When in Rome...... for 7 days
 

Hello - we will be visiting Rome again in early October. I am trying to plan couple of day trips and would like your opinion and or suggestions as to whether they are doable. I know that they will probably be long days, but we are prepared for that. Would love to visit Pompei and Pisa. My questions are: is there a Rome to Pompei bus? or is the train to Naples, then on to Pompei best? Same for Pisa - bus? train? Any help would be greatly appreciated. If it is the train, is buying the train tickets on line less expensive then at the station on the day of the trip?

Helen,

Once I went to Pompeii from Rome on a day tour. It made for a really long day, it was by bus. I believe you can do it on your own by combining train to Naples and then onto Pompeii.
You can reach Pisa in 2.5 hrs by fast train.
you can check train schedules in www.trenitalia.com

Rather than day trips I suggest taking a day pack with a change and staying over 1 night in Pisa and maybe Sorrento. Much more relaxing.

Or rather than Pompeii go to Ostia Antica, a short train ride from Rome and nicer than Pompeii in some ways. Shady, fewer people, easy to get to. http://www.ostia-antica.org/

>>>My questions are: is there a Rome to Pompei bus? or is the train to Naples, then on to Pompei best?<<<

Marrozi operates a bus between Rome and Sorrento that also makes a stop at the entrance of Pompeii. In summer, the bus also goes to Amalfi and Positano. Cost to Pompeii is about 18€ and travel time is 3 hours. It departs Rome Tiburtina station at 7am. A return bus would probably not be convenient.
http://www.marozzivt.it/script/bigli...pobigl=marozzi

If you take the train, you can book Rome/Naples on Trenitalia in advance and perhaps discount tickets will be available (fast train 2nd class between 9€ to 45€). The fast train takes about 70 minutes and run about every hour.

The local train between Naples/Pompeii does not sell tickets in advance. Tickets will be a couple of euro and travel time about 30 minutes. The Pompeii Scavi station is across the street from the entrance to the ruins. This train departs about every 30 minutes.

Thank you all for your input and information.

I would be doing this trip on our own - no tours...

Kybourbon -thank you for the specifics - I will try to book the Rome/Naples train tix online. Would the price be higher if I purchased at station on day of trip?

As far as the Rome/Pisa trip - I was thinking of spending couple of hours in Florence, then taking a bus to Pisa and then either train back to Rome or back to Florence if times are more convenient. Any suggestions???

If you really want to go to Pisa, I'd take the train from Rome to Livorno- forget about Florence.
or Day trips to assisi or Orvieto, both great towns to explore, easy to get to on train from Rome. Many departures every day. We would get up, go to train station, hum and haw about where to go, go to ticket machine and 15 minutes later we are on a train to wherever Usually about an hour trip on train. Lots of places easily reachable from Rome.
Pompei- a long day there and back. Personally I don't think it is worth it on a day trip from Rome. Go to Ostia Antica instead. others will disagree with me, but it depends on your travelling style.If you really want to go to Pompei, I'd overnight in Naples or Sorrento

Be aware that both the cities of Orvieto and Frascati which are short day trips from Rome seem to close up shop between the hours of 1-4pm .Its hard when you train to one of those cities only to find nothing opened in the afternoon.
I travel to Rome for both work and vacations (just got back again two days ago). I love Pompeii and think that it is worth the trip. Ostia Antica is nice too but for those of us who grew up thinking about the volcanic eruption/history there it was definitely worth the long day trip!

The base fare on Trenitalia stays the same even if you buy 5 minutes before departure. The discount fares (economy and supereconomy) are for the exact same seats as base, but the discounts are advance purchase. They can and do sell out. Discount tickets have restrictions (supereconomy - no changes/refunds, etc.).

Thank you again. Pompeii will be a sure trip and I do realize that it will be a long day, but definetely worth it. Since there is not a difference in ticket prices (I checked the Trenitalia site - there are no super discounted tickets availabe) I will buy the tix when we get into Rome for both day trips.

Can't wait to be back in Rome again!

>>>(I checked the Trenitalia site - there are no super discounted tickets availabe)<<<

I wonder what you are entering as I see all kinds of discounts in October. 19€ Rome/Naples instead of the walk up price of 43€ and 9€ for the IC trains (take an hour longer). Rome/Pisa 9€ for the fast AV train (no changes) instead of the walk up price of 46€.

OMG!! I don't know what I did wrong, but went back in and found the discounted tickets!! Thank you soooo much.