Naples to Pompeii & Sorrento Via Cirumvesuviana Train

[gatorpuppy]

Party of 2 arrive in Naples for 1 day mid July and looking to hear from anyone who has taken the Cirumvesuviana train to Pompeii & Sorrento and the hydro foil ferry from Sorrento back to Naples port.

 

How close is the train station in Naples to the port? Can we walk there or take a cab?

 

Do we really need a guide at Pompeii if we have the Rick Steves walking tour book and a good color overlay map of before and after.

 

Also looking for lunch with a view recommendations in Sorrento?

 

Many thanks!

[CathyCruises]

We did this in November except got off the train in Herculaneum--but you could do the exact thing and go to Pompeii instead. Here is a link to the thread I posted when we returned: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1523963&highlight=herculaneum

 

Don't have a restaurant recommendation, but the town is small and you can just meander until you see something you like. Being November, a few of the nicest view restaurants were closed so you may have better luck! We had such a great day!

[Cornishpastyman1]

Do we really need a guide at Pompeii if we have the Rick Steves walking tour book and a good color overlay map of before and after.

If you are only making a relatively quick visit to Pompeii (up to 2 hours) I'd say you don't need a guide. I used Rick's podcast, which I presume is the audio version of the book, and made this

which more or less follows the podcast. The podcast only skims Pompeii's 'Greatest Hits' but is all we can do if we choose other places to see on our one day, and you'll still get a good idea of what it's all about - and if you are like me you will plan a more detailed visit some day.

All the best, Tony

[euro cruiser]

How close is the train station in Naples to the port? Can we walk there or take a cab?

It is one and a quarter miles from the cruise port, Molo Angioino, to the Circumvesuviana Porta Nolana station. You can walk, take a cab, or take the #1 tram (located in the street directly in front of the cruise port).

[sharks48]

I believe the Steves' book on "Mediterranean for Cruisers" has exact directions on how to get from the port to the trains.

[ali-ali-oh]

We just did this last week. We bought our tickets for a local bus at the tobacco kiosk outside the cruise terminal (just ask for how ever many bus tickets you want - I think they were 1.20 euros each) and the bus stop was right by the kiosk (bus 151). We rode the bus to the train station (I think it was about 5-10 mins) and it was very crowded.

 

At the train station we bought return tickets to Pompeii (it was a Sunday) and I am sorry, but I can't remember exactly how much the tickets were, but I know they were less than 10 euros for both of us for a return ticket to Pompeii.

 

Because it was a Sunday the train was very very packed with teenagers (I think they were going to the beach for the day). We only went to Pompeii and didn't go anywhere else, so I'm afraid I can't help you with the Sorrento etc.

 

It took us about an hour to get to Pompeii - simply exit the station and turn right - the entrance and ticket office to Pompeii is about 200 yards on your left (you can't miss it). They only take cash for entrance to Pompeii so please don't expect to be able to use your credit card (I know, I tried).

 

We used Rick Steve's free download podcast from my iPhone which was ok (if you can cope with his awful puns). I believe you can get a free map from the kiosk, but we bought one from the gift shop for 2 euros.

 

Some of the exhibits that Rick mentions were closed. I think it was the first "typical house" he mentions and also, later on in the tour, the house that was owned by the two bachellors (I am writing this from work so don't have any point of reference to hand to remember the actual house names-sorry).

 

Also, if you visit the flour mill he directs you to turn left at the end of the street which is now fenced off for access, so you need to re-route yourself. The stop after the mill is the brothel and we thought that we would not be able to visit this as it wasn't obvious the way through. Unfortunately, some of the street signposts have been removed so it's not as easy as it sounds to work out where you should be. Some of our fellow cruisers tried to follow his guide and do the same thing and missed this exhibit because they thought it was closed, however, it is open, just not easy to get to - even with a map. (We found it by accident after we had more or less given up with the map and found our way back to a main street and then saw a group of people queuing down a small side street - that was the queue for entrance to the brothel.)

 

Getting back to the ship was much easier. We made our way back to the station - a very long way round it would seem to get out of Pompeii (you may be able to exit at the entrance, but we didn't). At the station we had to cross to the other platform via a subway through the station and under the tracks, but the train was much emptier. When we got back to Naples we got off the train at the back of the station and had to walk around the outside to get to the front entrance to find the bus terminus (across the road). We got the same 151 bus back to the docks.

 

Hope that helps a bit and anyone else considering doing as we did.

 

Alison

[paul929207]

Alison,

Thanks for the detailed info.

[euro cruiser]

We just did this last week. We bought our tickets for a local bus at the tobacco kiosk outside the cruise terminal (just ask for how ever many bus tickets you want - I think they were 1.20 euros each) and the bus stop was right by the kiosk (bus 151). We rode the bus to the train station (I think it was about 5-10 mins) and it was very crowded.

