I have a 2 week trip to Italy coming up, divided between Rome and Sicily. We'll be taking an overnight ferry from Naples to Palermo. On the way, we would like to see Pompeii, so we are planning to take an early train from Rome to Pompeii (switching at Naples), then see Pompeii, then head to the Stazione Marittima.

Two questions:

1) how much time does it take to see Pompeii
2) what is the best way to get from Pompeii to the port? I'm assuming we'll have to take a train back to Naples, but I can't figure out how far the ferry is from the train station . . .

Thanks

Liz - I would allow at least 3/4 hours for Pompeii.

(It's actually possible to spend all day there and still not see everything - it depends on your level of interest ... )


< what is the best way to get from Pompeii to the port? >

Yes - take the train back to Napoli Centrale (Piazza Garibaldi).

From there it's a 10 mins. bus ride to Stazione Marittima.
[Catch bus No 3S from the other side of Piazza Garibaldi (- bus stop near Garibaldi monument].

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Another option is to go to the terminus of the Circumvesuviana train from Pompei (the station after the one for Napoli Centrale), then catch a no.1 tram from the other side of the road outside the station. For all buses and trams in Napoli, you must have a ticket before boarding, but the ticket from Pompei should include city transport.

Will you have luggage, Liz?

Yes, we will have our luggage- but our "luggage" is one backpack each.

Thanks for the help!

Liz - If you want to leave luggage in Naples, there is a left luggage facility at Napoli centrale station.

Alternatively you can leave luggage at the entrance to Pompeii while you visit ...

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Thanks everyone. We actually just had a change of plans, and I'm wondering if it is "do-able".

Originally we had planned on going Rome-Naples/Pompeii-Sicily, taking the train to Naples and the ferry to Palermo. Now it turns out that some friends living in Naples would like to go to Pompeii with us so we can visit, but they are only available the FIRST week of our journey (while we are in Rome).

An alternative we are considering to accomodate this is to make Pompeii a day trip (by train) during our week in Rome, to allow us to meet up with my friends. We would then fly from Rome to Palermo rather than taking the ferry from Naples. The costs end up being very similar (actually, the air fare is about 10 euros less than booking a cabin on an overnight ferry).

My concern is that Pompeii might make a very exhausting day trip from Rome- when I lived in Rome my school took a fieldtrip there, and we left at 7 in the morning and weren't back until late into the evening . . .and we weren't even navigating trains!

Hi liz,

It's a long day, but many folks have done it.

It's under 2 hr from Rome to Naples on the ES*. Your friends could meet you at the station and go on to Pompeii with you.

See www.trenitalia.com for schedules.