taking a tour, grab him, you won't be sorry.

There is only one main road going down from the Ercolano station. That road goes straight into Ercolano. If you have good vision, you should see the Ercolano entrance. One of the least confusing path tourists need to take in Italy.

I think the road starts from the station is called Via Vittoria Veneto which quickly turns into Via 4 Novembre. But that road has "Scavi di Ercolano" white on brown background signs all over.

<b>Circumvesuviana</b>

<b>Sorrento to Ercolano</b> All the trains leaving Sorrento stop at Ercolano. There is no possibility of mistake.

<b>Ercolano to Sorrento</b> <u>WATCH OUT</u>. There are at least two different trains heading east. Look at the map. They split at Torre Annunziata:

http://www.danpiz.net/napoli/traspor...mvesuviana.htm

You want the one going to "SORRENTO." Double check what the front of the train says so before getting on.

You do NOT want the one that goes anywhere else such as "SARNO." If you get on a wrong train, get off at Torre Annunziata to get back onto the correct train. There was no English announcements at Torre Annunziata, but the digital display tells you which platform Sorrento bound trains stop.

greg,

Thank you so much for your explicit directions. This will be our fourth trip to Sorrento. Three previous trips were on the Circumvesuviana train - the only coming up in April will be a hired driver from the Naples Airport (BIG difference).

kybourbon, Cash only - no problem.

NanBug, my gut feeling was that there had to be good food in Ercolano. Thanks for confirming.

greg, I reread your instructions. Boarding at Ercolano Scavi is totally different from boarding at Naples Central Station.

I get it now...we must be vigilant before we board and read the front of the approaching train for our return ride back to Sorrento.

>>>Boarding at Ercolano Scavi is totally different from boarding at Naples Central Station.<<<

No, you must make sure you get the right train when leaving Naples also as there are several different Circumvesuviana train lines. Here's a map of the lines.
http://www.danpiz.net/napoli/traspor...mvesuviana.htm

kybourbon, I must be making everyone crazy. As I said previously, we are departing from Sorrento to Ercolano Scavi. My point was that the large train stations have so much information for the traveler. The small, and sometimes tiny train stations offer little guidance for the traveler.

No, you aren't making anyone crazy. I understand you are going from Sorrento to Ercolano. I assumed for you to get to Sorrento originally you would be coming from Naples. Many people going to Sorrento get on the wrong train in Naples as they don't realize there are other Circumvesuviana trains going to other destinations. The Circumvesuviana station in Naples is below the Trenitalia station and doesn't have a lot of information. It's really just a couple of tracks underground and you have to stand around waiting. There are lots of services upstairs for Trenitalia, but not downstairs for Circumvesuviana.

When departing Sorrento, if you aren't using the Campania Arte Card, buy your return ticket also. I've experienced ticket machines not working before in Ercolano and had to track down a store to buy tickets. If you are using the Campania Arte Card, you must tell the ticket window so they can buzz you in. Our passes would not feed through in Sorrento.

Citizen K..... once you get off at Ercolano Scavi, it's as simple as walking downhill - from one of the green crosses marked on this to the other....

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/132790506

ANM's 157 bus (on which you could also use your UnicoCampania ticket, or the Artecard's travel pass) would save you the schlep back up, however we've found that it isn't particularly frequent - and you might well like to have a look in at the MAV museum along the way?

See the notes below that GoogleMap image for details!

Perhaps this will remove any linger doubts about the different CV lines...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/imag...87094/original

... but do be sure to use the right station in Ercolano....

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/133832737

Not sure how recently some have actually used the station in Naples, but the platform indicators installed there early in 2010 should be simple enough for most people to understand...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/130148215

... despite a bafflingly wide choice of tracks...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/131658260

Peter

Thankfully, I don't look like Citizen Kane (Orson Wells) since I'm a female!

All of the above is good information, not only for me, but helpful info for other posters visiting Ercolano Scavi. I am (as always) the navigator for trips. Too bad I have a reputation for "doing a good job" because no one else want to do it. I love the planning.

Forgot to suggest, if you have time (an extra 2 hours), definitely visit Oplontis, which is a quick train ride from Herculaneum. It was one of the highlights of our trip: http://oplontisproject.org/

NanBug, I will definitely speak to my husband and the the other couple traveling with us about Oplontis. Many thanks for your suggestion.

Both Oplontis, and Boscoreale - also near Pompei but very probably better visited by either car or taxi - are well worth a look if you've time...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/popea

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/boscoreale

If going to several, save money with a ticket that gives, "access to 5 sites: Herculaneum, Pompeii, Oplontis, Stabiae, Boscoreale) - valid for 3 days" for €20....

http://www.pompeiisites.org/Sezione....ezioneRif=1165

Although you may find that one version or another of the Campania Artecard suits your needs better... if not already aware of those, perhaps try this one - whose €27 price includes two prepaid entrances and a 3 day transport card:

http://www.campaniartecard.it/itinerary.cfm?id=13

Shout if you need help with finding where those are sold!

Peter