 

At the train station we bought return tickets to Pompeii (it was a Sunday) and I am sorry, but I can't remember exactly how much the tickets were, but I know they were less than 10 euros for both of us for a return ticket to Pompeii.

It's not a lot of money, but you missed an opportunity for savings.

 

Hourly tickets between Naples and Pompei are Euro 2,80, or 5,60 round trip.

 

On weekends there is a special all-day fare of Euro 4,50. Occasionally, if you speak Italian, I've found that the ticket seller will point this out. They don't always do it for Italian speakers and I suspect they don't do it at all for English speakers.

 

It's not a huge savings, but it's nice to know about, especially for those traveling with a family.

 

Because it was a Sunday the train was very very packed with teenagers (I think they were going to the beach for the day). We only went to Pompeii and didn't go anywhere else, so I'm afraid I can't help you with the Sorrento etc.

 

When we got back to Naples we got off the train at the back of the station and had to walk around the outside to get to the front entrance to find the bus terminus (across the road). We got the same 151 bus back to the docks.

I'm curious about which train station you used. From your description it sounds like you went to the Garibaldi station (located below the main train station, Napoli Centrale). That is the second station on the line. If you get on the train at the first station, Porta Nolana, you have a better chance of getting a seat.

[ali-ali-oh]

I'm curious about which train station you used. From your description it sounds like you went to the Garibaldi station (located below the main train station, Napoli Centrale). That is the second station on the line. If you get on the train at the first station, Porta Nolana, you have a better chance of getting a seat.

 

We did get on at Garibaldi and some of us did get seats - we had a group of about 10 who braved the journey there together and then did our own thing when we arrived. The teenagers got on later and there were dozens of them - particularly around the doors, but there were so many that they were standing in the aisles and were in very high spirits and very noisy. It added to the whole experience for us, but I know some others felt very uneasy. I think it's because you read so much about pick-pockets that some were on the verge of paranoia - but we saw no evidence of pick-pockets at any of our ports, including Naples and Rome (I guess we were lucky).

[CathyCruises]

I think it's much easier to catch the tram. There is a small building where the port sidewalk hits the road--we got the combo ticket there, walked outside and right onto the #1 tram, right to the Circumvesuviana station--the whole thing took 5 minutes.

[euro cruiser]

Since the 151 bus and the #1 tram follow the same route at that point, it really doesn't matter, take whichever one comes first. Both stop at the Circumvesuviana Porta Nolana station (one stop before Napoli Centrale/Garabaldi Circumvesuviana station).

[cruisemom42]

We used Rick Steve's free download podcast from my iPhone which was ok (if you can cope with his awful puns). I believe you can get a free map from the kiosk, but we bought one from the gift shop for 2 euros.

 

Some of the exhibits that Rick mentions were closed. I think it was the first "typical house" he mentions and also, later on in the tour, the house that was owned by the two bachellors (I am writing this from work so don't have any point of reference to hand to remember the actual house names-sorry).

 

Also, if you visit the flour mill he directs you to turn left at the end of the street which is now fenced off for access, so you need to re-route yourself. The stop after the mill is the brothel and we thought that we would not be able to visit this as it wasn't obvious the way through. Unfortunately, some of the street signposts have been removed so it's not as easy as it sounds to work out where you should be. Some of our fellow cruisers tried to follow his guide and do the same thing and missed this exhibit because they thought it was closed, however, it is open, just not easy to get to - even with a map. (We found it by accident after we had more or less given up with the map and found our way back to a main street and then saw a group of people queuing down a small side street - that was the queue for entrance to the brothel.)

 

 

Alison

 

 

This points up some of the difficulties I talk about in my lengthy post on getting the most out of a visit to Pompeii.

 

The houses open and close on a rotating basis. On any given day, not all of the houses covered on any pre-taped audiotour will be open. It's really a good idea to stop at the information booth just to the left of the ticket windows at the main entrance and ASK them which houses are open that day. They keep a list and will be happy (well, happy may be too kind a word) to tell you. You can also get the detailed map AND a very good pamphlet there as well.

 

If you don't do this, you miss the opportunity to see some really outstanding houses that may not be mentioned in RS or other audiotours but that just happen to be open on the day you are there.

 

Regarding the streets: Many people make the mistake of believing that there are street signs with the names of streets -- but these are rare indeed at Pompeii. If you rely on an audiotour that just gives street names, it's all too easy to get lost. It is better by far to spend a little time before getting to the site to familiarize yourself with the layout of the excavations in Regions and Insulae. On every building at Pompeii and at every intersection, you'll find the Region (Regio or Reg.) and Insulae numbers listed. These correspond with the map given at the information window, and it's a far more reliable way to get yourself around the site.

 

For more tips see my post:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1609893&highlight=making+the+most

[gatorpuppy]

Thanks to all for the great information. Much appreciated!:D