Naples Ferry Help Please
 

GAC, I hope you are out there. I don't know what we'd all do without your sage perspective! All others, your advice greatly appreciated too!<BR><BR>Delimma du jour: My husband is flying into Naples and I will be taking the train from Rome to Naples. We need to meet to take the SNAV ferry to the Aeolian Islands. Here are my questions:<BR>1. Should my husband just take a cab from the airport to the ferry port? Any idea of the distance (time) and cost?<BR><BR>2. I'm thinking I should just meet him at the ferry port. Would you agree?<BR><BR>3. Any idea what port SNAV leaves from? Their site doesn't say :-(<BR><BR>Finally: Any idea of the closest car rental to the Naples port where Siremar comes in(for when we return)?

When you say that you need to take the SNAV ferry to the Aeolian Islands, I assume you mean the SNAV HYDROFOIL which leaves from the Mergellina boat docks near the Mergellina train station, and NOT the SIREMAR overnight car ferry, which leaves from the Stazione Marittima near Piazza Municipio. Now to your questions:<BR><BR>1. I would recommend that your husband take a taxi from the Naples airport to the SNAV boat dock at Mergellina. If the city program is still in place, he could purchase a taxi voucher from the welcome desk at the airport, which assures him a FIXED PRICE for the trip. This protects against a cab driver running up the meter by taking the "scenic route" to destination. The trip should cost around 20-25 Euros, and take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic. If he wants to take public transportation, this is how to do it: take either the city bus or the airporter bus from the airport to the Central Train Station. Connect to the underground "Metropolitana" train direct to the Mergellina Train Station. Walk 500 yards to the hydrofoil dock. I don't recommend this, unless he has little luggage, has the necessary time, and loves to be in crowds.<BR><BR>2. I concur.<BR><BR>3. SNAV hydrofoils to Aeolian Islands leave from the Mergellina docks. I suggest you take Dramamine with you if the sailing gets rough. Four hours to Stromboli in rough seas can seem to take forever.<BR><BR>4. I don't know about the closest car rental. If I happen to find out, I'll post. (I took a taxi at 7:05 a.m. from the SIREMAR dock (arriving from Lipari) to the Central Train Station. I paid 15 Euros (rip-off) and it took about 7 minutes, enabling me to take the 7:30 a.m. Eurostar northbound).

I'm glad this got some answers. I also tried researching this for you. Perhaps there is more than one SNAV. All I could find was one that operates a service Naples to Palermo.<BR>

GAC, <BR>Again, you're a lifesaver.

Tom, thanks to you too!