The Europe CruiseFor the American voyager

Salerno

Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The short answer

Salerno is the practical gateway to the Amalfi Coast: you dock near town and catch a ferry to Amalfi and Positano. Ferries are calmer and faster than the twisting coast road. Do Amalfi (and maybe Positano) or Pompeii, not both.

Getting ashoreShip docks
Distance to townWalking distance to the seafront and old town (exact distance not verified). The Amalfi Coast ferries leave from the Salerno waterfront near Piazza della Concordia, three blocks from the train station (Wikivoyage).
Gateway forAmalfi, Positano, Ravello, Vietri sul Mare; Paestum Greek temples; Pompeii
Ferry (Travelmar and others) to Amalfi and PositanoNot verified on the operator site · Not verified; check Travelmar 'Timetable & Rates'
On the chart

Where Salerno lies

Antique-style chart of Western Mediterranean with ports markedSalernoAvignonBarcelonaRomeGenoaMarseilleRavennaSavonaVallettaAjaccioAlicanteAlmeríaAmalfi and PositanoBastiaBilbaoCadizCagliariCannesCartagenaCataniaGibraltarIbizaLa SpeziaLivornoMahón, MenorcaMalagaMessinaMonacoNaplesOlbiaPalermoPalma de MallorcaPortoferraioPortofino / Santa Margherita LigurePulaRovinjSaint-TropezSèteŠibenikSorrentoTarragonaToulonValenciaVillefranche-sur-Mer and NiceZadar

Where your ship docks

Ships dock in Salerno's commercial port, at the cruise terminal (Stazione Marittima) on Molo Manfredi, near the city center.

Shuttle. Not verified; most passengers walk into town.

From the gangway

Getting to the sights

The wayTimeCost
Ferry (Travelmar and others) to Amalfi and PositanoNot verified on the operator siteNot verified; check Travelmar 'Timetable & Rates'
SITA bus to AmalfiAbout 1 hour+; slow in summer traffic (Wikivoyage)Not verified on SITA site
Train to PompeiiNot verifiedNot verified
Train to PaestumNot verifiedNot verified

Ferry (Travelmar and others) to Amalfi and Positano

Time Not verified on the operator siteCost Not verified; check Travelmar 'Timetable & Rates'
  1. Walk to the ferry piers on the Salerno waterfront (near Piazza della Concordia).
  2. Buy a ticket at the kiosk or online.
  3. Positano is usually reached via Amalfi.

Travelmar says it runs all year, but winter service is reduced; ferries stop in rough seas.

SITA bus to Amalfi

Time About 1 hour+; slow in summer traffic (Wikivoyage)Cost Not verified on SITA site
  1. Buy tickets before boarding (at bars, tobacco shops or the SITA office); they are not sold on board (Wikivoyage).
  2. Validate the ticket on the bus.

Very winding; motion sickness is common. SITA posted new coast timetables from Nov 2, 2026.

Train to Pompeii

Time Not verifiedCost Not verified
  1. Regional train from Salerno to Pompei; check Trenitalia.

Pompeii uses named tickets.

Train to Paestum

Time Not verifiedCost Not verified
  1. Regional train south to Paestum station.

Greek temples, less crowded than Pompeii.

Worth the trip

What to see

Amalfi town and Cathedral

Striped cathedral, Cloister of Paradise, lemon shops.

How
Ferry.
Time
2-3 hours
Tickets
Cathedral/cloister about 3 euros (Wikivoyage; not verified on the official site).

Positano

The famous cliffside village of pastel houses.

How
Ferry (often via Amalfi).
Time
2 hours
Tickets
Free.

Ravello

Hilltop gardens (Villa Rufolo, Villa Cimbrone) with huge sea views.

How
Bus from Amalfi.
Time
2-3 hours
Tickets
Not verified.

Salerno old town and Duomo

Medieval cathedral and lively seafront promenade.

How
Walk.
Time
1.5 hours
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; walk to the ferry piers.
  2. 8:30 First good ferry to Amalfi (check times the day before).
  3. 9:30-11:30 Amalfi Cathedral and town.
  4. 11:45 Ferry Amalfi to Positano (if running).
  5. 12:15-14:00 Positano and lunch.
  6. 14:15 Ferry back toward Salerno (may need to change at Amalfi).
  7. 16:00 Back in Salerno; walk to the ship. Leave at least 90 minutes of spare time; if ferries are cancelled the road is slow.
Wise counsel

What goes wrong, and how to avoid it

Beware

  • Ferries can be cancelled in rough seas.
  • The coast road is narrow, crowded and slow; buses can be full.
  • Positano has many steep steps.
  • Italy has frequent announced transport strikes (trains, buses, ferries), often on Fridays. Check the Italian Ministry of Transport strike list (scioperi.mit.gov.it) the week before your port day.

Do this

  • Take the ferry out and back if seas are calm; keep the bus as a backup.
  • Buy SITA bus tickets before you board.
  • Note the time of the last ferry that gets you back with 90 minutes to spare.
Practical matters

Fees, money and access

Rules & fees

  • No cruise visitor caps found for Salerno.

Accessibility

Salerno's seafront is flat. Ferries have steps and gangways. Amalfi's center is fairly flat; Positano is mostly steep steps.

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 or at 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

Palma de MallorcaSpain Ship docksValenciaSpain Ship docksMalagaSpain Ship docksCartagenaSpain Ship docksCadizSpain Ship docksGibraltarUnited Kingdom (British Overseas Territory) Ship docksMarseilleFrance Ship docksToulonFrance Ship docks
Sources & what we could not confirm · 4 sources · checked 2026-11
Still being confirmed
  • Exact terminal location and walking distance to ferry piers.
  • Ferry fares and trip times (Travelmar pages did not load).
  • SITA bus fares.
  • Amalfi Cathedral and Ravello garden prices.