Did you even visit Naples if you didn’t take a day trip to Pompeii?Pompeii is one of the most popular excursions from Naples, Italy, and for good reason. The best part is it was way easier to get there than we thought! On our last visit, we took the Naples to Pompeii train to spend the morning exploring this amazing ancient site. Here’s what to know before you go, including helpful tips, and all about our fun day in Southern Italy.
Our First Trip to Naples Italy
We actually visited Pompeii back in 2016 during a tour of Italy’s Almafi Coast. Since this was part of a larger tour, we knew wanted to go back someday to see it again with more time.
So when we planned a visit to the city of Naples, we knew we had to return! On this trip, we decided to use the Naples to Pompeii train, as it was the cheapest and most efficient way to get there.
Lucky for us, it was also a holiday weekend in Italy, where the admission to many historic sites were free! On the flip side, we were a little worried about the big crowds before our visit.
This is something you’ll always want to note at famous tourist sites during the summer in Italy. Be sure to read our best tips for touring Pompeii later in this article.
How to Get From Naples to Pompeii
There are a few different options for getting to Pompeii from Naples. What you choose really depends on your own budget and travel style.
Drive Yourself: You can easily rent a car from the airport or city locations to make the 30 minute drive from Naples to Pompeii. Check out Discover Cars for the best rates and to compare different rental companies. We’ve used this website for the last several years in Europe and have gotten deals for under $10 a day!
Due to the crazy traffic in the city, we would only rent a vehicle if you’re including it in part of a bigger road trip. There’s really no reason to have a car in the city, as parking and driving will be a nightmare.
Taxi or Private Car: Another easy way to get to Pompeii is to hire a driver. We took Taxi’s all around Naples during our time there, and were impressed that they were always on time when we called beforehand to book them.
We took a short taxi ride to the central train station to start our day since we were staying on the other side of the city. The driver quoted us 80 Euros to go all the way from Naples to Pompeii, but we decided to stick with the train.
Take a Pompeii Tour: Another popular option is to take an official tour from Naples. Many companies like this one offer tours where the transportation is included with your Pompeii tickets.
You could also book a small group guided tour (this one has over 10,000 reviews!) without transport. Tours like this will take you inside Pompeii and help navigate the massive site. We would definitely recommend this if it’s your first trip to Italy and want a more in-depth look into the history.
Naples to Pompeii Train: We will explain additional specifics about the train ride next, but know that it’s super simple! Public transportation can often be overwhelming in cities like Naples.
Yet, we found the train to be very straight forward. There are also local buses that go from Naples to Pompeii if you’d prefer an alternative.
Our Naples to Pompeii Train Ride
We started off our Naples to Pompeii day trip bright and early at 7am. As we mentioned, we were staying in a different area of the city a bit far from the central train station.
For this reason, we took a short taxi ride to make sure we didn’t miss the train. We bought our tickets directly from the desk at the train station as you walk in. The cost was only 7 euros each for the round trip ticket.
One thing you’ll notice about Naples is that some trains are much nicer than others. The Naples to Pompeii train specifically has a ton of graffiti on the sides of the cars. The route is also a mix of locals and tourists, with many of the people from Naples going to the beaches of Sorrento on the same train.
It was absolutely packed in early June, so we can only imagine how busy it gets in July and August! Just before it arrived there was a rush of passengers trying to be the first to squeeze on the train.
If We Took the Naples to Pompeii Train Again…
You can also catch the train one stop before at Napoli Porta Nolana. Make sure to hop on the Circumvesuviana Line: Naples → Pompeii (Sorrento Line).
This gives you a much, much better chance of getting a seat. Standing on the packed train was fine, but obviously didn’t make for the most pleasant ride.
By taking an early train, we got to Pompeii just before it opened at 9am. There was a small line outside, but it was awesome to be one of the first people to enter the historic city.
One advantage of Pompeii being so large is that you’ll still find areas with no people… even when it’s super busy!
5 Tips For Touring Pompeii
Arrive Early: We can’t emphasize this enough! When we were leaving by mid-day, the amount of people had probably tripled at Pompeii.
Not only were the popular streets more packed later on, but it was also less hot in the morning. Definitely keep this in mind if you’re visiting Pompeii during the summer when the temperatures can be sweltering.
Buy Tickets in Advance: We got extremely fortunate that Pompeii had free entry on the holiday. However, we always buy our tickets ahead of time for ancient sites and museums.
Go to the official site here to get your ticket and beware of scammers and 3rd party sites. If you’re booking a tour during the peak season, you may want to do so a few weeks in advance.
Get a Tour Guide: Not having a guide was one thing we regret about our recent Naples to Pompeii day trip. There is just an overwhelming amount of history to discover here!
While there are plenty of placards and info available to see on your own, it’s always more interesting to have an expert to explain things to you. Next time we go to Pompeii we’ll definitely be hiring a guide.
Start on the Opposite Side: As you enter Pompeii, you’ll see that many of the large tour groups and visitors congregate at the main square. You will probably stop for a photo here, but we recommend actually moving past that and heading to further points on the other side.
From there, you can work your way back across Pompeii and avoid the crowds. We did it this way and felt like we had many places to ourselves. Of course, you’ll still run into hordes of other tourists as the morning goes on.
Research Beforehand: Make sure to read into Pompeii a bit before you go. This is especially true if you’re touring it yourself as we did without a guide.
It’s such a humongous site that you could spend days here and not see it all! Also, keep an eye out for new exhibits and special additions. There was a wonderful museum dedicated to the women of Pompeii during our visit.
Is a Naples to Pompeii Day Trip Worth it?
Absolutely! Pompeii is one of the most incredible historic sites to visit in Europe. The sheer size of what they’ve uncovered is remarkable and our minds were so blown.
This is truly a must-visit for any history lover. In addition to Pompeii being a spectacular ancient site, it’s also very easy to get to from Naples.
Whether you’re taking the Naples to Pompeii train or going with a private driver, it’s surely worth it for the experience. You can even visit in the morning and make it back to Naples for the afternoon if you plan your day right.
Have any questions about our article or want to share your own tips for a Naples to Pompeii day trip? Leave us a comment below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
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We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
