My husband and I will be in Florence in late October, and plan to travel to Sorrento from there, before heading back up to Rome to depart. I see that the train from Florence to Naples is only 2 1/2 hours and we plan to take that. I'm trying to debate whether to rent a car in Naples, or transfer to the train to Sorrento and get a rental car there. We plan to return the car to the airport in Rome.

Has anyone done either of these trips? I'm not that worried about the crime in Naples--I live in New Orleans. I'm concerned about the hassle of transferring to another train in Naples with luggage, versus navigating a car from the train station in Naples to the road towards Sorrento. We have driven all over Europe with little or no problems, and I will have my phone for navigation. The cost of the rental car is the same at either location.

What do you think? Thanks in advance.

It isn't so very far. I've taken the train, the local commuter train the Circumvesviana, with no fuss. I think the decision will depend on whether you want to use the car in the vicinity of Sorrento, are you going places not easily gotten to by public transport. That's the missing piece of the question. If yes, get the car. If no, get it when you're leaving (if you need it then).

Thanks. We plan to use the car to explore the area around Sorrento and to go to Pompei.

From Sorrento, it is probably easier to just take the train directly to Pompeii, no need for parking, etc.
We never use a car in the AC area. I do not like busses, so we always use ferries, but in late October, I do not know if they are still running on a regular schedule.

Book train tickets for those high-speed trains far in advance to snatch discounted fares- Acquista il biglietto con le nostre offerte - Trenitalia or www.italotreno.it/en - two competing rail systems using same tracks and stations. www.seat61.com has loads of didacdtic advice on doing this yourselves- general info on trains BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. Yes cars on Amalfi are very slow going in season and parking problematic in Amalfi towns - take train to Pompeii - boats to Capri and along Amalfi Coast. CircumVesuviana train is OK for Sorrento. If renting car pick up at Naples station IMO and drive to Sorrento though most prefer more cutesy seaside towns like Positano or Amalfi - maybe hit Pompeii en route to one of those. But yes reconsider car.

The transfer in Naples is a bit of a hike but there are luggage carts in stations always if needed.

The Circumvesuviana train is a commuter trai, interior remonded me of a subway. It depends on how much luggage you have whether you can easily do it.
We took a private driver from Sorrento to Naples airport and it was a little over 100E just so you know.
It was very easy to take that same train from Sorrento to Pompeii.
Are you spending some time in Naples? It is such an historic city with fabulous food.

If wanting to stay in say Amalfi you could take a train Florence to Salerno and take ferries there or pick up car and drive along coast - staying in Amalfi towns and then going to Sorrento - return car - take train to Pompeii and back to Rome.

Following

Thanks for all the responses. We will pick up the car in Naples and drive to Sorrento. I doubt that I'll get my husband to drive in Amalfi or Positano, even in late October. We plan to take the ferry from Sorrento to Capri, and we want to explore other areas by car. Also, I am looking at renting a house probably not accessible by public transportation. I will look into the train schedules to Pompeii; that's a great idea. We like the freedom that having a car gives us; in the old days, we used to pick up a car at the airport and just drive wherever we wanted, stopping when we saw something interesting. Alas, those days are gone since we now rent apartments, so having a car still gives us some spontaneity.

Trains go Sorrento or Naples to Pomeii very frequently - don't need schedules and just buy ticket on day of travel - you want Pompeii-Scavi station, right at the entrance to the archeological site. Not part of Trenitalia so schedules won't appear ther - it's the CircumVesuviana commuter railway.

Thanks PalenQ for your responses--you've helped me with great advice in the past, also. I did not realize there were two competing train companies; I had only gone to the Trenitalia website. I will look up the other one, but the Trenitalia website has great schedules and prices (this far out). We plan to stay in Rome for 4 days, go by train to Florence for 3-4 days, then take the train to Naples, pick up the car, and base in Sorrento for 4-5 days. It will be the first time we're going to Naples/Sorrento, and from there, we plan to go to the Pompeii site, the archeology museum in Naples, Capri, and maybe take a tour or a ferry to the Amalfi area. I'm still in the planning stage for that leg of the trip.

I think if prices similar I'd go with Tentialia - just judging on comments folks have posted here - but either one would be fine.

Thanks, PalenQ.

and IMO check first class fares too as sometimes folks report here they got 2st-class tickets at not much more than cheapest 2nd class ones remaining. And yes there is a difference - not a whole lot on substantial - 2nd class is perfectly adequate for most but 1st class more adequate always.

Still wondering where you plan to actually drive. Buses and ferries will be much less hassle.

We plan to drive from Naples to Sorrento, and then back to Pompeii and maybe a couple of other areas. We will be there in late October, and in no way are going to drive around Amalfi or Positano. The place we are planning to rent in Sorrento is only accessible by car. I think we'll be okay.

Yeh on those routes cars are fine.