Sorrento to Pompeii by train

How do you get from Sorrento to Pompeii by train?

Take the Circumvesuviana (EAV) from Sorrento station towards Naples and get off at Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri, about 30 minutes later.

Sorrento is the end of the line, so every train in that direction passes Pompeii. Trains run about every 30 minutes through the day. In season (roughly April to October) there is also the Campania Express, an air-conditioned train with fewer stops and a higher fare; check the EAV site for its timetable.

Which station do you get off at?

Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri, which is right by the Porta Marina entrance to the ruins.

Do not confuse it with the Trenitalia station called just "Pompei", which is in the modern town and on a different line. From Pompei Scavi you walk a couple of minutes to the gate. The park has two other entrances, at Piazza Anfiteatro and Piazza Esedra.

How much is the train and how do you buy a ticket?

A few euros each way; buy it at Sorrento station before you board and validate it.

Published fares differ between sources, so check the price at the ticket office or machine rather than relying on a number online. Keep the ticket until you leave the station at the other end. Trains can be crowded in summer, especially in the morning, so start early and keep your bag in front of you.

How do you buy the Pompeii ticket?

At the entrance, at the self-service kiosks or online on the park's official seller; it costs €20 and carries your name.

Tickets are personal, so bring ID. The park caps entries at 20,000 a day. From 16 March to 14 October it is open 9:00 to 7:00 PM (last entry 5:30 PM); in winter 9:00 to 5:00 PM (last entry 3:30 PM). Under-18s enter free, and on the first Sunday of the month everyone does, which makes it the busiest day to go.

Want a guide without the queue? The half-day tour includes skip-the-line entry and about 2.5 hours inside.

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How do you add Vesuvius by public transport?

Take the EAV bus from Pompei up to the car park at about 1,000 metres, then walk the crater path; book a timed crater ticket online first.

The crater ticket costs €10 plus fees and is sold only online, for a set time slot, so choose a slot that matches the bus timetable with some margin. Timetables change, so check EAV before you go. From the car park it is a 30 to 40 minute climb to the rim. Access ends between 3:00 PM in winter and 6:00 PM in July and August. More in the crater hike guide.

What does a DIY Pompeii and Vesuvius day look like?

An early train, Pompeii from opening, then a bus up the volcano for an afternoon slot: doable, but with little slack.

• Early morning: train from Sorrento to Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri.
• 9:00: in at Porta Marina when the gates open; allow 2.5 to 3 hours.
• Lunch near the ruins.
• Bus from Pompei to the Vesuvius car park, timed for your crater slot.
• Climb, rim, back down, and the bus back to Pompei.
• Train back to Sorrento.

One late bus or a closed crater and the plan unravels, which is the honest reason most people book a tour for this pair.

What can you see on your own that tours skip?

The Amphitheatre and the Villa of the Mysteries, which the standard 2-hour tour loop does not reach.

Going on your own, you set the pace across the 66-hectare site. The Villa of the Mysteries, which gives the station its name, is just outside the walls, and the Amphitheatre is at the far eastern end. If Pompeii is the priority, a DIY day in the ruins may beat any tour.

When does a tour make more sense?

When you want both Pompeii and the crater in one day, are short on time, or would rather not manage trains, buses and a timed ticket.

A tour costs more than the train, but it takes care of the volcano logistics and puts a guide beside you in Pompeii. Compare the numbers in tour price vs DIY cost.

Frequently asked questions