Nauhar_Rana

Hi all,

Just some advice on wether to rent a car in Rome to drive to Naples and then on to Positano or just take the train to Naples and then either a private cab or ferry,bus to Positano! We are 2 adults and 2 teenagers and have already got accommodation in Positano and plan to travel around the nearby areas for 5 days. How easy is it to park/drive around in that area. Want to visit Sorrento, Amalfi, etc

rineurope

First, I'd never suggest to anyone to drive "IN" Naples. My wife and I have driven all over Europe and driving here almost led to a divorce! Living in Rome, we drove a motorino daily... but Naples was ... challenging. Subsequently, I've driven in Naples 5-6 times, and all were memorable trips - all for the wrong reasons.

Congestion, parking, "rules" of the road: it was certainly an experience. I remember the last time I drove Naples was in a CD-licensed Chrysler van and we had to "fold in" the side view mirrors as we drove through town to keep them from getting knocked off by passing vehicles - on both sides!

The Amalfi is a fun drive - we've done it by car, bus, and motorcycle. It's a drive where the driver HAS TO DRIVE. No "sight-seeing" for the driver. You have to focus on what's happening on the road! When my wife and drive the Amalfi, I drive in - she drives out. That way we both get a chance to see the views.

It's a fun experience unless you get stuck in the traffic - which can get really heavy. I'd suggest a private driver because parking is scarce and sometimes **you just want to stop.** The local drivers know the road, where to stop for the best views, they know where to park, and you get to see in BOTH directions! Also, you don't have to worry about YOUR rental car getting dinged up.

I like the car service better than the bus. The buses DON'T stop where you want them to ... and you have to get seats on the "correct side" of the bus (which everyone wants!).

My favorite, albeit more limited mode of transport, has always been the ferry service... but we generally took those AFTER we got to our hotel, dumped all our luggage and cleaned up. Seeing the Amalfi from the sea is a unique and wonderful experience. Good Luck!

Nauhar_Rana

Rineurope....thanks so much...been contemplating this and I think I'll just rent a cab...so we get to Naples by train and then take a private cab to Positano....a taxi guy wants 100 Euro-does that sound ok??

ekc

That sounds about right. Depending on the time of year you are going, you could also train to Salerno and then ferry to Positano.

2idocs

We did nearly the same trip with our 2 kids last summer.
What we did:
-Non-stop, high speed train Rome->Naples.
-Local train to Sorrento
-Stayed in Sorrento (much more dining/evening activities options) Hilton has quad rooms & an AWESOME pool!
Hired car service to drive the Amalfi Coast (Sorrento First Choice)
-easy to train it to Pompeii

If you're set on staying in Positano, I'd get a car & hope your hotel has parking. Public transportation will take up hours of tourist time and raise your frustration level.
I do think your teens might get bored with multiple nights in Positano

ekc

Parking is very limited and expensive all along the Amalfi Coast. Then piling the traffic on top of it, it is not the way I would want to spend my vacation. Ferries are a wonderful way to get around during the season and it is a fantastic way to see the coast as well.

I am going to book a driver to get me from Naples to Positano in June and it will cost around 100 euro, so your taxi quote seems fair.

With all of the teenagers I saw playing soccer on the beach, renting paddle boats and hanging out eating gelato at night, I think they will be fine in Positano for 5 days. Plus all the stairs will wear them out!

nytraveler

Depends completely on the time of year. We have been twice in May with a rented car and loved it. but we were staying in a Sorrento hotel with free parking - and keeping the car to head up to Florence afterward. *Yes, even driving the coast road was fun!)

I would never do it in midsummer, when traffic will be hellish. Also, to do it you need to make sure your hotel can provide parking (most can't). We didn;t find parking in the towns a problem - but being from NY are used to parking in tiny spaces and driving around for 10 or 15 minutes to find a place to put the car. For those use to giant malls with head in parking in spaces twice the size of the car this might be a PIA.

Nauhar_Rana

Thanks so much,I have already booked for 4 nights(June 2-6) in Positano and am planning on doing the fast train from Rome to Naples and then maybe do the private transfer from Naples railway station to the hotel in Positano....how do we get around after that? I want to visit Amalfi, Sorrento etc..are there ferries to these? Buses? Costs....

ekc

Congratulations on booking in Positano - my favorite place in Italy! Another option for getting from Rome to Positano is to take an early fast train from Rome direct to Salerno, and then the ferry from Salerno to Positano.

There will be a ferry between Positano and Amalfi (and you can reach Ravello from Amalfi), weather permitting. There should also be a ferry from Positano to Sorrento. Check www.coopsantandrea.com. The cost of the ferry is 12 euro I believe. There is also the SITA bus between all of the towns, which I have not used (I only use the ferry because I get carsick), so I don't know the cost. If you search the board for "Amalfi Coast Transportation" you will find lots of threads on the issue.

