Rome to Positano: the FAST Way

Old Aug 10th, 2004, 12:48 PM
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GAC
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Rome to Positano: the FAST Way

Question: What's the FASTEST way to get from Rome to Positano, by public transportation?

Answer: combination train/ferry, as follows:

1. Eurostar Italia train from Rome Termini Station to Salerno. DIRECT departures at 6:45, 7:45, 9:45, 11:45, 13:45. Travel time 2 hrs. 31 mins. Fare (reserved second class) Euro 25.31 There is NO TRAIN CHANGE in Naples on these particular trains (other departure times require a change)

2. Tra.Vel.Mar. ferry boat from Salerno Piazza della Concordia dock to Positano. Departures at 8:40, 9:40, 10:40, 11:40, 14:10, 15:30 and 17:15. Fewer departures in winter. Travel time 1 hr. (the boat stops briefly in Amalfi). Fare Euro 6.00. Ferry subject to cancellation in bad weather.

3. You can walk from the Salerno train station to the Concordia dock in about 5 minutes. It's strictly flat. There is a ticket booth at the dock.

4. If you take the Eurostar train at 6:45 or 7:45, you'll arrive in Positano 4 hours later.

P.S. The SITA bus from Salerno to Positano takes over two hours and requires a change in Amalfi, so the ferry is much faster.

The hydrofoil service to Positano from Naples is less frequent, and the Molo Beverello dock is not handy to the train station in Naples (need to take a taxi or a local bus). Connecting in Salerno is more convenient, and affords more schedules.

www.trenitalia.com
www.salernocity.com (ferry schedules)
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Old Aug 10th, 2004, 12:58 PM
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Great info. However, last summer (June 2003), my husband and I drove to Salerno, turned in our car, and walked to the dock to catch the ferry. The 15:30 was the last one of the day and it had just left! We ended up having to hire a private boat to take us to Positano ($100E!). We could have taken the bus, but due to a propensity to get car sick, plus the fact that we were lugging several suitcases, we opted for the boat. The bright side: it was a wonderful way to arrive into Positano!

I'd recommend getting to Salerno as soon as possible just in case.

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Old Aug 12th, 2004, 09:17 PM
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I appreciate this info.

I am arriving at the Naples airport at 12:10pm, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to get to Positano from Naples. It looks like the hydrofoil from Naples Beverello is a good choice at only 8euros per person (compared to 90-100 euros for a taxi or private driver), but I'm not sure how to get from the Naples airport to the port, and I'm not sure how much time I should allow for that. The hydrofoil leaves Beverello at 1:45pm.

The hotel in Positano recommends hiring a driver from the Naples airport, but we're trying to save some $ to splurge on a nice dinner with the money we save by taking the hydrofoil instead.

I've never been to the Amalfi coast, so all input on transportation is welcome!
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Old Aug 13th, 2004, 06:18 AM
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ASSUMING that your flight arrives on time in Naples, and you don't lose time reclaiming checked luggage, you should be able to make the hydrofoil from Molo Beverello to Positano. You can take a taxi to Beverello for about 20-25 Euros, or the public bus (if it leaves promptly). Travel time by taxi or bus is about 30 minutes.

If your flight arrives too late to catch the hydrofoil, there is an airporter bus at 13:00 and at 14:30 which goes straight to Sorrento for 6 Euros (1 hr. travel time), from where you can catch the regular SITA blue bus to Positano (40 mins. drive; in summer at 14:05, 15:25, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00 ..........)

Airporter bus is operated by Curreri.
Complete schedules at www.curreriviaggi.it

SITA bus schedules:
www.sita-on-line.it

Bear in mind that the hydrofoil could be cancelled in bad weather. So, if seas are rough the day you arrive, you might just skip the hydrofoil and take the bus instead. The combination two buses will cost about the same as the hydrofoil, but you will save the cost of the taxi to Molo Beverello. So the bus option is cheaper.
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Old Aug 13th, 2004, 06:29 AM
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Here's one vote for the SITA buses.

From my experience, you would be more likely to get motion sickness on a small ferry than the SITA buses. Make sure that there isn't any weather in the area before getting on those boats. If it's rough enough, they'll cancel.

Changing and waiting for buses while pausing in Amalfi is pleasant, and the views from the expertly-driven buses, which move quite deliberately up the coastal road, are wonderful.
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Old Aug 14th, 2004, 01:45 AM
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Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. We keep going back and forth about whether we should suck it up and pay for the driver, but it sounds like we can manage via bus or boat or combination of the two. The key will be if we can pack light enough to manage our luggage well by ourselves (we're two women, but we're pretty light packers, usually).

I will have all this info with me on the various methods of transportation with me so we will have several back up plans in case things don't go according to plan.

