Pompeii is one of the most popular tourist attraction in Italy. It is located very close to Naples and a few hours away from Rome but well within a one-day trip from the eternal city. There are several day tours that can get you there but if you choose to go independently, this post will show how you can make the trip between the two cities by train.
Getting to Pompeii from Rome is pretty easy. There are no direct trains from Rome. I believe the fastest way would be to get to Naples first and then take a circumvesuviana train to Pompei Scavi station.
I booked my tickets from Rome to Naples using the Capitaine Train app. It was seamless and easy. I’ve heard that there are some issues associated with direct purchase of tickets, printing, getting a time and getting them stamped. I didn’t encounter any of this, so you should consider booking through an app such as this one.
There are frequent trains from Roma Termini station to Napoli Centrale. The price (and duration) would vary based on the time you book and the class that you choose to go with. In my opinion, it makes more sense to go with the second class carriage for such a short trip, especially if you have no luggage. But sometimes, the tickets pretty much cost the same. In that case, go with first 🙂
Once you get off at the Napoli Centrale station, just follow the signs for the circumvesuviana trains or ask for directions at any of the information offices. This train runs from the same station (Napoli Centrale) although it is named differently (Garibaldi Station).
The line to Pompeii goes from Naples to Sorrento, with several stops along the way. You would need to purchase your tickets within the station and you can only do so using cash. If I remember correctly, it costs about €2.50 or a price close to this but basically, the fares are pretty cheap. There are no seat reservations and the carriages tend to be crowded but in the 45 minutes it takes you to get to Pompeii, you should have some luck getting seated.
If you plan to return on the same day, consider getting a return ticket from the Napoli Centrale station so you don’t have to waste any time queuing up to purchase this again. The trip back is the same way. Take the train from Pompei Scavi heading towards Napoli Centrale (or Garibaldi Station) and then get on your return train to Rome.
