Positano and Pompeii
 

I am sure this question has been answered multiple times, but I can't find it. We plan on spending 5 nights in Positano and 3 nights in Capri. We are going to use Positano as a base to explore the AC. A friend yesterday told me that it is really difficult to get from Positano to Pompeii in the summer because the roads are jammed and that we should stay in Sorrento for one of the nights.

Thoughts? What are the options between Pompeii and Positano? How much does a driver cost?

Hi Jag,

In the summer your best bet would probably be a boat to Sorrento and then the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii (train portion about 1 hr). A private driver will still be stuck in traffic...

Advance reservations would still be needed for the boat! Your hotel would be able to make them for you and recommend how far in advance. In Sept, for me to go Positano-Capri, advance res was just 1 day.

The train from Sorrento to Pompeii is only about 1/2 hour - and the stop is near the entrance. Very convenient.

We did this trip from Postitano to Pompeii in the summer. We took the SITA bus to Sorrento and the Train from Sorrento to Pompeii. It was not a terribly long trip - or particularly hard.

We left very early in the am. (caught the bus at 7am i think) and had no traffic issues --I did not think the roads were "jammed" at all. . We did however have a problem on the bus. On the AC they sell tickets for the bus at tobacco shops. When we got up there were no shops open to buy tickets. So we just got on the bus. It was the only time on our trip that we saw a ticket collector - and he fined us 50E per person!

Hi J,

Yours is ne of the few times that a friend's advice has been correct.

You can take ferries from both Positano and Capri to Sorrento.

Your hotel will give you the schedules.

The Circumvesuviana train drops you at Pompei Scavi.

((I))

Thanks for the speedy responses. So, it sounds like no one is suggesting that we change the hotel plan to spend the night in Sorrento. I'll check how far in advance to buy the ferry tickets. Sounds like the boat terminal must be near the train station and that there is no need to get the train tickets in advance?

Jag,

The Sorrento train station is up the hill from the port where ferries, etc. come in. There is a public bus you can take, or taxis. It's an uphill walk, can't say exactly how far. I took the bus since I was going to be walking around Pompeii all day!

So, between the ferry, bus, train, transfers etc., how long would you say the total trip takes between Positano and Pompeii?

If we left early and took the bus from Positano, does it go to the train station in Sorrento?

Hi J,

>If we left early and took the bus from Positano, does it go to the train station in Sorrento?<

Yes.

Depending where you are in Positano, you might need to take the ORANGE bus to the top of the town to get the SITA bus to Sorrento.

Ask at your hotel.

((I))

Hi Jag - It's much simpler than that. No need to go to Sorrento ...

From Positano take the SITA Sorrento bus to META (- 25 mins). This is the nearest stop on the Circumvesuviana (- the bus stops at Meta station).

From META it's another 25 mins on the train to Pompeii Scavi.

This is the quickest option on the outward journey.


For the return journey, however, it is advisable to return to Sorrento rather than Meta as the bus starts from Sorrento station.

Always get bus tickets in advance - and validate on boarding

Hope this helps ...

Steve

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