We will be departing Praiano on May 18th for Rome. I know I will need to take the bus to the train station in Sorrento, then the train from Sorrento to Naples, then Naples to Rome. Can I purchase tickets at the train station when I arrive? Or, should I reserve them before I leave for my trip? We will not be in any train stations during our trip to purchase them ahead of time while already in Italy. Do I need to be concerned about the train being booked for the time that I want?

A few years back we did a day trip from Rome to Pompeii and we got terribly confused at the train station in Naples. It is funny now, but the station attendent was yelling at us in Italian when we told him we didn't speak Italian. He started yelling even louder in Italian because we didn't understand his directions and he was getting frustrated with us. We apologized in Italian and he yelled at us until we were out of sight - still don't know what we were doing wrong! Anyway, if anyone has any train hints we would be glad to hear them. We also got suckered into those people that approach you offering to help you find your way. We assumed he would just want a tip, which we were more than eager to give him. But when he took us to our train, he asked for 40E!! He also was yelling at us in Italian when we told him we would only give him 20E. Needless to say, I am just a tad bit intimidated to take the train again.

I am also wondering if there is anything in Sorrento we should see when we are there to drop off our car. Our drop off time is 5PM, and I am now thinking we will probably arrive earlier but the drop off location is closed until 4PM. If we arrive around 2 or 3 is there anywhere to park in Sorrento with easy access to visit for a couple of hours? If this isn't feasible, we'll just leave Tuscany a little bit later. Thanks for any feedback.

Trains Naples to Rome go about twice hourly - very unlikely not to get a seat reservation (mandatory on all but the slowest mil trains) right before your train

But you can also buy your ticket if you land at Rome's airport at the train station there

Or probably from a travel agent on the Amalfi Coast.

Don't worry about it at all IMO

Not much in Sorrento IMO but it is a pleasant watering hole that makes a nice base for many.

Unless something has changed or I'm incorrect, at the Naples station you will change to the circumvesuviana line to continue to Sorrento. Look for signs or ask.

The ONLY time we ever reserved ahead of time was over the Easter weekend and were glad we did. Maybe the last day in August when everyone is getting back from holidays!

At Naples you will in all likelihood change from the Circumvesuviana station (downstairs) to the Napoli Centrale station (upstairs), although my train from Naples to Siracusa, which had started in Rome, went through the Circumvesuviana station - it's Napoli Garibaldi, make sure you get off there, and don't stay on the Circumvesuviana to the last Naples stop (see www.vesuviana.it/web/en for timetables).

In your situation I'd be inclined to buy the tickets from a travel agent in Italy - that's what I did last time. Make sure to ask for the Amica discount.

What on earth did the guy do that you gave him 20 euro??? I carry my own luggage, and if I need help I look for someone in uniform, so I don't tend to run into this kind of situation, but I can't imagine handing over that amount.

Hi Luv,

I suggest that you take the SITA bus from Praiano to Salerno via Amalfi and train to Rome from there. (You can also take the ferry to Salerno from Amalfi)

You won't have to schlep your luggage on the Circumvesuviana.

According to a recent thread, you can't buy Trenitalia tickets online with a US credit card, but you might get lucky if you try.

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

Ira - Is the train from Salerno to Rome direct?

Thursdayd - He approached us, I guess because we looked bewildered. We were happy to have help and happy to pay him for his help. When he asked us for 40E though, we were not about to hand it over, but felt he'd have to settle for 20E. We thought 20E was high, but he did help us carry our bags, helped us buy our tickets and took us to our platform. You live and learn...