It’s surprisingly easy to get to Pompeii from Naples, which is the closest big city to this ancient site in Italy’s Campania region. Whether you want to make the journey on your own with public transport or as part of a tour, here’s all the info you’ll need.
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We made the journey from Naples to Pompeii on a particularly sweltering day in late August. In fact it was so very sweltering hot that the temperature actually rose to over 40ºC that day; suffice to say we were glad to be out of the chaotic streets of Naples and out into the surprising calm of Pompeii. Having arrived in Naples on a cruise ship- where, particularly for crew members like us, regular clock-watching is the norm when you’re out and about- it was surprisingly easy to navigate our way out to Pompeii, and back to the ship, without feeling rushed.
As a full disclaimer, my favourite method of visiting anywhere in the world, is slowly and under my own steam, but whether you’ve got time on your hands or not, a day trip from Naples to Pompeii is well worth the journey.
From Pompeii to Naples: the options
- The Circumvesuviana train. The cheapest option, runs regularly, but no guarantee of a seat or working air conditioning.
- The Campania Express train. The ‘tourist train.’ Runs less frequently, is more expensive, but has numbered seating and luggage storage available.
- A booked tour. Less flexible than travelling on your own but generally tours include ticket entry to Pompeii, and sometimes include other stops throughout the day. This is a great stress-free option.
- A shuttle service from Naples to Pompeii. Normally these are group shuttles which include travel to and from the ancient city, but don’t include entry.
- A taxi. This is the most expensive option but if you want full flexibility and are willing to splash the cash this might be for you.
The Eternal Land of Fires: One Day in Pompeii
Visiting Pompeii: FAQs
What is the best way to get to Pompeii from Naples?
I really enjoyed visiting Pompeii by train, not just for the freedom and flexibility to come and go without much of a time restriction, but also for the teeny tiny adventure of navigating the Napoli Metro and then the train system, by ourselves. It’s the little things in life, isn’t it? So for a cost-effective, slower-paced way of visiting, I would recommend travelling to Pompeii by train.
If you want convenience, and a potentially less-stressful experience, I’d recommend a tour where everything is booked and taken care of for you. This is particularly good if you’re only in the city for a day or two, and time is of the essence. I’ve listed the best day trips to Naples further down this post.
Is it actually possible to explore Pompeii in one day?
I was genuinely taken aback by the size of Pompeii; I’d been expecting more of a village, but this was definitely a colossal city. Having said that, one day in Pompeii is definitely enough.
We spent about three and a half hours exploring the ruins, which are incredibly well-preserved, and although we didn’t see everything I definitely felt happy with the amount of time we had there. (Plus, in 40ºc heat, three and a half hours was just about our limit.)
How much are tickets to Pompeii?
If you buy them directly from the ticket office at Pompeii, tickets range from €18-26 depending on which parts of the city you want to visit, and whether you want a guided tour as well.
When buying through a ticket agent (for a skip-the-line ticket), you can expect to pay between €22-30.
Is it worth buying tickets to Pompeii in advance?
I’ll be completely honest with you here, pals. We visited Pompeii in late August, and arrived at the entrance at around midday. Expecting big queues to get in (everything I had read online said to expect queues of 1-2 hours), we had pre-booked our tickets that morning via a ticket agent, and of course as they were ‘skip-the-line’ tickets, they were slightly more expensive than if we’d have bought them directly at the entrance. Perhaps it was down to the heat, or maybe our midday arrival, but when we arrived, there was not a line in sight. We needn’t have bought the more expensive tickets at all.
Possibly, in fact probably, our completely queue-less experience was the exception, not the rule, and if I went again I’d probably still book skip-the-line tickets, just in case. But I’d be doing you a disservice if I wasn’t completely honest about our experience.
If you do decide to pre-book tickets, this is a great option with Viator; your purchase is fully protected and cancellable. You also have the option of a guided tour with your ticket.
Can you just show up to Pompeii?
If you want to chance it, and just show up to Pompeii, it is of course very possible! You can buy tickets from the ticket office at the entrance to the park (it’s very well-signposted from the train station, and only a few minutes walk away). You can pay by cash or card.
What should I wear to visit Pompeii?
The most important thing you’ll need when visiting the ruined city, is comfortable shoes! Pompeii is a humungous city; add uncomfortable footwear and blisters into the mix and it’s a recipe for disaster.
If it’s a hot day, bear in mind you’ll be outside and will definitely need sun protection. Either a hat and sunglasses, or some extra-strength suncream’ll do the trick.
