Hi all,

We returned late last week from our trip which included a week in Sorrento. Trip report is in the works, but in the meantime I wanted to mention some observations about the Circumvesuviana commuter train that runs between Naples and Sorrento, stopping at Pompei and Herculaneum (and many other stops).

1. You used to be able to purchase the Campania Arte Card in a little booth right off the stairwell that leads down to the train tracks. Now, you must purchase the Arte Card at the booth right next door to the Circumvesuviana ticket booth. After missing the booth there, I had assumed that we'd be able to purchase the ArteCard at Pompei and Herculaneum. Incorrect assumption. Get the pass at the train station or risk not being able to get it anywhere else.

2. After buying the ticket for the Circumvesuviana, you will be herded through several stalls that validate your ticket. In other words, anyone (ticket or not) used to be able to get down to the tracks near the train. Now a person must have gone through the stalls and had a ticket scanned to have access to the train area.

3. We saw a noticeable police presence in the train station (compared to last visit in 2005). We saw several police on foot and even more on rather interesting elvated motorized scooter contraptions. Perhaps as a result, we did not see any of the hustling to "guide tourists to the Circumvesuviana" or "help with luggage" (all for fees, or course) that used to be so prevalent. In fact, the only persons in the train station appeared to be either travellers or police.

3. Every time we were on a Circumvesuviana train after 7pm, there were 2 armed policemen on the train. They escorted the train from the Naples station all the way to the Meta station, then they always disembarked. We never saw this in 2005 and we rode the train as late as 10pm several times on that trip.

4. Out of 11 rides, our tickets were checked one time. There was a couple near us that had not validated their ticket. They were fined 20€ each after talking the fine down with the Trenitalia official. Be sure to validate your ticket before getting on the train (yellow box-like machine). In a pinch, you can manually write in the time and date on the back. The tickets are dirt cheap considering how much you would pay for a private driver or taxi. A weekend daypass was 3€ per person and included the buses in the Sorrento area as well.


We never felt uncomfortable riding the Circumvesuviana before but we really appreciated the efforts that Naples is making to help ensure the safety of its tourists. We always chat with fellow travellers and didn't hear of a single incidence of pickpocketing on the train (we heard a couple pickpocketing stories in 2005, one of which occured on the train track platform in Naples).

Overall Note: it was always the most convenient and economical way of getting from Sorrento to Pompei to Herculaneum to Naples. Now it is an even more comfortable experience in that passengers don't have to be as "on guard" with their belongings as before.

Thanks for all the great update on CircumVesuviana

one Q
<They were fined 20€ each after talking the fine down with the Trenitalia official.>

Trenitalia official - i did not know they had anything to do with this line - not included on trenitalia data base i believe or have they taken over running of this line. thanks.

Hi Pal,

The gentleman checking tickets had on the same uniform that the officials on all the other trains in Italy wear, so I assumed it was a Trenitalia official. I don't recall checking to see if the uniform (blue shirt, green jacket) had the same logo as the Trenitalia logo however, so perhaps the gentleman wasn't a Trenitalia official but works for the Campania transportation service department instead.

anyway thanks for reassuring many of the safety of CircumVesuviana trains - several years ago i rode and drug addict types were actually shooting up in the back row of my carriage - not very comforting as these types often steal to support their habit.

We saw none of that, and also, we were thrilled to notice that everyone was actually adhering to the "no smoking" signs posted everywhere. The train was supposedly non-smoking in 2005 when we were last in the Campania region, but now it really is smoke-free.

That's great news. I've been hassled twice on the Circumvesuviana, both times by a gang of young kids. It was a bit intimidating. I had to show my ticket the very first time I road that train.

How did you enjoy Sorrento this year?

Hi Grasshopper!

We had a lovely week. We spent the previous 10 days with both our families exploring Bavaria and western Austria, then just DH and I headed down to Sorrento to celebrate our third wedding anniversary. We tried a new hotel (Hotel Villa Garden) and LOVED it. It's in Sant'Agnello, not Sorrento proper, but the walk into town was nice and we loved the serenity and peace and quiet.