The Amalfi coast (and Positano in particular) must really be spectacular for everyone to go through all this trouble to get there! I hope nobody is disappointed when they finally get to their destination.
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Old Aug 14th, 2004, 05:57 AM
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>The Amalfi coast (and Positano in particular) must really be spectacular for everyone to go through all this trouble to get there!<

Yes, it is.
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Old Sep 20th, 2004, 11:51 AM
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CLARIFICATION TO MY ORIGINAL POSTING:

The train departing Rome Termini at 11:45 (arriving in Salerno at 14:16) is actually a "restyled" Intercity (IC) train, NOT a Eurostar Italia, although many people won't notice much difference from the Eurostar.

Travel time to Salerno is identical to the Eurostar (2 hrs. 31 mins.), as is the one brief stop in Naples, and nowhere else.

The train's interior looks like the Eurostar (no separate compartments), the train has a/c, and there is a self-service restaurant car. The fare is less, however (19.32 Euros versus 25.31 in second class), and seat reservations are optional (not mandatory, as on the Eurostar Italia).

Because this train -- the "Archimede" --ORIGINATES at Roma Termini, there is usually no need to reserve a seat, except perhaps during busy weekends during the high summer. The train goes all the way to Sicily, and starts to fill up at Naples or Salerno.

So, if you happen to take this train and might be confused as to whether it's a Eurostar, I've clarified the matter.

Because it departs at 11:45, it is a very likely train to catch for those coming directly from the Fiumicino Airport and headed to Salerno and the Amalfi Coast (or even further south). It's a good train, don't feel the need to avoid it simply because it's not a Eurostar.

Arriving on this train in Salerno, the connecting ferry boat to Amalfi/Positano leaves at 15:30 from the Concordia dock, and the connecting SITA bus to Amalfi leaves from the train station at 14:30 (Monday through Saturday).

NOTE that the 15:30 ferry is the last of the day from Concordia dock, as the seasonal 17:15 ferry was dropped as of September 1st. By contrast, SITA bus departures (to Amalfi) continue roughly hourly until 22:30.
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Old Apr 5th, 2005, 12:56 PM
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As of March 2005, the ferry schedule from Salerno/Concordia Dock to Amalfi/Positano is:

8:40, 9:40, 11:40, 14:10, 15:30

Travel time is 30 mins. to Amalfi (4 Euros); 60 mins. to Positano (6 Euros).

The SITA bus fare is 1.80 Euros to Amalfi (75 mins.) and an additional 1.30 Euros to Positano (40 mins. from Amalfi). The SITA bus departs from directly outside the Salerno train station. Buy tickets at the newsstand inside the station.

The ferry boats can be cancelled due to poor weather, but the SITA buses are rarely cancelled.

It takes approx. 6 mins. to WALK from the Salerno train station to the Concordia Dock.
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Old Jul 8th, 2005, 04:16 AM
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just wanted to check if this info is still up to date. Going in Sept 05
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Old Jul 8th, 2005, 04:34 AM
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For anyone still wondering about travelling between Naples & Positano : we were there last week & there was no boat/hydrofoil.

Our original plan had been to follow GAC's previous good advice & get the Curreri bus from Naples airport to Sorrento then the SITA bus to Positano. However, since our flight changed to several hours later & this wouldn't have got us to our final destination (outside Positano) until quite late (and probably too late for dinner !) we decided it would be worth getting a limo there - but still intended to get public transport back.

However, I realised on arrival in Positano that I'd forgotten quite what the centre is like - and that to transfer between the square where taxis/limos drop you and the jetty (where we were getting on a boat to our final destination) involved about a 10 minute walk & quite a few steps, downhill. (Although porters are available - I think it was €4 per bag.) Even worse, were we to get the SITA bus back, we would have had to do the 10 minute walk & steps uphill, *then* get the little local bus to the SITA bus stop. So an uphill walk & 3 buses. Didn't appeal, so enquired about the boat/hydrofoil - which no longer runs (or wasn't running last week, anyway.) So we ended up paying for a taxi back too
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Old Jul 8th, 2005, 05:09 AM
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To whom it might concern ...

The current Salerno-Positano ferry timetable is:

07.40* - 08.30* - 08.40 - 09.40 - 10.40 - 11.40 - 14.10 - 15.30 - 17.15 - 18.30**

Departures are from Piazza della Concordia jetty - EXCEPT*

* From/to Molo Manfredi dock
** Only Saturdays & Sundays

Timtables change later in the season - check before you go.
Up-to-date timetables can be found on this link:

http://www.salernocity.com/comune/tr...i/costiera.asp

.....

Caroline - The recent work on the Positano dock is now finished - and the hydrofoil service between Naples and Positano was re-started earlier this week.

There are 2 DIRECT services daily, leaving Napoli Beverello at 08.45 and at 13.40.

