Quick Pompeii + Amalfi Coast How does this sound?
 

I've been agonizing over how to best fill up two available days, starting and ending in Rome. Please let me know if this is doable. I'm trying to keep the stress level low but at the same time get a taste of both places. Day 1: Take the 0745 train to Salerno.Arrive 1015. Take the bus or ferry to Positano or Sorrento. Spend the night.
Day 2: Take the train to Pompeii. Spend as long as we like, then return to Rome via Naples.

Quetions: How do you actually get the bus or ferry from Salerno to Positano and/or Sorrento? Some of those posts about overcrowded buses were pretty scary.
For one night, which is a better (i.e., more atmospheric) place to spend the night? I could use some hotel recommendations in either place. Looking for view, charm.
Thanks all!

I'm sure you will get a lot of opinions on this. One thought is to take the train to Naples. Either change to the circumvesuvius or better yet take a taxi to Molo Beverello and an aliscafo to Sorrento. Get a hotel there and take a bus over to the Amalfi Coast for the rest of the day and evening. Then from Sorrento the next day take the train to Pompeii and from Pompeii to Naples then Rome. It sounds like a lot, but it isn't. It's very doable.

Hi Marmot,

Since your destination is Sorrento, why not go Rome to Naples to Pompeii to Sorrento on day 1? On day 2 you can take the bus to Amalfi and the ferry back to Sorrento, then return to Rome at leisure.

There is an 07:45 ES* to Naples (Arr 09:40) which will allow you time to visit the Archaeological Museum before going on to Pompeii.

I would train into Naples, also. We found that Sorrento was charming. I would make that my base.
One or two hours in Positano was enough for me.

Thanks, okay Day 1 Rome-Naples-Sorrento, do Pompeii. Day 2 tour Amalfi coast.
Any suggestions about where to stay in Sorrento?
About the bus/ferry between Sorrento and Amalfi: Is there just one bus? Is it hard to get seats on the right? Should we stop to see Positano on the way or on the return by ferry?

Two years ago we did exactly what you are planning as we had a apartment rental in Rome and wanted to take a short trip to Amalfi. Train to Naples in am. Hired a car and driver to pick us up at the Naples train station. Drive to Pompeii where we toured the ruins with our prearranged guide. Driver than dropped us off at our hotel in Sorrento.
We picked Sorrento as the time of year was November and we thought the rest of the coast might be too quiet. The next day our driver picked us up and we toured the Amalfi coast for the day with lunch in Ravello. Dropped us off at the Naples train station in the early evening for train ride back to Rome. It was actually a pretty stress free and enjoyable trip. Plan on spending a week down there sometime in the next few years.

I'm still tweaking this. The two days I have earmarked are Sunday/Monday. From what I've read neither Pompeii nor Amalfi coast is advisable for Sunday, especially Sunday afternoon in August. Which would you say is the least objectionable? Can I stay in the environs of Positano/Sorrento and get a good enough taste of the Amalfi Coast or do I need to go to Amalfi itself? What are the hours for Pompeii?
Anyone have a don't miss list for Pompeii?

One more question, then I promise I'm going to quit obsessing: Why not start or end at Salerno? Most advice seems to be to make the round trip to Naples. It seems to me that going through Salerno one way would add variety, but it doesn't get mentioned much in the various posts on this area.

I've just returned from a holiday that included a 2 1/2 hour train from Rome to Salerno, 1/2 hour wait for the bus to Amalfi, which cost us 2.80 euros for the 70 minute most incredible, scary, hilarious, breath-holding amazing bus-ride of your life! We then waited another half hour for the bus to Positano - 45 minutes to go 5 klms!( Now I know why the Italians are such fantastic racing drivers with nerves of steel!) VERRRRRY curvy roads where it appears the buses have right-of-way over everything, and blow their horn before each blind corner (read EVERY corner), cars, etc have to back up to let the buses through! (that means all the traffic BEHIND the cars has to back up too). On a Sunday when I took the bus from Positano to Sorrento( 1/2 hour), then train to Pompeii (1/2 hour), the cyclists that come out for their Sunday rides have the next right-of-way! We were there from 22-26 May and there was a reasonable amount of traffic then, but I would hate to be there in July/August when the traffic apparently is bumper to bumper and barely moves! The ferries are a great way to travel, but if it is at all rough they don't move, and they have a very limited time schedule eg left Positano at 10 am for Sorrento and Capri, and return by about 5pm.

I stayed in Positano which was quite a big village/town, (Sorrento is the biggest town), and only saw Amalfi for an hour but it seemed a smaller version of Positano, with less on offer. Positano has 2 large beaches too, plenty of shops, cafes, church etc and very pretty.

Pompeii on a Sunday seems like any other day - guided tours etc (don't get the audio guide which I did and regretted) very hot and dusty! I think a 1/2 day guided tour would be enough.

I'd do Rome-Naples train, train to Sorrento via Pompeii, stay the night there, ferry to Positano return ferry to Naples. Bus if you must - it's an experience with great views - you just get on and sit where you can.

I did the audio tour of Pompeii, and while I thought it was good, I'd definitely recommend a guided tour, especially with an archaeologist if possible. I was there for six hours and it wasn't enough; however, it does depend on your interest in Roman history.