A visit to Pompeii is one of Italy’s most fascinating history lessons, and if you’re already traveling between Rome, Naples, Sorrento, and the Amalfi Coast, it’s an easy stop to add without much extra effort.
Pompeii sits directly along the Circumvesuviana and Campania Express routes between Naples and Sorrento, with luggage storage right at the Pompeii Scavi station. That combination makes it easy to visit while you’re already in transit. Stash your bags, tour the ruins for a few hours, and continue on your way. It’s a far more time-efficient way to see Pompeii than day-tripping back and forth from Naples, Sorrento, or the Amalfi Coast.
Here’s exactly how to fit Pompeii into your own trip, including where to store your luggage while you tour the ruins.
The Essentials
TRAIN | Circumvesuviana or Campania Express from Naples, get off at Pompei Scavi–Villa dei Misteri
TRAVEL TIME FROM NAPLES | About 36 minutes
DISTANCE TO THE RUINS | A 5-minute walk from the station to the entrance
LUGGAGE STORAGE | Available at the station, or free (space permitting) at the Porta Marina entrance
TIME NEEDED | 1–2 hours for a quick visit; a half day to see it all
HOURS | 9 am–7 pm, April–October; 9 am–5 pm, November–March
TRAVEL TIME TO SORRENTO | About 30 minutes
Traveling from Rome to Pompeii
Since Pompeii sits directly on the train line between Naples and Sorrento, working it into your Rome-to-Sorrento journey doesn’t require any extra travel.
Getting to Naples
Start with a train from Rome to Naples (about 70 minutes to 2 hours, depending on which train you book; see our full guide to traveling from Rome to Sorrento for a detailed comparison of every option). Aim for an early departure; leaving Rome around 8 am gets you into Naples by mid-morning, with the whole day still ahead of you for Pompeii and beyond.
One thing to double-check when booking: make sure your ticket has you arriving at Napoli Centrale, the main station. Some Frecciarossa and Italo trains from Rome stop at Napoli Afragola instead, a striking modern station, but it sits about 12 km outside the city center, with no direct connection to the Circumvesuviana or Campania Express. Ending up there means an extra transfer just to reach the platforms you actually need for Pompeii.
Naples to Pompeii
From Napoli Centrale, transfer to either the Campania Express or the Circumvesuviana for the short ride to Pompeii. It’s about 36 minutes either way.
The Campania Express is the better choice if it’s running (April through October): fewer stops, air conditioning, and guaranteed seating if you book ahead. Outside that window, or if you’re watching your budget, the Circumvesuviana gets you there just as reliably, if more slowly and without the comforts.
We rode the Circumvesuviana on our first trip, back before the Campania Express existed, and would recommend the upgrade if it’s running when you go.
On the Circumvesuviana
If you are traveling with luggage, it’s best to put it in the overhead luggage racks or stand with your luggage in the standing areas near the doors. If you put your luggage between you and the wall, this will help deter pickpockets.
Tickets and How to Get a Seat on the Circumvesuviana
Buy your Circumvesuviana ticket at the platform ticket office or a nearby tobacco shop, and validate it before boarding.
For the Campania Express, we recommend booking your tickets in advance. Get timetables and pricing here.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: Most people board at Napoli Garibaldi, the Circumvesuviana platform inside Napoli Centrale, which means it’s usually crowded by the time the train arrives. If you don’t mind an 8-minute walk, boarding instead at Porta Nolana, one stop earlier, will almost guarantee you a seat and space for your luggage.
Visiting Pompeii
Luggage Storage
Luggage is not allowed inside of Pompeii (no bags larger than 30 x 30 x 15 cm). If you are traveling with luggage, you can store it in the luggage storage facility (deposito bagagli) at the Pompeii Scavi station, for around €10 per bag. When we visited in 2022, it was on the upper level, though it’s possible it has since moved to the lower level.
There is also a free cloakroom at the Pompeii site where you can leave your luggage. However, the Pompeii website warns that they frequently run out of space. If you arrive mid-morning or later, there may not be available space to store your bags. Therefore, you may be better off storing your luggage at the train station. We used the luggage storage facilities on several occasions in Italy without any problems.