DanieleGraziani

I agree with everything said here. The only thing that I can add is that when I rented my car in Naples it was already scratched all over and it made me worry a little bit less about adding my own scratches.

DAX

We'll be staying in Ravello in September with a car. What do you all think about that? Should we just drop our suitcases in Ravello and return the car in Salerno? How expensive and difficult is it taking a taxi from place to place? Is it easier than finding parking in Positano/Amalfi? We are comfortable driving mountain roads and would like to avoid taking buses if possible.

ekc

Dax, even in September I would not want to have a car on the Amalfi Coast. I would drop the car in Salerno and then take a cab from Salerno to Ravello. Easy to find a taxi - they are generally congregated in a central spot in each town. In Amalfi they are located where the buses park (where you would get off the bus from Ravello). Parking is expensive and scarce in Positano and Amalfi. I think the cheapest parking lot in Pos is over 20 euro for the day, if it isn't full by the time you get there. I travel almost exclusively by ferry between Amalfi/Positano/Capri/Salerno. Easy and beautiful. But you will have to get down from Ravello to Amalfi before you can get anywhere else by ferry.

GAC

Taxis are extremely expensive in this area. From Salerno, take the hourly SITA bus to Amalfi (3.60 Euros verus as much as 100 Euros for a taxi). Luggage can be stowed in the underfloor compartment.

Between Amalfi and Ravello, the hourly bus costs 2.40 Euros and a taxi 30 Euros. Beware that this bus gets very crowded (there are only 30-35 seats) and has extremely limited space for luggage.

Mimar

And I wouldn't want to stay in Ravello. Though the views are lovely, it's way up in the hills and hard to get down to the coast proper. With a car you'd still need to find and pay for a place to park in Amalfi. And then if you want to see anything other than Amalfi, you have the coast road traffic/parking problems.

DAX

Thanks for your helpful input.
Unfortunately we prepaid our place in Ravello, so to avoid the 100 euro taxi rides maybe we should just keep the car?(complimentary parking in Ravello).
Where can I park in Amalfi? Is there an actual parking area (expensive OK)instead of random hunting by luck. Any website with parking infos? Ideally any cheap/free parking at any port town.

One last question: How bad is the traffic in late September? We're ok with aggressive maneuvering through traffic jam in Rome, Milan (never drove in Naples).

DAX

Found parking garage just east of Amalfi:
http://www.ciaoamalfi.com/2011/04/lu...parking-amalf/
I wonder how far/long of à walk from there to board the ferry boats?

Tinaindenver

To Nauhur: 100 euros is what we paid for a car service from Naples to Positano. I would not drive a rental car on the Amalfi coast road--way too scary. Within Positano you can walk everywhere and the restaurants that are up in the hills will pick you up. We were there in October and used the SITA bus to get around. Once you get the hang of it, it is not bad.

raincitygirl

Hi DAX, we were just there in early to mid October with a car. We stayed in Minori and then Sorrento. The volume of traffic was not huge but as the roads are narrow, big buses that you have to back up for, scooters screaming past down the centre line etc, it is a different driving experience. As long as you are a calm driver with good spatial judgement you will be fine. And allow plenty of time to go places.

We had no trouble parking in Amalfi several times, if you head toward the marina and the breakwater (past where the buses park, bear right)there is a parking lot there on the other side of the wall of the breakwater. I don't remember how much it cost but as there weren't a lot of options it was a case of who cares, just park this thing! We always got a spot.

We then took the ferry to Positano which was lovely and easy, and wandered around Amalfi a few times.
I wouldn't drive to Positano and try to find parking there.

We enjoyed having the freedom of the car and one of our best days was driving down to Paestum, beautiful ruins and not as many other tourists.

In Minori and Maiori it was quite easy to find parking.

Ravello is beautiful, I don't think you'll regret staying there if you keep the car. But I wouldn't want to depend on taxis and the buses from there.
Have a fantastic time!

downtownbrown

Just a couple of things:
nyt mentioned that driving the coast to Sorrento was "fun." It gets less funner on the drive from Sorrento to Positano and south.

rine's mention of driving in Naples reminded me of when I rented a car in Rome. The agent asked where I was going, and I said "south."

He said: "You're not taking this car to Naples, are you?"

DAX

Rain citygirl: Thank you for your useful feedback. It's a relief to know that there are parking lots in other locations. We may have to park all day in Amalfi and ferry to different places if the road is totally jammed. We will be renting a Ford Escape (Kuga) which a medium size SUV. I drive an inch bigger SUV daily with more blind spots that force me to precision park using mostly spatial judgment. I'm sure it will be a challenge to maneuver and back up every time a big bus passes from the other side. If it were up to me I wouldn't drive or even go to the Amalfi coast, but this is granting other people's wishes to stay in Ravello which has been described as heaven on earth so that's where we're staying.

Downtown brown: Appreciate your input. We definitely will get the super collision coverage