Naples Artecard Purchase Question

Old May 7th, 2012, 12:08 PM
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Naples Artecard Purchase Question

We will be in Sorrento for almost 4 days the end of May, traveling from Rome by train via Naples and the Circumvesviana. Since we will be seeing Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the Archeological Museum in Naples, the 3 day Artecard with transit and admissions seems to be very useful. The Archeology and Gulf variant may be the most economical.

I would like to buy the cards when we transfer from Trenitalia to the Circumvesuviana in Naples. Where do they sell the Artecard in the Naples Central railway station exactly? Does anyone know which part of the station and how to find it? I know that the Circumvesuviana station is attached to Naple Central, but we have never been there, so anything reasonably precise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

AJ
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Old May 7th, 2012, 09:25 PM
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There is a store in the Naples train station that sells them. I seem to recall it was on the way towards the Circumvesuviana. I do remember walking down one of the hallways (before you go downstairs to the Circumvesuviana) and it was on the left side. I think they wanted cash too. The ArteCard website only says info point, but it was like a in a line of shops and looked like any other store.
>>InfoPoint Central Station, open: 9 - 18 / every day >>The Archeology and Gulf variant may be the most economical.
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Old May 8th, 2012, 03:14 AM
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You'll find a report of the sales point's new location - and its swap back from a stand to a shop - from someone who bought theirs there only a few weeks ago on:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop...-Campania.html

.................

Whilst the transport side of that particular card isn't described very clearly, if you look at the transport people's own site...

http://www.unicocampania.it/index.ph...ction=artecard

... you'll find, "and only the ticket valid for the entire Region allows you to use the public transport system in the Costiera" - with that being their name for all of the Sorrento peninsula!

Although it does provide fewer free admissions, you'll surely want the "3 day Tutta la Regione" version - rather than having to buy extra train and bus tickets?

Peter

PS: If worst comes to worst, there's a place where you can usually buy the card in Sorrento...

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop..._Campania.html
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Old May 8th, 2012, 05:48 AM
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I have a question about the types of cards. I have looked at the site, but not sure I understand it. We will be in Naples 4 days, one of which we will do a day trip to Paestum. Any recommendations on which of the cards is the best to buy? Other than needing transportation to Paestum, I doubt we need transportation options. Thanks!
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Old May 8th, 2012, 10:01 AM
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The Paestum site (entrance, including museum, €6) is in the comune of Capaccio, and by train or bus it costs €6.20 each way (or €9.90 for an all-day Sat or Sun ticket!)... so 16-18 Euro extra to pay if taking just the Naples version.

But won't you perhaps also want to use the city buses, trams, metro or funiculars at times?

Naples is surprisingly hilly - and it's a long slow drag to Castel Sant'Elmo, the Certosa, Vomero etc!

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/122939734

More here:
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/mainlynaples

Depends quite which of the museums etc that it covers you're going to, but there doesn't look to be much in it... although with the "Tutta la regione 3 day" at €27, you can do more or less anything!

Perhaps, now you've got the travel cost for Paestum, give their itinerary builder a go for your choice of places, and see what it comes up with?

Peter
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Old May 8th, 2012, 10:09 AM
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Thank you so much for the helpful info. I'm still confused--r there 2 cards I would need to buy,? or just the one for both museum entrance fees and transportation costs to & from Paestum. Yes, I am sure we would use it for other museums. We r big walkers, but who knows if we will use the trams, funiculars etc. Very helpful post, Peter!
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Old May 8th, 2012, 01:52 PM
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Clearly, the Naples region has decided that their discount tourist cards should actually give a discount, which hasn't been what I have found in other places. Thanks for the heads up on the Archeology and Gulf card transit glitch. I'll go with the 3 day Tutta la Regione version.

I didn't realize how hilly Naples is, but I guess I should have figured it out from the nature of the coast topography of the region.

This leads to a question: We'll be coming to Naples from Sorrento for a visit to the Archeology Museum (and also to have a Neopolitan pizza in Naples!). The inestimable Rick Steves recommends getting from the train station to the Museum by taking the subway one stop and then walking. On the flat map, it looks like that between the connection from the train to the subway and walking from the subway to the museum is about the same distance as just waliking station to museum. Are the streets of Naples so hilly or nasty/dangerous that the second option is undesirable?
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Old May 8th, 2012, 02:18 PM
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just want to bookmark this...I can't answer your question but I'm interested in hearing the replies.
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Old May 8th, 2012, 08:03 PM
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Hmmm. A better map shows a subway stop at the museum and makes the walk look quite a bit longer.
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Old May 9th, 2012, 02:54 AM
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yestravel... you've again not said quite which other museums etc you'd want to see, so I can't easily make the cost comparison - or the choice - for you?

