We're staying at the Hotel Onda Verde in Praiano, on the Amalfi Coast. We're leaving on June 28th to go to Rome. I asked the hotel how to get to the Naples train station and they said I had to take a bus from the hotel to Sorrento (1 hour) and then a train from Sorrento to Naples (another hour). I can't find any trains on the usual websites that do this route. Has anyone done this and is there a better way? I know I can hire a taxi, but OUCH! it is 105 euros to Naples.

The train from Sorrento to Naples is a commuter line called the Circumvesuviana. Go to www.sorrentomap.com to find the schedule for this line (and the bus schedule too).

Trains run frequently, and the fare is very reasonable. The bus from Praiano (another very reasonable fare) drops you at the Sorrento train station. Once you get to Naples, go upstairs to the main station. Doing this with luggage is less than ideal but really not a problem. Obviously it's easier and faster by cab or hired car/driver but more expensive unless you're a large group.

I stayed in sorrento 2 years ago and traveled around using the local buses. i found them not always reliable and one day wound up taking a private car from positano back to sorrento when the bus never showed. as far as the trains go i know there's a station in sorrento but it's local trains (not trenitalia or anything like that). can't comment on the service. to get to naples from sorrento i would say spring for the car service - that's what we did and it was worth it not for the aggravation of dealing with mass transit.

another option you might look into is a boat. I believe there are boats that run between naples and sorrento but i don't know schedules or anything like that. someone on here might be able to help or else you should ask a travel agent.

hope this helps.

They are correct - take the bus to Sorrento. It stops at the train station and you take the Circumvesuviana commuter train to Naples. We've done it with large suitcases and it was fine. It's a typical commuter train - costs about 1.80 Euros as does the bus, then the circumvesuviana arrives in Naples train station and you go up a floor to get the train from Naples to Rome. I'm going in June and can't find any timetable either, but I think that's because it's a local train. The train turned up (it's a terminus) about 10 - 15 minutes after the bus had dropped us off.

I love this board! Thanks to all who answered. I'm wondering if anyone knows how long it would take to drive. I'm thinking between the bus and train, it is over 2 1/2 hours just to get to Naples. As much as it pains me (OUCH again!) I really wanted to spend the morning roaming about the coast and still manage to get to Rome by 4:00 or 5:00 without spending the whole day doing transportation. However, if driving doesn't save that much time, we'll take the bus and train.

Here's a timetable link for the Circumvesuviana train.
http://www.sorrentoinfo.com/timetabl...n_sorrento.htm

If you have a car or hire a driver you can take a shortcut from the coast road between Praiano and Amalfi back over the hills, this will get you to the Naples train station faster than taking the drive through Sorrento.

Also, if you take the bus and get off 2 stops before Sorrento, in Meta, you can catch the Circumsuviana from the Meta Station, which is on one level, so you would both save time and not have to carry your luggage up the stairs, as you would in Sorrento, which is the last stop on the line from Naples.

Cronen - There is a direct bus service between Praiano and Rome. That would be a hassle-free option with luggage.

Alternatively I'd suggest going via Salerno rather than Sorrento. You can bus to Amalfi (15 mins), ferry to Salerno (35 mins) and catch a train from Salerno to Rome (2.5 - 3 hours).

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Hi Cronen,

You could also take the bus to Positano and the ferry to Sorrento and then to Naples where you cantake a cab or bus to the train station.

You could also take the bus to Amalfi and the ferry to Salerno from which you can take the train to Rome.

Ferry schedules
Positano - Salerno (P.zza della Concordia): 5 E 70 min
10,00 – 11,30 – 13,30 – 15,40 – 17,15

Amalfi-Salerno 3.5E 35 min
I think that this ferry is the one that departs from positano.

Wow, a lot of options. Steve-James mentioned direct bus service from Praiano to Rome. That would seem to be the easiest as there is no transferring. Unless the bus stops everywhere and takes forever. Any info on how I can find a bus schedule and what comany does the trip? Thanks for all the info. Ferries seem like another good option.

I know there's a bus (I think it's called Marozza/i but not sure) that runs from Sorrento to Rome and takes about 4 plus hours. I don't know of any bus that goes straight from Praiano to Rome, although it's an amusing thought...Praiano is a small village lying directly on the Amalfi Drive, and is served by the SITA buses.

Cronen - Yes - the service is run by MAROZZI.
www.marozzivt.it

In high season it runs from the Amalfi Coast (Amalfi, Praiano, Positano ...) via Sorrento to Rome.
In low season it just runs between Sorrento and Rome.

Praiano-Rome journey time would be about 5 hours.
Fare approx. € 20.00

.....

A faster alternative would be to take the Metro del Mare hydrofoil from Positano (deps. 12.15 or 17.35) to Naples (- journey time 1 hour) and bus or taxi to Naples station.

Here's the link:
http://www.metrodelmare.com/l-mm2_b.html

Hope this helps ...

Steve

To add more details to Steve James' advice re the Marozzi Bus-I actually took this bus to get to Rome when I got struck during the Black Out of March 2004, (I caught the bus at Sant'agnello), and it does make a number of stops, even after it leaves Sorrento, before proceeding to Rome, where it terminates at a location from where you then need to to take a Metro to reach the Termini Station. Getting from the bus to the Metro in Rome involves a certain amount of walking, getting directions, taking escalators, etc.

Cronen,
We are staying in Praiano and leaving on May 28 to go to Rome! too bad we are a month apart, or we could share a ride! We had another couple going with us sharing the cost but they have changed their minds. It's still worth that to us to avoid all the hassle.

Our ride from Praiano to Rome is 85 euro -so you can find it a little cheaper if you need to get there quicker. It will still take about an hour and 1/2 by road.

There is a left luggage in Naples - I believe it is to the right as you face the tracks - in case you want to stash your bags and wander around Naples a little bit.

We'll be back on 4 June and I'll post my trip here with any hints that may prove helpful to someone. We are budget travelers (although taking a splurge with transportation) which is a challenge on the Amalfi Coast!

Carol / Brahmama

Hi Mama,

>Our ride from Praiano to Rome is 85 euro ....<

Did you mean Praiano to NAPLES?

Carol - Praiano to Rome for € 85.00 ??

You must mean Praiano-Naples, surely, at that price.

The going rate for Praiano-Rome would be at least € 300.00

Steve

Thanks again to all replies. I would have loved to share a ride! The hydrofoil also sounds good as we want to see Positano and leave the coast around 12:15. Is there any place to store luggage there while we walk about the town? Also, how far is the Naples train station from the dock? I'm shooting for a 2:22 train to Rome. Thanks.

oops, oh yes, I did mean Praiano to Naples.

We're leaving Friday for Italy, can you tell that I'm a little rattled???

Thanks for catching this.

and good luck, Cronen!

Carol

There's a place where you can store luggage by the hour at the far right of the station as you're facing the entrance.