The Roman town of Pompeii is a highlight of any trip to Southern Italy. This unique archeological park includes the remains of a flourishing ancient town after the eruption of the Vesuvius volcano in 79 AD and it surely is one of the most fascinating places you can think of! During your visit to Pompei, you’ll be able to walk along real streets, step into real houses, shops, and theaters, and see with your own eyes what daily life was like back then. It’s an easy day trip from Naples and you can reach Pompei in several different ways.
Let’s see how you can get to Pompei from Naples and what’s the best choice according to your needs.
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How to Visit Pompeii from Naples
Getting from Naples to Pompeii by train
- Circumvesuviana Line: it’s a local railway line connecting the metropolitan areas of Naples with the suburbs and a few other small towns nearby.
Departure: railway station of Napoli Piazza Garibaldi. It is located underground, just below the railway station of Napoli Centrale (escalator in the middle of the ground floor). Once there, you shall take the train named “Napoli-Sorrento” on platform 3.
Frequency: every 30 minutes
Journey time: approx. 30 minutes
Ticket cost: 2.60 euro
Arrival: stop “Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri”. Once outside the station, head to Porta Marina Gate, which is one of the main entrances to the archeological park. In case you prefer to enter from Piazza Immacolata, just turn left and walk for about 15 minutes.
More information at ORARI NAPOLI SORRENTO_dal 2 novembre 2020 (feriali) + info accessibilità.pdf (eavsrl.it)
- Napoli-Torre Annunziata-Poggiomarino railway line
Departure: railway station of Napoli Piazza Garibaldi
Frequency: every 30 minutes
Journey time: approx. 30 minutes
Ticket cost: 3.20 euro
Arrival: stop “Pompei”. Pay attention: “Pompei” and “Pompei Scavi” are two different stops! The first one is the station of the modern town of Pompei which is located about 2 Km from the entrance of the archeological park. You can reach it in about 20-25 minutes on foot or by taxi. This train does not stop at “Pompei Scavi”, which is the closest station to the archeological park.
More information at: Napoli-Poggiomarino-1.pdf (napolike.it)
- Tourist Train Campania Express: this special train only runs from April to October.
Departure: railway station of Napoli Piazza Garibaldi
Frequency: 2 rides in the morning and 2 rides in the afternoon
Journey time: approx. 30 minutes
Ticket cost: 6 euro
Arrival: stop “Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri”
More information at: Orari Campania Express | EAV srl
Pros and cons of getting from Naples to Pompeii by train
Pros: you don’t risk being stuck in a traffic jam or wasting time parking your car
Cons: you have to plan your visit according to the train schedule (anyway, rides are frequent and fast)
Train can be considered the best option to get to Pompei from Naples
Tip: If you decide to arrive in Pompeii by car, bus, or train and not a guided tour, I highly recommend booking a skip-the-line ticket, the lines are huge. Alternatively, you can book a guided skip-the-line small group tour. The archaeological site is huge and a guided tour will save you time and you won’t miss anything important.
Getting from Naples to Pompeii by bus
- SITA Bus Company:
Departure: Piazza Garibaldi, in front of Napoli Centrale railway station. Take the bus named “Napoli-Nocera-Salerno”
Journey time: approx. 50 minutes
Ticket cost: 2.20 euro
Arrival: stop “Pompei Scavi”
More information at Orari Sita Sud – Linea 5001 – Napoli – Salerno (Locale) – Sitabus.it
- Flixbus:
Departure: Metropark Centrale (a parking lot located just behind Napoli Centrale railway station)
Journey time: approx. 40 minutes
Ticket cost: 4.50 euro
Arrival: Piazza Falcone e Borsellino in Pompei. You can reach the entrance of Piazza Immacolata in about 10 minutes on foot or by taxi.
Pros and cons of getting to Pompeii by bus
Pros: it might be cheaper than train
Cons: frequent traffic jams, especially during the weekends
Choose it if: you are not in a hurry and you plan to spend the whole day in Pompei
Getting from Naples to Pompeii by car
If you decide to rent a car in Naples in order to be free to wander around the coast and maybe enjoy some relaxation on the beach, take advantage of that and use it to get to Pompeii too! Take the motorway named “A3 Napoli-Salerno” (towards Salerno) and take the exit named Pompei Ovest. Once there, take the highway SS18 and follow the signs “Pompei Villa dei Misteri”. The journey will take about 35 minutes. The cost of the motorway is 2.50 euros from Naples.
Where to park: there are a few parking lots close to the archeological park, but they are often full and also a bit expensive (3 euro/h). The main one is Zeus Parking, which is located close to the station of Pompei Scavi.
Pros and cons of getting to Pompeii by car
Pros: freedom to plan your visit according to your own needs and to make your own schedule. You can also stop along the way or make some detours to visit Ercolano, Paestum, or Mount Vesuvius.
Cons: frequent traffic jams and expensive parking lots
Driving is not the best way to get to Pompei from Naples
The best way to explore the area around Pompeii is by having your own car. I recommend booking a car through Discover Cars where you can compare all rental car agencies’ prices, and you can cancel or modify your booking for free. They also guarantee the best price. Click here for more information and to check the latest prices.
Visiting Pompeii with a guided tour
If you don’t feel like planning, driving, worrying about wasting time or money, and so on…take it easy and join one of the many guided tours available in Naples!
A few recommended tours:
- Visit also the famous and spectacular Vesuvius: Naples or Sorrento: Full-Day Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius Tour.
- Visit another interesting archeological park: Pompeii and Herculaneum: Private Tour from Naples.
- If you only have a few hours to visit Pompei, a half-day guided tour is what you need: Pompeii: Half-Day Excursion from Naples or Sorrento.
- If Naples is just a stop to your cruise: Full-Day Pompeii, Positano & Sorrento Shore Excursion.
- Add a wine tasting experience to your day trip: From Naples: Private Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius, and Winery Tour.
Pros and cons of visiting Pompei on guided tour
Pros: you can squeeze in a few other visits and you’ll have the chance to learn more about what you see thanks to your guide
Cons: it’s a more expensive way of visiting famous places and it’s also less flexible
Choose it if: you’ll be travelling with kids and/or elderly people and you need a simple and perfectly organized solution in order to avoid any issues or delays.
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