Hello! My husband and I will be going to Italy for the first time in September. Can someone please provide us insight as to the best way to get to Rome from Positano that does not take forever?

Thank you, thank you in advance!!

What is forever? I guess you're looking for private drivers as trains will take 4 hours - first bus or boat to Sorrento then train to Naples and train to Rome - check www.trenitalia.com for Naples-Rome fares and discounted fares if you book far enough in advance. For lots on trains -www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Easier by train - ferry to Salerno and hop trains there to Rome.

The easiest (and fastest) is to ferry from Positano to Salerno (www.travelmar.it), walk 10 minutes to the train station, then train from Salerno to Rome.

Helicopter?

Seriously, the travel time is what it is.

The fastest way would be car service to Napoli Centrale train station (1:30 hours) and fast train to Rome (1:10 hours), so overall about 3 hours.

The most scenic would be ferry to Salerno (1:15 hours) and train to Rome (2:00 hours as fastest train is probably too early), so overall about 3:15 hours.

Cheapest would be all by train by a lot -if you book discounted tickets in advance- still much cheaper if buying same day.

Yes if on a mega budget hire a car - no-brainer -how much did or does a Positano-Rome driver and car cost?

"An odyssey of 9 hours"? No. So long as ferries and trains are running on time, it can be done in easily less than half that time... A drive of 4 hours is realistic if there are no traffic delays, esp. on the coastal road leaving Positano. It can also take 5 hours.

100 euro a piece not bad! Full fare on trains and ferries would cost about as much and yes way more seamless.

The train/ferry combination is much cheaper than $100 per person, can be quicker and is MUCH more scenic than the boring drive.

The train/ferry combination is much cheaper than $100 per person, can be quicker and is MUCH more scenic than the boring drive.>

Yes I was remiss in saying that - Salerno-Rome high-speed trains take a tad under 2 hours - ferry to Salerno may be faster than oft clogged roads (last year friends got off train in Salerno to find that buses could not go straight thru to Amalfi because of some mudslide!) - but for folks who do not want to hassle with changing in Salerno and arriving in Rome Termini rather than their hotels (which should be taken into account in overall travel times) the car transfer may be best - and yes you can book trains for as little as 9 euros sometimes.

>>>With the train you have to reach Salerno, after Napoli and there take the train to Rome... an odissey of 9 hours<<<

If early September, the Marozzi bus may still be running from Positano to Rome. It takes about 5 hours. Most of the year it operates between Sorrento and Rome, but for a few months in summer it also goes to Positano. Otherwise, ferry to Salerno and train to Rome (you can book a train where you don't have to change in Naples).

>>>With the train you have to reach Salerno, after Napoli and there take the train to Rome... an odissey of 9 hours<<<

Maybe if taking slow regional trains but where the heck does nine hours come from?

You take a ferry from Salerno to Positano and it takes an hour. The train from Rome to Salerno takes just over 2 hours. So nowhere near 5 hours.

Maybe say 9 hours odissey it's exaggerated but is not so far from the reality>

Keep digging that hole a little deeper. No where near 9 hours as per ekc's post.

Only thing far from reality is 9 hours.