If it were me, I'd get the 3day one already suggested, which comes with transport included:

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

... and pay the reduced entry price at 3rd and subsequents sites etc!

Peter
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Old May 9th, 2012, 03:21 AM
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AJP... the streetview facility in GoogleMaps will let you see the 'landscape', and perhaps the traffic?

There's nothing magical about that convenient interchange to the Museo station, but I suspect it's mostly suggested so innocents abroad don't get themselves lost along the way?

Not unlike those within London's underground stations, it didn't take us five minutes last time - and we've probably now spent longer than you would in walking it...

Peter
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Old May 9th, 2012, 04:55 AM
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@A_Brit_In_Ischia -- Thank you. I now understand that the transportation is included in the 3 day pass u mention above. Our trip is not until the Fall so I haven't really looked at exactly what we will want to c. I know we will go to Paestum for a day. At this point the ones that we will want to c are Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Madre & Museo di Capodimonte. Do u still recommend the 3 day pass? Your advice is appreciated.
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Old May 9th, 2012, 07:37 AM
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Almost certainly yes - the 3 day cards's two 'free' ones and then two places to pay for at the reduced rate should be cheaper than getting the city card and paying everything on the Paestum day.....

But how about you come back say a month before travelling and ask then? Not much point detailing fares and the prices of cards, sites and museums that may change during the intervening months!

Peter
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Old May 9th, 2012, 08:02 AM
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Museo tube station is worth using for its own sake.

There are a handful of tube stations in this world (apart of course from the entire Tashkent and Moscow systems) that are worthwhile sights: this is up there with anywhere in Athens.

You emerge from the platforms to the surface through a series of models and dioramas of Naples' archaeological history, as well as artefacts excavated during the line's construction. Given the stellar quality of the things displayed in the Museum itself, few of these excavated items merit inclusion with the stuff above. But in many ways, they tell you a lot more about how ordinary Neapolitans have lived over the years than the posh stuff Cardinals collected or arriviste Pompeian weekenders tried to impress their neighbours with.

Spend much time in Naples and you discover the city is stuffed with opportunities to get underground and see the three thousand years of subterranean history the modern centre's built on. You seem not to be allowing time for this (a HUGE mistake, in my view, given the spectacular tedium you're going to suffer trudging the miles of third-rate junk on display at the Museo di Capodimonte. Though there's a stunning English alabaster altarpiece). Museo tube station might well be your only opportunity to get exposed to what lies underneath everyday Neapolitan life.
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Old May 9th, 2012, 10:00 AM
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yestravel - Have you already been to Pompeii and Herculaneum?
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Old May 9th, 2012, 10:09 AM
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@kybourbon - yes, we have.

@A_Brit_In_Ischia - good idea!

@flanneruk - thanks for the info on the Mueso tube station. We'll be in Naples 4 days and then a another day on our return from Puglia. Hopefully we will have some time to discover a lot. If we love it, we will return. Don't like the Museo di Capodimonte much, huh? what do others think?
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Old May 10th, 2012, 02:58 AM
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Not sure that the Museo stop is necessarily the most interesting...

http://www.metro.na.it/metro/index.p...d=55&Itemid=71

Also on that site, there's this - which says it's only 300 yards on the interchange... I must have been too busy gawping?

http://www.metro.na.it/metro/index.p...d=51&Itemid=64

Wasn't very taken with Capodimonte either, although my wife and her friend enjoyed it - and the Caravaggio exhibit that was on there at the time. Days' worth of stuff, if you've the patience:

http://museodicapodimonte.campaniabe.../image-gallery

But if not sure how to spend your time whilst in the city, do try the very good bimonthly magazine - 'Qui Napoli'... a PDF version is available here:

http://www.inaples.it/public/quinapoli/quinapoli.pdf

Peter
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Old May 10th, 2012, 03:00 AM
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.... although, with the 3 day card, the world's pretty much your oyster:

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

Peter
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Old May 10th, 2012, 11:19 AM
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Doubt we will have any trouble filling our time. Thanks for the link-always nice to c what is gong on.

so two people not high on that museum. I think there is a Caravaggio there and that is what caught my attention. Like I said, we have another trip in a month, so haven't focused very much on Italy in the Fall. appreciate your thoughts.
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Old May 10th, 2012, 09:02 PM
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Theirs is not the only Caravaggio to be seen in Naples:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fla...8Caravaggio%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sev...8Caravaggio%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mar...8Caravaggio%29

For the third of those, his last significant work, try:
http://www.palazzozevallos.net/la_galleria.asp

Peter
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