kaleen1991

Hi,

I'm travelling from Taormina to Positano in August and wanting to do overnight travel, rather than fly.

Is there a train that goes from Taormina to Positano (or Naples if that's the closest I can get to Positano by train)? Then what's the best way to get to Positano?

Or is it better to catch the overnight ferry from Messina to Salerno? Then what's the best way to get to Positano?

Thanks so much!!

kja

You can get a lot of information on rome2rio.com, but be sure to follow up on the information you get there, as it doesn't always capture seasonal variation.

thursdaysd

The place to go for train schedules is bahn.de.

There is a night train. For info on trains and tickets the best site is seat61.com. For Italian night trains see:

http://seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm#I...ernight_trains

However, having taken the day train in the other direction I would have some reservations about the night train and would be inclined to take the ferry. The night train only stops at Salerno and Naples. (There are no rail lines to Positano.)

From Salerno there should be a ferry or a bus. From Naples you would take the commuter train to Sorrento and then a bus or a ferry.

kybourbon

>>>Or is it better to catch the overnight ferry from Messina to Salerno? Then what's the best way to get to Positano?<<<

From Salerno you would catch the Sita bus which goes to Amalfi where you change to the bus to Positano. This would be faster than going to Naples, catching the train to Sorrento and then catching the bus from Sorrento to Positano.

neckervd

Taormina dp 23.33 - Naples ar 7.18. A 2 bed compartment costs 171 EUR for 2 pax.
Local transport:
Naples dp 8.13 - Sorrento ar 9.03, dp 9.15 - Positano ar 10.15

The Messina - Salerno ferry leaves Messina daily around 2am (!); arrival at Salerno at noon. Arrival at Positano at 15.10 (by bus).
The Catania - Naples ferry leaves Catania daily between 20.30 and 23.30 and arrives at Naples 12 hrs later. The arrival at Positano would be in the afternoon.

ekc

You can easily catch a ferry from Salerno to Positano.

PalenQ

I've taken an overnight train from Taormina to Naples (well I went to Milan via Naples) - you may want to book early as I found once there all couchettes were sold out for days and I have to pay much more for a place in a triple - which turned out to be a good deal and much better than a couchette.

For lots on overnight trains and Italian trains in general yes www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. www.trenitalia.com to book your own tickets.

I think getting off at Salerno and taking ferry or bus is more scenic than going up to Naples then back down by train and bus or ferry.

kja

The ferry from Catania to Naples offers some stunning scenery, or at least it should when you are going -- views of the Aeolians as the sun sets; Stromboli just after sunset; the Fariglionis at dawn; the glorious views of the coast and Vesuvius and then Naples itself.

neckervd

"The ferry from Catania to Naples offers some stunning scenery, or at least it should when you are going -- views of the Aeolians as the sun sets; Stromboli just after sunset;"

May be in June, but not in August:
The Catania - Naples ferry leaves Catania daily between 20.30 and 23.30

neckervd

"I think getting off at Salerno and taking ferry or bus is more scenic than going up to Naples then back down by train and bus or ferry."
If you go up to Naples (ar 7.18), you can sleep 40 min more. And if the train arrives at Salerno only a few minutes late you will have no bus until 8.30 (arrival at Positano at 10.20). The first Positano bound ferry leaves Salerno at 8.40.

Conclusion: either you sleep 20 min longer or you have some breakfast at Salerno (during 90 min) instead of Naples railway station (40 min). Both solutions are possible. It depends on the preferences of the OP.

kja

@ neckervd: Thanks for checking the ferry schedules and noting that my description would not apply in August.