Is it possible to see Vesuvius and Pompeii in one day?
To see the most interesting monuments of Pompeii, you will need no more than two or three hours, which is usually how long the tour guides charge. For a more detailed study of the dead city you can spend more. Many people allocate a whole day to Pompeii.
For Vesuvius, 2 hours will suffice, along with traversing the path to the crater and taking selfies to remember.
Road:
- Between Naples and Pompeii is approximately 25—40 minutes, a distance of 25 kilometers.
- From Naples to Vesuvius is a 1.5 hour bus ride, a distance of 22 kilometers (so long because of the speed limit on the serpentine road).
- From Pompeii to Vesuvius is 17 km, 1 hour by bus.
In all cases, take a round-trip ticket: there may be lines at Pompeii.
How to get from Naples to Pompeii
You can get from Naples to Pompeii by bus, but the easiest way is by train.
The train from Naples to Pompeii.
The route belongs to the regional company Circumvesuviana (Circumvesuviana) and passes through the station located right at the main entrance to Pompeii: it is convenient and time-efficient.
From Naples, most tourists go to Pompeii from the central station. In a few minutes, the train is filled to capacity and there may not be enough seats. Be cunning: walk 800 m from the central station to the Porta Nolana station — this is the starting point of the train, it is difficult to get lost there and there are no queues, but it is rarely used by tourists, so you will have time to take a seat. The ticket office is located right in front of the station entrance, to the right will be the exit to the trains.
If you depart from Napoli Centrale (Napoli P.Garibaldi), you will need to find the southernmost platform, which is underground. As a rule, trains to Sorrento depart from track 3. It is better to enter the platform from the south side of the station, there will be a separate entrance and ticket office. Watch the screens carefully and make sure that the train is going to Sorrento and not Sarno.
Tickets are not sold online, only at the station. At the ticket office you need a ticket for Pompei Scavi station, Naples-Sorrento line.
In Pompeii you will arrive at platform 1, get off just outside the station and go to the entrance of Pompeii to the right. It is difficult to get lost there.
The return route is the same, only the trains depart from platform 2, so you will need to go through the underpass.
- Tariff zone: NA3
- Ticket price: 2,8 € one-way without connections.
- Travel time: approximately 25 minutes.
- Frequency: 2—3 times per hour, from 6am to 10pm.
Check the exact timetable on the website of the carrier EAV, document NAPOLI — SORRENTO L1.
The fare zone and current ticket price can be checked on the Unicicampania website.
Bus from Naples to Pompeii
Buses lose to trains: the bus station is located far from the station, and the road takes almost twice as long, there is a risk of getting into traffic jams, of which there are many in this direction. The buses themselves, making a stop in Pompeii, are few. Therefore, if the question is how to get to Pompeii — by train or bus, it is better to choose the train.
If you decide to take the bus, you will have to go down to the port and find the bus station. Sometimes the bus stops at Napoli Centrale, but not always.
The timetable can be checked on the official website of the bus company Sita Sud, line Napoli — Nocera — Salerno.
How to get from Pompeii to Vesuvius and back
There is an EAV bus service between Pompeii and Vesuvius.
Check the official EAV website for the latest timetable, see the document Pompei-Vesuvio.pdf. You can catch the bus at several stops, but the easiest is at the main entrance of the Pompeii Museum, next to the train station.
Get off at the Cap Vesuvio q.1000 stop. From there you can follow the signs to the volcano (and throw a coin inside, of course) and explore the surrounding area.
How to get to Vesuvius from Naples
Like Pompeii, Vesuvius can be reached from Naples by bus or train. Both options fall into the NA2 fare zone, take about 20 minutes, cost 2.2 € one way and arrive at Ercolano Scavi station.
From the station you can climb the volcano on foot, if you are not afraid of the 8 km distance, or you can take a bus for 10 euros. Buses specifically for climbing the volcano are parked right outside the Ercolano Scavi station. Departures are regular. Remember the return departure time, because at the stop on Vesuvius the driver is waiting with a sign with the corresponding departure time.
Naples to Vesuvius train
For such a trip, you need a Circumvesuviana train, Napoli — Sorrento flight, just as you would for a trip to Pompeii.
For up-to-date train schedules, please check the EAV website, document NAPOLI — SORRENTO L1
Bus Naples — Vesuvius
From the bus stop at Porta Nolana and Napoli Centrale stations, there is a bus to the Ercolano Scavi stop.
Route: Vesuvius and Pompeii in one day
A rough itinerary for a trip to Vesuvius and Pompeii by public transportation:
- Circumvesuviana train, Naples — Pompeii. Departing at 9.09 from Porta Nolana station, arriving at Pompei Scavi at 9.47.
- Walk around Pompeii — 2.5 hours. Lunch in Pompeii — 1 hour.
- By bus from Pompeii to Vesuvius. Departure at 14.00, arrival at 14.55
- Climb Vesuvius on foot or by bus, walk and rest ~2.5 hours.
- From Vesuvius descend to Ercolano Scavi station. Departure to Naples by train at 17.34 / 17.55 / 18.30 etc. If you have any energy left, you can walk around the town of Ercolano, have dinner here and leave by any train to Naples, which runs until about 10-11pm.
If you’re not sure if a couple hours will be enough for you to see the great in every sense Pompeii, you can go to the volcano first. The path is not steep, there are handrails and benches to rest. After it, any remaining energy you have can be used in Pompeii.
