Trip to Italy - Visiting Naples & Amalfi Coast
 

During our forthcoming trip to Italy in August, I would like to visit Naples and Amalfi Coast as a day trip from Rome. Is this feasible and if so what are the best options with a tight budget. We are a family of 4. Is it economical to hire a car from Naples and then proceed to Amalfi Coast or is there any other economical means of transport? Pls help with your suggestions.

Almost anything is feasible but practical is another matter. It is at least 2 hours on fast train from Rome to Naples by the time you pick up car add another hour if your going DIY. The drive down the coast is fairly good till you hit Sorrento then generally speaking it is bumper to bumper traffic slowly moving down the coat road to Amalfi think like 1.5-2 hours,the hassle of finding a place to park the car and IMHO nerve racking drive, you arrive exhausted. Then you have the return journey. Hiring a car and driver direct from Rome will run you anywhere from 200-300 per person ball park figures. If the children are smaller this is a very very long day.

Thanks JoanneH for your response. My children are in the 14-16 age group. I can take a train from Rome to Naples, but is there any train or other public transport from Naples to Amalfi ?

yes train and bus combined, you would take the local train from Naples to Sorrento and from there, there is a bus that runs down the coast. The train takes appx 45min-1 hour, stops at every stop along the way. You get bus ticket in Sorrento train station walk outside and across the street. For best views sit on right side unless someone can't handle edge of cliff type road.
Train is: the Circumvesuviana 3.50e per person this local train no frills it also stops at pompeii etc.
Bus is: Sita they have a all day ticket rate as I recall its something like 5e.

the problem is that in August the buses are SRO and the traffic runs at about 10 mph. By the time you got to Amalfi you wold have to turn around and head back to Rome.

I believe you can take ferries down the coast - and get good views - from Naples and possibly Sorrento.

I also beleive there is a bus from Rome directly to Sorrento - but it may run only once or twice per day.

This will be a hellishly long trip- esp in the heat, humidity and mobs of August.

Thanks all for your useful inputs, much appreciated.

There are ferries from Naples as suggested they stop at sorrento.
Here is a link that explains the various ways with links to ferries
where you can get prices and time schedule.
http://www.italylogue.com/featured-a...-sorrento.html

I just got back from both Naples and the Amalfi Coast. I can attest to sitting in some horrible traffic both in Sorrento, and along the Amalfi Coast drive to Positano.

I'm pretty sure you can take a boat from Naples to almost any town along the coast. If not, in season, you can definitely do that from Sorrento. It is much more pleasant to travel by boat than car or bus or train.

And speaking of the train.... New friends we met said the Circumvesuviana makes the most unreliable/rundown lines of the NYC subway system look good.

And speaking of the train.... New friends we met said the Circumvesuviana makes the most unreliable/rundown lines of the NYC subway system look good.
Some of the trains are pretty rough and not that clean, others are fine its the luck of the draw which train you get.