We're a family of 4 going to Italy for a month in 3 weeks and are very excited. We have our itinerary planned except we have 2 days to get from Venice to Amalfi coast (Maiori). We could do it in 1 day and stay an extra day in Maiori or should we take 2 days and stop where? And by plane, train or automobile?
Thank you!

Hi Z,

A: Fly to Naples, have a limo transport you to Maiori. Stay an extra day in Venice.

B: Train to Salerno (about 7:30 hr), Ferry to Amalfi, Bus to Maiori. Stay an extra day in Venice.

C: Pick up a car at Piazzale Roma. Follow the www.viamichelin.com sightseeing route. Overnight in Orvieto. Drop car in Salerno. Take ferry to Amalfi and bus to Maiori.

Enjoy your visit.

I second the notion of going to Salerno and then taking the ferry. Very easy and the ferry isn't very far from the train station. I think Rick Steves has a map of Salerno showing the route from the train to the ferry.

The ferry usually stops at Positano after Amalfi, and then I think Capri, so Amalfi makes a good base and is not as steep as Positano.

Depends where else you will be going in Italy We've found a stop off in Florence or Rome (via train) to be fun for a day en-route.

BTW, to Maiori, you do want to go to Salerno - it is not far at all to Maiori and the SITA bus stop is right in front of the train station - the ferry is only a couple of blocks, but, the schedules are less frequent than the bus and never seem to work out for me...so I just get on one of the frequent buses - you can get the one to Amalfi, or, there are also local ones to Maiori - just ask a driver.

I don't really understand why some are telling you to walk all the way down to the ferry - yes - a few blocks to Piazza Concordia...but then it's a bit of a walk out to the actual dock with luggage and a family...and take it to Amalfi and then go take a bus to Maiori? Maiori is before Amalfi - it's maybe a bit more than half-way there/30min. or so by bus..that seems to be back-tracking and a pain.

Thank you. How do you fly to Naples? I guess must have to go via Roma? Ryanair don't fly Venice to anywhere south it seems?

Thank you Ira for your great information. Do you know the cost of the train from Venice to Salerno? And do you have to change trains somewhere?

And thank you CasaDelCipresso, we're already in Rome 3 nights at beginning of trip and Florence we will visit from a stay in Siena elsewhere in the trip. Although we could do florence then - do you know how long the train is from Florence to Salerno?

There are other budget airlines. Check here:
http://www.whichbudget.com/en/cheapflights.php?from=NAP

EasyJet and Meridiana look like two options.

http://www.bahn.de
Gives you all you need to know to decide on trains, times, transfers and fares.

Florence to Salerno is about 5 hours give or take (depending on which train you get) - some you change and some not. There's also the night train to Naples...I haven't done it in years and tried to convince my family to do it last trip, but that's when we decided on stops in Florence and Rome (we were going the other direction and had a great car rental rate if we dropped in Rome, so we drove up there and then Florence and Venice) I like trains though and wanted to try the newish "Excelsior" cars. I'd probably still look into flights though given your scheduale. ( www.trenitalia.it for train info.)

Hi zed

>How do you fly to Naples? <

See www.whichbudget.com

> Do you know the cost of the train from Venice to Salerno? And do you have to change trains somewhere?

See http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...0080a3e90aRCRD
.................................................. ...
Hey casa,
>I don't really understand why some are telling you to walk all the way down to the ferry - yes - a few blocks to Piazza Concordia...but then it's a bit of a walk out to the actual dock with luggage and a family.....<

My Lady Wife and I were in our mid-sixties the first time we did this. We did not find it at all difficult. The boat ride is very scenic.

yes, it is very scenic (as is the bus)...and no, not difficult, but more so than stepping out and taking a bus (depends how much luggage and if you have small children with you obviously)...but you can always take a boat ride for the view...it makes sense if you are going to Amalfi to stay...but is silly to take a boat all the way to Amalfi to then wait for a bus to backtrack to Maiori.

The ferries are also very limited, so season is important...and there is no ferry in the middle of the day...or later at night, etc.

If the times work out, the ferry does go to MINORI, which, would be a closer stop and makes more sense than going to Amalfi.

I love night trains, but the Freccia della Laguna from Venice get into Salerno about 4:30am. A bit early even for me.

Thanks everyone - given us something to play around with - still deciding

Thanks all, we're going with the flying!