Getting There -- The Circumvesuviana Railway (tel. 800-053939) departs Naples every half-hour from Piazza Garibaldi. However, be sure you get on the train headed toward Sorrento and get off at Pompeii/Scavi (scavi means "ruins"). If you get on the Pompeii train, you'll end up in the town of Pompeii and have to transfer there to the other train to get to the ruins. A round-trip ticket costs 5€ ($6.50/£3.35); trip time is 45 minutes each way. Circumvesuviana trains leave Sorrento several times during the day for Pompeii, costing 1.80€ ($2.35/£1.20) one-way. There's an entrance about 46m (151 ft.) from the rail station at the Villa dei Misteri. At the rail station in the town of Pompeii, bus connections take you to the entrance to the excavations.
To reach Pompeii by car from Naples, take the 22km (14-mile) drive on the autostrada toward Salerno. If you're coming from Sorrento, head east on SS145, where you can connect with A3 (marked Napoli). Then take the signposted turnoff for Pompeii.
Visitor Information -- The tourist office is at Via Sacra 1 (tel. 081-8507255). It's open Monday to Friday 8am to 3:30pm (until 7pm Apr-Oct), and Saturday 8am to 2pm.
Logistical Tips -- After you pay for your entrance, you'll find a bookstore, where you can purchase guides to the ruins (available in English and complete with detailed photos) that will help you understand what you're seeing. We highly recommend that you purchase one before you set out.
If you're here on a sunny day, wear sunscreen and bring along a bottle of water. There's almost no place in Pompeii to escape the sun's rays, and it can often be dusty.
Pompeii Travel Experiences
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Village on the Sea
The first trial on this leg of the trip was getting the bus up the hill to our hotel. While the curvy road provided gorgeous scenic views... Continue reading »
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Pompeii, Mt. Vesuvius
It was another early day. The drive to Pompeii was 3 hours. On our ay we stopped at an espresso bar.&... Continue reading »
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Sorrento is for lovers and big beers
A 50 minute train ride from Naples the dump capital of the world is Sorrento. They are night and day. Sorrento is a beau... Continue reading »
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Sorrento
Departing Pompeii we head onwards for another 1.5 hr drive towards Sorrento where we are staying overnight. The coast of Sorrento is am... Continue reading »
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Lost on the Mediterranean Coastline
The 50 kilometer Mediterranean coastline between Sorrento and Almafi is “one of the 50 places must visit”, according to National Geograph... Continue reading »