If both options are full, a couple of private storage services near the station are worth knowing about: Radical Storage, about a 2-minute walk from the station, or Tempio Travel, located right on the first floor of the station itself, near the Porta Marina entrance, or nearby at Hotel Zeus.
Visiting Pompeii
From the Pompeii Scavi station, it is a five-minute walk to the entrance of Pompeii.
You can purchase your tickets at the Pompeii entrance (€20 to €30 per person, depending on the ticket type). Lines can be long, especially midday. To avoid the lines, you can purchase your tickets online in advance.
You can spend as little as an hour or two visiting Pompeii, although for most people, it takes at least half a day to see it all. We wandered through Pompeii using Rick Steves’ tour in his guidebook. This is a good way to get an overview of Pompeii at a cheap price.
However, if you want to learn more, consider hiring a guide. Guides linger around the entrance to Pompeii offering walk-up tours, though prices for these informal group tours have crept up in recent years. Expect more than the €13 you may see quoted in older guides. For a set price, pre-booked private tours run roughly €200 per party.
Tours of Pompeii
Hours of Operation:
- April to October: 9 am – 7 pm
- November to March: 9 am – 5 pm
- Last entrance is 1.5 hours before closing
- Closed January 1, May 1, and December 25
- Get updated hours here.
Pompeii to Sorrento
After your tour of Pompeii, walk back to the Pompeii Scavi station, retrieve your luggage, and purchase a ticket for the Circumvesuviana line or Campania Express to Sorrento.
From my research, it’s not possible to purchase one ticket from Naples to Sorrento, get off at Pompeii, and use that same ticket to continue on to Sorrento afterward.
When you buy a ticket from Naples to Sorrento, it’s valid for 180 minutes. The trip itself takes about 70 to 75 minutes, so technically you could fit in a stop at Pompeii and still make it to Sorrento on the same ticket, but that leaves only about 100 minutes total for the archaeological site, including the walk to and from the station and retrieving your luggage. You’d only have time for a quick, partial visit, not the half day most people want. The savings are minimal, and maybe not worth rushing through one of Italy’s best sites.
Pompeii to the Amalfi Coast
To get from Pompeii to one of the towns on the Amalfi Coast, you have several options. Using public transportation, you can take the Campania Express Train or the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento. From Sorrento you can take a ferry, a private driver, or the SITA bus to Positano or Amalfi.
The only direct way to get from Pompeii to the Amalfi Coast is by taxi or by hiring a driver. This is much more convenient than making multiple transfers, but it will cost more money.
How to Travel from Rome to Sorrento, Capri & the Amalfi Coast
Best way to get from Rome to Sorrento, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast, based on budget and convenience.About Booking Train Tickets
There are two competing companies in Italy, Trenitalia and Italo. They offer slightly cheaper fares than Trenitalia if you book your tickets in advance.
Purchasing tickets in advance is not necessary but it does have advantages. The main advantage is getting a cheaper fare. As more seats are sold in advance, ticket prices go up. The best time to buy your tickets is right after the seats are made available. Tickets are available for purchase 60 days in advance with Trenitalia and 4 months in advance for Italo. Also, making an early reservation guarantees you a seat on the high speed trains.
It is recommended that you also book your tickets on the Campania Express in advance. You cannot purchase tickets for the Circumvesuviana line in advance.
To Purchase Your Tickets Online:
Trenitalia: trenitalia.com
Italo: italotreno.it
Plan Your Trip to Italy
- Continuing on to Sorrento, Capri, or the Amalfi Coast? → Our How to Travel from Rome to Sorrento, Capri & the Amalfi Coast guide covers every leg of the journey.
- Deciding where to stay once you arrive? → Our Where to Stay on the Amalfi Coast guide breaks it down by town and budget.
- Planning your time in Sorrento? → Our Three Days in Sorrento, Italy guide covers the town and its best day trips.
- Adding Capri to your itinerary? → Our Best Things to Do in Capri guide covers the island’s highlights.
- Want to see more ancient ruins nearby? → Our How to Visit Paestum, Italy guide covers three well-preserved Greek temples just south of Salerno.
- Planning the rest of your Italy trip? Our Italy Travel Guide covers Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, Sicily, and more.
Comment below if you have any questions about how to visit Pompeii when traveling between Rome and the Amalfi Coast.
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