Can someone please advise me as to which site they think is the best to book rail tickets, one way, NAPLES to NICE?
(and any related ideas/suggestions about taking the train)
(I have looked at air options for this route, but other than Easyjet, all flights are with stops and more than 6 hours; also I believe renting a car will incur large 1 way drop-off charges?)
thanks

www.trenitalia.com would be the Italian railways site with cheapest fares -discounted fares if you book far in advance to get the limited in number discounted ducats. (non-changeable non-refundble I believe from the specific trains you book on).

You book Naples Centrale to Milan Centrale then to Nice-Ville or Ventimiglia - the border station where many Italian trains end and you change to the commuter train to Nice (just buy those tickets once at Ventimgilia - very cheap.

Thello trains a couple of times go Milan to Nice - quicker and no change of train involved: www.thello.com.

For lots of good stuff on trains check www.seat61.com- expertise is discounted tickets; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

consider going to Rome and flying - the train will take about all day -there may be a night train from Naples to Milan or better Genoa you could use part way.

I assume you are adverse to EasyJet because they do not have a daily flight NAP-Nice, is that correct?

If so, Easyjet flies FCO-Nice daily with sometimes two flights per day.

Fastest train timing I can find would be Naples-Milano-Nice at 9 hrs, 20 minutes. Look those up on either Trenitalia.com or Italiarail.com (small surcharge per ticket over Trenitalia prices)

You can also use www.loco2.com; prices in either GBP or Euro

Do you think Easyjet is reliable? - I read a lot of negative reviews about them.

Yes, Eady Jey and RyanAir are major budget airlines in Europe. Reliable.

I have used EasyJet MANY times and I am still here and will use them again. If you follow their STATED AND WRITTEN procedures for check in, baggage, etc., I doubt you are going to have any more "negative" experiences than you would with any other airline.

It is UP TO YOU< barry3040...either fly or spend that nine+ hours on the train.

I wouldn't do nine hours on the train. It will wreck you for the next day. EASY Jet is fine, OR take the fast train to Rome from Naples ( just over an hour) and fly to Nice from there.

Will you actually be in Naples or somewhere on the Amalfi coast? There appear to still be a couple of night trains. One Naples/Genoa (departs 21:06 and arrives Genoa 6:01) and one Salerno/Genoa (departs Salerno at 23:33 and arrives Genoa at 8:39). While you could get a couchette and sleep on the train, you would still need to get from Genoa to Nice in the morning taking about 3 1/2-4 hours (unless timing works to catch the Thello in Genoa and it would be 3 hours).

Easy Jet (if the dates work since they don't fly from Naples daily).

>>> also I believe renting a car will incur large 1 way drop-off charges?)<<<

Besides drop off charges in another country, it's a full day driving.

Thanks for all comments !

Besides drop off charges in another country, it's a full day driving.>

could cost lot more than train or flights -steep tolls on autoroutes - high fuel costs, etc.

You may travel by sleeping car Naples dp 21.46 to Genoa ar 6.04 and go on by local train to Nice ar 10.27.
The ticket up to the French border may be booked through www.trenitalia.com

Better connections from Amalfi Coast to Nice:
Salerno dp 23.33 - sleeping car - Genoa 8.39/8.56 - Nice ar 11.52