Is there a train that travels from Rome airport (FCO) to Naples? Then a train that travels from Naples to down town Rome? Appreciate any detailed information.

Here, you find first-hand answers to all your questions:

http://www.trenitalia.com/

No I believe no direct FCO Airport to Naples trains but an easy transfer from FCO via Leonardo Express non-stop to Rome Termini - main station in downtown Rome from where you can hop direct high-speed trains to Naples-Centrale and of course back to Rome.

For lots of info on Italian train check www.trenitalia.com; www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

buy your tickets well in advance and get discounted prices but those are for a specific train and cannot be changed nor refunded I believe - hard to tell when arriving by plane when you will really be ready to catch what train in Termini so if doing that leave a lot of fudge factor time in case plane is late. Expect 2 hours from plane arrival to Termini at optimal scenario.

Thank you all for the information. If you have anymore I appreciate all. Even the smallest tips/opinions will help.

Is it possible to buy tickets at Roma termini to Naples when I get there? As you said in case the plane is late. What are the chances of them being sold out to arrive in Naples no later than 17:00

Buy tickets at FCO Airport's train station - both for Termini and from there to Naples - building in enough time to leisurely make the connection.

Rare for trains to all be sold out and there are about hourly or more trains on that route - worst case scenario you'd have to go first class - highly rare to be sold out in both classes but put angst to rest - trains for that night will not all be sold out.

Yes, you can buy tickets at Roma Termini, also at the Airport. They never sell out. It is not like plane tickets where the number of seats is limited. It is more like bus tickets. There is unlimited space on the trains.

You can also buy an online ticket which is flexible and usable for all trains.

If you buy at the airport, only walk-on fare is available. Currently it's 44 euro one-way from Rome to Naples. There are very many departures, every 15 minutes or so, and it takes only about 70 minutes. So you can easily buy your ticket (from easy-to-follow ticket machine with English instructions) with your card at Termini.

So I'm seeing on the website that the tickets are about 20 euro person to Naples. I'm expecting it to be more expensive to buy them there. How much more would you estimate the tickets to be when purchasing there?

As I said 44 euro is the one-way fare per person bought shortly before departure.

I appreciate the information. You all have been very helpful.

If you buy at the airport, only walk-on fare is available.>

Are discounted tickets available ever on a walk-up basis like at Termini - if not why not just buy at airport rail desk by the airport train station?

The 20 euro fare is probably for buying far in advance to guarantee that fare.

>>>They never sell out. It is not like plane tickets where the number of seats is limited. It is more like bus tickets. There is unlimited space on the trains.<<<

Not on all trains (just slow trains don't sell out). The train from the airport to Rome never sells out (no seat reservations possible) and the price stays the same (14€). The faster trains between Rome and Naples can sell out as those tickets come with reserved seating (mandatory). It's unlikely you won't get a train at all as they are frequent, but you might not get the first one departing once you reach Rome and have to wait an hour or so. If your late arrival is when people might be traveling to the coast after work for a weekend getaway, it's possible for the trains to be full (especially a holiday weekend).

It's hard to buy tickets for arrival day in case your flight is late.

Train departures from Roma Termini to Naples in early afternoon:

Freccie Rosse (1 hr 10 min journey, fare 44 EUR):
10.40, 10.53, 11.25, 11.40, 11.53, 11.58, 12.53, 13.05, 13.53, 14.25, 14.50, 15.53, 16.05, 16.25

Freccie Bianche (1 hr 45 min journey, fare 39 EUR):
13.56,

Intercity (2 hrs 05 min, fare 26 EUR):
Ostiense dp 10.21, Termini dp 11.26, 12.26, Tiburtina dp 13.22, Termini dp 14.26, 15.26, 16.26

Regionali (2 hrs 40 min, fare 12 EUR):
11.06, 11.36, 12.36, 14.36, 14.56

A new rule by Trenitalia means that you can't buy any discounted tickets on the day of travel, or on the day before. In other words, if you're traveling on a Wednesday, the last chance to get a discounted ticket is at midnight on Monday. Of course, the best discounts may have sold out long before that.

so just buy that Rome Termini to Naples ticket at the airport train ticket desk- could be easier than at Termini for novices and they should speak good English I would think.

Regionali (2 hrs 40 min, fare 12 EUR):
11.06, 11.36, 12.36, 14.36, 14.56>

If by weird chance all high-speed trains were booked then the Regional trains that do not even accept reservations I believe are always a good back up and you save 30 or so euros.

Q- Why do you have to arrive in Naples no later than 5pm?

Another option it to use Italo, not Trenitalia as Italo allows discounts as long as available. While Italo trains to Naples mostly operated out of Rome Tiburtina station, they have more trains out of Termini now. To reach Tiburtina from the airport, you would take the local train (8), not the Leonardo Express. It departs every 15 minutes and travel time is 45 minutes (Leonardo departs every 30 and travel time is 30). At Tiburtina, catch the Italo to Naples. It's still a gamble whether any discounts would be available. Italo also operates less trains (about 1 per hour Rome/Naples).

Both companies have apps you can download to your phone. If you will have phone service when you land, you could check and see if Italo has any discounts left.

http://www.italotreno.it/en

Q - Are Italo trains about the same as Trenitalia trains in comfort, etc.?

Thanks