Naples

Gateway to Pompeii, Herculaneum, Capri, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Naples old town

Photo: PaestumPaestum, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The short answer

Pompeii is reached by the Circumvesuviana train to 'Pompei Villa dei Misteri'. Pompeii tickets are named, capped at 20,000 a day, and cost 20 euros (Pompeii Express) or 25 euros (with suburban villas). Winter hours: 9:00 am-5:00 pm, last entry 3:30 pm.

Getting ashoreShip docks
Distance to townThe terminal is in the city center (walk to the old center unverified).
Gateway forPompeii, Herculaneum, Capri, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Naples old town
Circumvesuviana train (EAV) to Pompeiinot confirmed · not confirmed
On the chart

Where Naples lies

From the gangway

Getting to the sights

The wayTimeCost
Circumvesuviana train (EAV) to Pompeiinot confirmednot confirmed
Trenitalia FS Napoli-Salerno line to Pompeiinot confirmednot confirmed
Ferry or hydrofoil to Capri / Sorrentonot confirmednot confirmed

Circumvesuviana train (EAV) to Pompeii

Time not confirmedCost not confirmed
  1. Walk or taxi to Napoli Garibaldi / Porta Nolana Circumvesuviana station.
  2. Take the Napoli-Sorrento line.
  3. Get off at Pompei Villa dei Misteri for the Porta Marina and Piazza Esedra entrances.
  4. Alternative: the Napoli-Poggiomarino line to Pompei Santuario serves the Piazza Anfiteatro entrance.

EAV: six direct trains an hour between Napoli and Torre Annunziata on the new timetable. Contactless 'Tap&Go' card payment works at enabled turnstiles on the Napoli-Sorrento line; tickets also via the GoEav app. EAV says its own fares stayed the same from Oct 1, 2026, but no fare figure is published on its pages (fare search is on unicocampania.it, which blocks automated reading). Crowded; watch your bag.

Trenitalia FS Napoli-Salerno line to Pompeii

Time not confirmedCost not confirmed
  1. From Napoli Centrale to Pompei station.
  2. Pompei Link train+bus connects the station to the park in about 15 minutes.

Route confirmed by Pompeii Archaeological Park; Trenitalia's site gives no fare without a booking search.

Ferry or hydrofoil to Capri / Sorrento

Time not confirmedCost not confirmed
  1. Walk to Molo Beverello next to the cruise terminal (unverified).

NLG and Alilauro both list Napoli Beverello-Capri and Napoli Beverello-Sorrento, but their fare and time pages could not be loaded. Sea conditions can cancel boats.

Worth the trip

What to see

Pompeii

Roman city buried by Vesuvius in 79 AD.

How
Circumvesuviana to Pompei Villa dei Misteri.
Time
3-4 hours
Tickets
Pompeii Express 20 euros; Pompeii+ (with Villa of the Mysteries, Villa Regina) 25 euros; EU 18-25: 2 euros. Tickets are personal (named). Daily limit 20,000. Mar 16-Oct 14 time slots apply. Winter (Oct 15-Mar 15): 9:00 am-5:00 pm, last entry 3:30 pm. Summer: 9:00 am-7:00 pm, last entry 5:30 pm. Closed Dec 25, Jan 1. Buy online (vivaticket.it) or at the entrances.

National Archaeological Museum

Mosaics and treasures from Pompeii.

How
Metro or taxi in Naples.
Time
2 hours
Tickets
9:00 am-7:30 pm; closed Tuesdays. Price not verified.

Naples historic center (Spaccanapoli)

Churches, pizza, street life.

How
Walk or taxi.
Time
2-3 hours
Tickets
Free to walk.

Capri

Island views, Anacapri, Blue Grotto.

How
Ferry.
Time
Full day
Tickets
Not verified.
A day ashore

Your day, hour by hour

Planned for a typical call. Check your ship's all-aboard time and be back an hour early. The ship will not wait.

  1. 8:00 Off the ship; taxi to the Circumvesuviana station.
  2. 8:30 Train to Pompei Villa dei Misteri.
  3. 9:15 Enter Pompeii (named ticket, bring passport).
  4. 9:15-12:30 Pompeii.
  5. 12:45 Lunch near the entrance.
  6. 13:45 Train back to Naples.
  7. 14:45 Taxi to the old center for pizza or a short walk.
  8. 16:00 Back to the terminal. On board 60 minutes before all-aboard.
Wise counsel

What goes wrong, and how to avoid it

Beware

  • Circumvesuviana trains can be crowded, hot and delayed.
  • Italy has frequent announced transport strikes (trains, local buses, ferries), often on Fridays. A national general strike was called for Oct 30, 2026 and then postponed (EAV notice), and the Uffizi listed a strike day on Oct 30, 2026. Check the Italian Ministry of Transport strike list (scioperi.mit.gov.it) the week before your port day.
  • Pompeii has little shade, uneven Roman paving stones and few toilets.
  • Pickpockets on trains and around Garibaldi station.
  • Naples traffic is heavy.

Do this

  • Pompeii closes earlier in winter: last entry 3:30 pm.
  • Visit the Naples Archaeological Museum on a rainy day (not Tuesday).
Practical matters

Fees, money and access

Rules & fees

  • Pompeii tickets are nominative; carry ID.
  • No exit and re-entry on one ticket.
  • Pompeii Artebus shuttle links sites but is not wheelchair accessible.

Accessibility

Pompeii has a few accessible routes but most streets are rough stone with high curbs. Circumvesuviana trains and stations have steps. A ship tour is easier.

Money

Euro (EUR). Visa and Mastercard work in most shops, restaurants and museums; tap-to-pay is common. Carry 20-40 euros in cash for small cafes, toilets, markets and some buses. Use a bank ATM (inside a bank) and always choose to be charged in euros, not dollars, when a card machine or ATM asks.

Onward

More of the Western Mediterranean

Sources & what we could not confirm · 7 sources · checked 2026-11