Travelling to Pompeii from Naples: the options
Catch the train from Naples to Pompeii
If you, too, are arriving in Naples on a ship, and want to make the whole journey yourself via train, you can save time by catching the Metro from directly outside the cruise port. (Look for the red ‘M’ sign which marks the Metro stations.) Buy a ticket from a machine in the station- you can pay with cash or card, either a single ticket for €1.30 or a daily ticket for €3.50- and then jump on the L1 from Università to Piazza Garibaldi.
At Piazza Garibaldi, exit the station, then cross over the road to enter Napoli Centrale station. The train from Naples to Pompeii runs from here. To buy tickets (you can only buy these at the station, from the ticket office or one of the news stands in the station), head downstairs to the lower level and follow signs for platform 3.
Now, pals, this part can get a little chaotic. Naples itself is a frantic kind of a city, so it goes without saying that the train station is equally as crazy-paced, and the queues for the ticket booths can be overwhelming. So leave plenty of time to get your train, and pay attention to which windows accept card or cash only to save yourself some awkwardness.
The cheap and cheerful option: The Circumvesuviana
The cheapest train from Naples to Pompeii Scavi (that’s the name of the station), is the Circumvesuviana which runs approximately every half an hour; and at a mere €2.60 one way, it’s an absolute bloomin’ bargain. The journey also only takes about half an hour. Get the train from platform 3; you’ll need the train with the final destination marked as Sorrento.
Something to bear in mind: there’s a flight of stairs to get from the ticket office down to platform 3, and no elevator or escalator.
As the cheapest option, the Circumvesuviana train can get very crowded, and there isn’t a scrap of air conditioning to be found, so if you’re overly averse to standing for too long in the heat, this might not be the mode of transport for you. We were lucky enough to get a seat on the journey from Naples to Pompeii, however we spent the return journey standing in the style of sardines on the London tube.
Check train times for the Circumvesuviana here.
The comfortable option: The Campania Express
If you’d actually rather have a guaranteed sit-down, and a gasp of actual air-conditioned oxygen, the more expensive Campania Express is the option for you. (I get it, it’s okay.)
Tickets are €15 one way, or €25 for a return ticket, and seating is numbered so you’re guaranteed an actual seat. The only real downside aside from the steeper price tag, is that this train doesn’t run as often as the Circumvesuviana, and that passengers can only catch the specific train that their tickets are booked for.
You can buy tickets for the Campania Express either at the Circumvesuviana ticket office (at least 20 minutes before the train departs), or online from the EAV website, who will email your ticket to you.
Check the train times for the Campania Express here.
Most popular tours to Pompeii from Naples
If you don’t want the stress of navigating Napoli Centrale, a tour is a good option. This full day trip includes pick up and drop off in Naples, plus skip-the-line tickets to Pompeii and to walk around the crater of Mount Vesuvius.
Or if you’ve got less time on your hands (or don’t fancy climbing a volcano), this half-day guided tour of Pompeii is a good option. It also includes tickets to the ruins, and transport to and from Pompeii.
I’m much more of a slow traveller myself, but if you’re more of a jam-packed-itinerary person, I’ve got you: this tour takes you from Naples along the Amalfi Coast via Positano and Sorrento, then to the ruins of Pompeii, with a couple of hours at each stop. Ticket entry to Pompeii isn’t included, but you can either book this in advance or when you arrive.
Finally, book this tour from Naples to Pompeii if you want your meal sorted for you too. You’ll be with a guide for the entire trip to Pompeii and Vesuvius, and you’ll have lunch in a restaurant after your visit to the ruins. (On a crowded day this could be really helpful, eliminating queues to enter the ruins, and to have a seat in a restaurant.)
Book a shuttle between Naples and Pompeii
Alternatively, you could book a slot on a shuttle service travelling between Naples and Pompeii, which is a no-frills option where you just pay for the transport, normally in a shared minibus or minivan. (You’ll still have to arrange tickets for Pompeii by yourself.)
Check out this popular round-trip shuttle with Viator, which is in an air-conditioned minibus. Or this shuttle bus with Get Your Guide is a classic sightseeing bus experience, with an audioguide to listen to on the journey.
Get a taxi to Pompeii
If you want the convenience of a taxi, it is of course possible to catch a cab from Naples to Pompeii; however this is definitely the most expensive option. (Other than taking a private helicopter, I guess.)
The Uber app does work in Naples, however it’s basically attached to the local taxi companies; so price-wise there’s no real difference between using Uber and hailing a cab.
The journey one way will set you back at least €110.
However you decide to get there, a visit to Pompeii is one of those things you have to do when you’re Naples. This part of Italy is magical, and to see so much history right in the stunning shadow of Mount Vesuvius, is a mind-blowing experience which is worth every penny.
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