Journey time: 65 mins.
Fare: € 9

Here's the link:

http://www.metrodelmare.com/inglese/l-mm2_b.html

Steve
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Old Jul 8th, 2005, 05:44 AM
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Hi Steve - thanks for the info. How annoying !! We only left on Saturday. We could see the dock with the Metro del Mare signs but there were no timetables or notices explaining what was happening. Since we were arriving in Positano by boat, leaving that way would have been a lot easier.
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Old Jul 8th, 2005, 06:19 AM
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For Cheryllj

We did something that was unusual for us last year in arranging for a taxi/limo to meet us at the Naples airport for a transfer to Positano. We were so glad we did when our flight out of Paris was cancelled and we were delayed for 9 hours. I called the driver's cell from Paris and he was there when we arrived much later that night. What a relief. I don't think by that time either of us could have negotiated the train/bus system. We ordinarily use public transport but in this case, the 100euro cost was the best money we spent. We made up for it by taking a bus back to Rome from Sorrento. It was convenient, easy, and cheap. Enjoy the Amalfi Coast - it's well worth the difficulties in getting there.
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Old Jul 8th, 2005, 06:32 AM
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Thanks for all this helpful information -- I'm saving it for our next visit! ;-)

Last trip, we took trains and the SITA bus to get from Rome to Positano, and the hydrofoil back to Naples then taxi/train to Firenze. The Salerno route is a great option, but we didn't even think of it.
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Old Jul 8th, 2005, 08:58 AM
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Thanks everyone, you guys save me a days work of research!! BUT can you PLEASE help me with the journey back: Positano to (FCO)Rome via either Salerno or Naples. We leave on a Saturday in Sept. Our flight out of Rome is 3pm.

Also, do you think i should take the Marozzi bus from Rome to Positano? It is so much cheaper (~20 euros/person) and seems like the same amount of time 3-4 hours.
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Old Jul 9th, 2005, 01:25 AM
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Tccgirl - The Salerno route is NOT an option for you. (The first ferry out of Positano is at 10.00 - too late for you).

.....

You will have to go via Naples:

- The budget option to Naples is bus from Positano to META (- the nearest Circumvesuviana station), then train to Napoli Centrale.

- The alternative is taxi/limo from Positano to Napoli Centrale. The going rate is about € 85-100.

The 09.30 train from Napoli Centrale would get you to FCO at 12.23. For other train times go to:
www.trenitalia.com

.....

The Marozzi bus takes nearer 5 hours Rome-Positano.
It leaves from Roma TIBURTINA at 07.00 a.m

The choice is yours ...

Hope this helps ...

Steve
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Old Jul 18th, 2005, 12:54 PM
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Steve James: I just read your current timetable of Salerno-Positano ferry,dated 7/8/05. Do you know if it'll be running at the end of Sept? Is it still considered "Summer" at that time? We're landing in Rome 8:30am 9/27 then heading straight down to Naples via train to spend just one night so we can do Mt.V & Herculaneum on 9/28 morning. Then we leave that day for Positano and want to negotiate a ferry ride somehow. Our hotel suggests ferry from Naples to Sorrento then have their pri. driver bring us to hotel from there-cuz of unreliable boat service. What do you think will be doable for us? My head is spinning...$$ really isn't a concern. Just lugging around our luggage is! Thx a lot!
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Old Jul 19th, 2005, 03:11 AM
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Katerbug - You have a number of options from Naples:

- The quickest by sea is the Metro del Mare hydrofoil service - which runs twice daily to Positano.
Departures from Napoli Beverello are at:

08.45 and
13.40

Journey time: 1 hr.
Fare: € 9.
Here's the link:

http://www.metrodelmare.com/l-mm2_b.html

This would be your cheapest option by sea and would be my choice.
[You can arrange a porter service if necessary to take your luggage from the dock in Positano up to your hotel].


- The Naples-Sorrento ferry/hydrofoil option suggested by your hotel is rather more expensive (- the cost of a limo/taxi transfer Sorrento-Positano is at least € 50.00) - but has the convenience of dropping you at your hotel.


- A third option by sea is the ferry from Salerno - but this would take you much longer.
[Train to Salerno takes about 45 mins.
Ferry Salerno-Positano takes 65 mins]

You can find Salerno-Positano ferry timetables here:

http://www.salernocity.com/comune/tr...i/costiera.asp

There are other options by land - but those are the main ones by sea.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

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Old Jul 19th, 2005, 03:21 AM
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Hi Katerbug
>We're landing in Rome 8:30am 9/27 then heading straight down to Naples via train ...Then we leave that day for Positano ...$$ really isn't a concern. Just lugging around our luggage is!<

The most convenient (and costliest way) is to have a driver collect you at the Naples train station and take you to your hotel. (about 100E).

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