My husband and I will be in Rome for six days in February-March and we are considering a day trip to Pompeii.

Any suggestions? train? We're okay with a Tour Bus? How long is the trip?

Thanks in advance!

I suggest trying to do it on your own via train from Rome to Naples and then the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii Scavi. Many of the organized bus tours from Rome spend a lot of time taking you to a cameo factory and mediocre restaurants.

Author: Walter
Date: 04/12/1999, 05:28 pm
Message: My 1st trip to Pompeii was on a bus tour which I hated, but I'll try to positive. I booked it at the American Express Office in Rome. You had to meet at a central location ~7-8am, but they do drop you off at your hotel that night ~9-10. The bus had no bathroom and 1 front tire was *really* worn down (i'm a truckdriver). 1st stop was at a hi-way service plaza (15min). 2nd stop a Cameo factory. Then a drive *thru* Naples to let off people taking the ferry to Capri. Lunch at the tourist restaurant outside of Pompeii's gate. A 2hr (partial) guided tour of Pompeii. Back on the bus and a drive thru Sorrento and up the *mountainside* (it's raining now, bald tire flashbacks to a furniture factory. Back on the bus with 1 rest stop (15min) on the way back to Rome. BTW the bus driver and tour guide get kickbacks from the factory stores. Well so much for trying to be positive Regards, Walter

Koshka, just type in Pompeii in the text search box and you'll come up with questions similar to yours. Some people just take the train, others the tour route, and you'll see both sides of the coin by reading the past posts (most are pretty recent, too). Nearly everyone agrees, however, that Pompeii is a sight to see, no matter how you get there!

Koshka, I don't know how much you want to spend to do this tour, but my husband and our 2 young teenagers (at the time) did a private day trip with a tour company a year and a half ago (in March...great time to go!). I can't recommend them highly enough. They were great. As I recall, the day for the 4 of us was $3-400. This was an all day trip and included a private guide through the ruins and a tour of the Amalfi coast with a stop in Positano. It was a day to remember and one my kids still talk about. The tour company has a website that you could check out if you're interested, www.driverinrome.com

It is a family that offers driving services and private tours, and they speak perfect English and are just good, honest people. If you use them, say hi to Remo for me! Enjoy, whomever you go with!!

BTW, I have taken the train route suggested in a previous post, and frankly I would not recommend it. The Naples train station can be a nightmare.

Koshka, I just got on their website and their prices have gone up some since we went. I also forgot that we did indeed have to pay extra for the private guided tour, but it was worth every penny. I hope, if you use them, that Gino is still during the tour. He was great, a college professor from Naples, and incredibly knowledgeable. He gave us tidbits of history we never would have known about otherwise.

Hi

Many people have recommended www.enjoyrome.com.

They take you, give you aboout 2 hr to see Pompeii and they bring you back.

Tour guides are available at Pompeii as are audiotour rentals.

Thanks to all who replied.

Rent a car and go yourself. The drive is very nice and takes about 2 1/2 hours. When you get to Pompeii, rent the audio guide and walk around on your own.

Koshka, the first time I went to Pompeii was driving from Rome, rented car. We got seriously lost! And this was all adults, good navigators and map-readers. Maybe we were just tired dunces that day, but I personally would not advise driving from Rome. It is decidedly tricky.

That's strange - it's just a straight shot on the autostrada. Yes, we got lost leaving Rome, but in getting lost, we found a very nice town.

It is very expensive to rent a car just for one day and Rome and the Naples area are two places I would never recommend driving in. The train is relatively inexpensive and I don't see why anyone would think the Naples train station would be a "nightmare". I've been through there many times and it is certainly not nightmarish. Just look for the signs for Circumvesuviana/Pompeii and you'll be fine, especially since you won't be dealing with any luggage on this daytrip.