Aggie thanks for the reassuring update. Would you mind letting us know about how long it takes to walk from Sant' Agnello to Sorrento itself....?

I will have to figure out a way to travel with luggage from Amalfi to Naples and it is good to have another option to consider.

Hello ek,

Hotel Villa Garden is 5 minutes from the bus stop (hotel sells tickets for 1&euro that takes you to Piazza Tasso. They provide you with a schedule upon check-in. I believe the stop was Piazetta Marabello (or something close to that). If you buy a daypass for the Circumvesuviana, it supposedly also gives you access to the buses. It is about an 8 - 10 minute bus ride from the pick-up spot to Piazza Tasso in central Sorrento. The buses do not run very late though... I believe the last bus from Sorrento back to Sant'Agnello departs Piazza Tasso around 10pm. It didn't show up one night, so the last bus would have been around 9:30pm.

Alternatively, the walk from the hotel doorstep to the center of Piazza Tasso is a 30 minute brisk walk (we walk fast since we're used to hiking in the Rockies every weekend). It is a 40 minute stroll. There are several 4-star and 5-star hotels along the way, lots of fellow tourists walking to/from Sant'Agnello (mostly English tourists we found), and it is well lit. A safe walk.

Lastly, the Circumvesuviana train stop is a 10-15 minute walk (you can make it in 10 if you walk really fast) from the hotel. Trains depart every half-hour (you can download the schedules online). The ride to Sorrento from Sant'Agnello is less than 5 minutes.

We chatted with a group of four tourists from Scotland who took a taxi from Piazza Tasso to the hotel around 10:30pm one evening. They were charged 20€.

Thanks for the new info on the Circumvesuvian. Last rode from Naples to Sorrento in 2005 and my husband had his wallet with all his credit cards, too many Euros and US dollars stolen.

Happened as we boarded the train. He was forewarned to not have his wallet in his pocket, but he didn't listen to DW.

Any how I vowed I would never go to Sorrento again because I didn't want to ride that train ever again. This latest update has changed my mind.

Hi Texas Aggie! I am in Dallas! We are heading on the Disney cruise next week to the Mediterranean. Do you know a site where I can get the train schedule? We will be in Naples going to Pompeii.
Kelkel

I'm in Dallas too. Go to www.trenitalia.com and put in your information and approx time you want to travel and it will give you a listing of a few (5 or 6) around that time.

Your post jogged my memory about the heavy police presence (complete with machine guns!) in Napoli Centrale! In May I had to wait there and for complicated reasons I had a very large sum of Euro with me temporarily; I was nervous until I saw all the police! I stood in the shadow of them until it was time to leave! I remember being in Naples years ago and being very spooked at the train station, this time things seemed more manageable.

Hi Sandi...
I went to the website...thanks. Unfortunately, I don't speak Italian. I figured out the date, time, etc. but is this for the circumvesuviana train or the eurostar?
Kelly

Kelkel, to get to the English page of Trenitalia, click on "Il tuo treno sta viaggiando" next to the map of Italy. Then look for the link to English.

Thanks for the update TexasAggie. I've never encountered any problems on the Circumvesuviana (nor in Naples train station), but it's nice to know there is more security. I'm assuming you bought the Arte Card that didn't include the train since you mentioned buying a separate train ticket? Did you think it wouldn't be a good value to buy the one that included trains?

Here is a link to the Arte Cards for anyone interested. It gets you admission to 2 sites and discounts after that. Also, depending on which card you buy, train transportation is included.
http://www.artecard.it/EN/Home.cfm

kelkel - You won't find the Circumvesuviana schedules on Trenitalia, but the English link for Trenitalia is -
http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html

The Circumvesuviana website is in Italian, but really all you need to know is it runs about every 30 minutes. It's a commuter-type train similar to subways. www.vesuviana.it

I found this Circumvesuviana schedule on an old post. I think it should still be accurate.
http://www.massalubrense.it/circum.htm

WOW! Fabulous schedule for train! Thanks so much!
Kelkel