Train to Pompeii
 

Can anyone tell me if the only train station to buy tickets for and leave to Pompeii from is the main termini or is there another that you can do the same thing from? Thanks in advance.

You must mean the main termini in Naples? The Pompeii Scavi train can be caught from the basement of Naples termini where there is a ticket window. The problem is the trains arrive jam full during the multiple rush hours (incl siesta) and 3 out of 4 poorly marked trains branch away from Pompeii (you want the Sorrento bound one). The crowding can be so severe that just one carryon bag can cause havoc if you don't find the rare place to stow it; I remember getting my fingers embarrasingly caught in in a ladies elegant hairdo while doing some yoga position to fit me and my bag among the mob.

So it is almost worth it to walk 2 blocks to the origin of the Pompeii train, even tho this means crossing a road particularly lethal to pedestrians and the stations ticket machine is probably broken. There your train will be waiting, well marked and half empty; get a window seat on the left side not too far from an exit so you can bail out thru the crowds on a few second notice when you see the Pompeii sign. But occasionally glance right, there is some jaw-dropping view for a few seconds of (?) Vesuvious or something, I forget

You can probably see the alternate station on maporama.com or the like. The Sorrento end just has one station.

Viking,
Thanks for the very informative post.
I was a little vague in my question. What I was trying to find out is that going to Pompeii (I'll be doing a day trip from rome)
does anyone know if the main termini is the only station in Rome that sells the tickets, and must I catch the train from that one or do any of the other stops have acess to the train that goes to Pompeii?
Sorry for the confusion.`paula

Doubt if Rome Termini would sell tickets on this non Trenitalia train line - the CircumVeusviana narrow-gague train to Sorrento via Pompeii line - so not part of national rail system probably can't buy. Once in Naples Centrale just follow the signs for CircumVesuviana trains and buy tickets by the platforms (a walkway connects the Pompeii train's platforms to the main Centrale platforms but they are not adjacent. Actually as above post says the Pompeii train actually starts at a station (Naples Circumveusviana station) before it gets to Centrale so could be crowded if you board there. so you may want to walk the few blocks between Centrale and Circumveusviana stations. Fare to Pompeii is about 3 eruos on these basically metro or commuter trains that stop every few miles. Single class - 'hard class' seats.

Thanks Pal,
Do you think any of the fast trains to Naples from Rome (going to Naples before getting the ticket to the train to Pompeii)leave from any other station in Rome besides the main termini, or do I have to depart, and buy tickets from the main ternimi to go to Naples. Thanks

You can buy the train (Rome to Naples) tickets at any travel agent in Rome as well. This is what I did to save time, I bought the tickets at a travel agency near the Vatican two days before. There was no difference in price. But yes, you have to leave from Termini as far as I know.

It is not at all difficult to transfer to the Circumvesuviana train - or buy tickets for it - when in Naples. It reminded me very much of the "7" train in New York City!

There are trains to Naples that leave from Roma Tiburtina or Roma Ostiense, but I don't know why you would want to take them: they generally take longer, and the stations are far more disagreeable than Termini.

You can check it out at www.trenitalia.com

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the info. Thanks for making things clear.

Trenitalia's ticketing system is on a computer, so you can buy tickets at any station ticket office: the ticket office at Venezia Santa Lucia station, for example, will be able to sell you a ticket for a Roma-Napoli journey. For the Circumvesuviana train from Napoli to Pompei, you can only buy tickets in Napoli. The station for the ruins is Pompei Scavi on the line to Sorrento and the trains are generally every half hour.