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The cliffs of Sorrento rising from a blue sea under a bright sky

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Naples to Sorrento by train on the Circumvesuviana, via Herculaneum and Pompeii

Vesuvius on one side, the bay on the other, two buried Roman towns on the way and Sorrento at the end of the line.

The short answer

The Circumvesuviana from Napoli Porta Nolana and Napoli Garibaldi to Sorrento takes 75 minutes on EAV's timetable in force from 17 October 2026, with a direttissimo every 30 minutes from 05:30 to 22:00, 34 a day each way, the same on weekdays and Sundays. A single costs €4.60 (EAV fare, October 2026); there is no reservation, so buy at the station, in the GoEav app, or tap a contactless card at the gates. Herculaneum (Ercolano Scavi) is 18 minutes from Porta Nolana and Pompeii (Pompei Scavi) 39.

The Circumvesuviana is the train Neapolitans take to work, and it runs round the foot of the volcano that buried Pompeii. In 18 minutes it stops at the gates of Herculaneum, in 39 at Pompeii's, and in 75 it pulls into Sorrento above the sea, for €4.60. Since October 2026 a fast train leaves Naples every half hour, so the classic day of ruins and lemon groves needs no booking at all.

Italy

Naples to Sorrento
75 min
Trains, every day
every 30 min, 34 a day
Fare from (October 2026)
€4.60 single
Naples to Pompeii
36 to 39 min, €3.30
Naples to Herculaneum
15 to 18 min, €2.60
Season
all year

Why a commuter line under Vesuvius is one of Europe's great train rides

The line is short and the history along it is long. Out of Naples it keeps to the bay through Portici and Ercolano, with Vesuvius filling the windows on the inland side; past Torre Annunziata it swings along the edge of Pompeii itself, tunnels through to Castellammare di Stabia and then runs out along the cliffs of the Sorrento peninsula to the end of the line. On the way it serves all three parts of the UNESCO World Heritage site listed in 1997 as the archaeological areas of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata, buried in the eruption of AD 79.

It was built by a railway that was always reaching for Sorrento. Electric trains ran from Naples to Valle di Pompei from March 1905. In 1934 the line was pushed from Torre Annunziata to Castellammare past the ruins, with a new station at the Villa dei Misteri that Naples' Il Mattino described as decorated with Pompeian pergolas and colonnades. Sorrento travellers still changed to a tram. Work on the last 12.5 km began in July 1944, among the damage of war, and on 6 January 1948 the line opened to Sorrento; the same day the old Castellammare tram made its last run. A magazine of 1947 had already called it the most poetic tourist railway there would be.

It is busy, because it is useful: in 2023 EAV estimated more than 15,000 passengers a day on the Sorrento line, over two million of them visitors in the year. From 17 October 2026 every train is a direttissimo, one every 30 minutes, and ten new ETR 300 trains are joining the fleet.

Along the way

  1. Naples

  2. the start

    Napoli Porta Nolana and Garibaldi

    The line begins at Porta Nolana, by the old city gate, and calls three minutes later at Napoli Garibaldi, beneath Piazza Garibaldi and linked underground to the main Napoli Centrale station. Every Sorrento train starts at Porta Nolana, so board there if you want a choice of seats.

  3. 15 minutes from Garibaldi, 18 from Porta Nolana

    Ercolano Scavi and Herculaneum

    The stop for Herculaneum, the town Vesuvius buried in AD 79, and from 17 October 2026 a stop for the fast trains too. The park opens daily from 08:30; until 15 March the last entry is 15:30, and a full ticket is €16. Ercolano, then called Resina, was also where tourists once set off for Vesuvius itself: in 1903 an electric railway opened from above Pugliano to the foot of the funicular up the cone, built after Thomas Cook and Son bought the funicular.

  4. 21 to 36 minutes from Porta Nolana

    Under Vesuvius to Torre Annunziata

    From Torre del Greco the line runs along the lower slopes with the cone of Vesuvius inland and the bay on the other side. Torre Annunziata Oplonti, 33 minutes out, is the stop for Oplontis, where the villa linked to Poppaea is in the Pompeii park's words probably the most significant monumental evidence of Pompeii's suburbs; Villa Regina, three minutes on, is the stop for Villa Regina and the Antiquarium at Boscoreale. Each site costs €8, and Oplontis is closed on Tuesdays.

  5. 36 minutes from Garibaldi, 39 from Porta Nolana

    Pompei Scavi Villa dei Misteri

    The station opened in 1934 at the foot of the ancient city, beside the Porta Marina and Piazza Esedra entrances. Pompeii Express, the ancient city alone, is €20; Pompeii+, adding the suburban villas, among them the Villa of the Mysteries, and Villa Regina at Boscoreale, is €25. Tickets carry your name and the park admits at most 20,000 people a day, so book ahead in high season.

  6. 52 minutes from Porta Nolana

    Castellammare di Stabia

    The line comes out of its tunnel at the old spa town that marked the end of the railway from 1934 to 1948. Above it stand the Roman villas of Stabiae: Villa Arianna and Villa San Marco are free to enter (closed on Tuesdays), reached by the EAV bus line 2 from the station.

  7. after Castellammare, the last 23 minutes

    Along the Sorrento peninsula

    This is the 1948 extension, 12.5 km from Castellammare across the Sorrento peninsula, with the bay on the right towards Sorrento. The train calls at Vico Equense, Seiano, Meta, Piano di Sorrento and Sant'Agnello, the towns of the peninsula, before the end of the line.

  8. 75 minutes from Porta Nolana

    Sorrento

    The terminus is on Piazza Giovanni Battista De Curtis, in the town above the cliffs. From here SITA Sud buses run to Positano and Amalfi, and boats leave from Marina Piccola below the town, reached by a public lift from the Villa Comunale gardens.

  9. Sorrento

Which side to sit from Naples to Sorrento

Sit on the right, facing forward, from Naples to Sorrento for the sea: the line runs south-east round the bay and then west along the peninsula, with the water on the right all the way. Sit on the left between Ercolano and Pompei Scavi for Vesuvius, which fills the inland windows above Torre del Greco and Torre Annunziata. Coming back to Naples, the sea is on the left. Seats are not reserved on the ordinary trains, so board at Napoli Porta Nolana, where every train starts, rather than at Garibaldi three minutes later. Much of the line runs between houses and through tunnels, so the views come in long glimpses rather than a continuous panorama; the clearest sea views are on the peninsula after Castellammare.

Ways to do it

When to go

Tickets and fares

How much is the train from Naples to Sorrento, and where do I buy a ticket?

Fares are set by the regional UnicoCampania scheme, and EAV kept its own tickets unchanged when the regional fares rose on 1 October 2026. An EAV single from Naples to Sorrento is €4.60, Naples to Pompeii €3.30, Naples to Herculaneum (Ercolano) €2.60 and Pompeii to Sorrento €2.80. A single is valid for one journey, until you leave the train, and must be validated before you board; once stamped at the station, the journey must begin within 90 minutes. The integrated UnicoCampania ticket for Naples to Sorrento, €6.10, lasts 180 minutes and also covers buses within Naples and Sorrento.

Buy at the station ticket offices and machines, in EAV's GoEav app, or skip the ticket altogether: the Napoli to Sorrento line takes contactless Visa, Mastercard and American Express cards at the turnstiles. Tap in and tap out with the same card and you are charged the cheapest fare for the day's trips; forget to tap out and you pay the maximum. Buying on board is the exception, not the rule: the guard charges a €5 surcharge, in cash.

Naples to Sorrento
€4.60 single (EAV, October 2026)
Naples to Pompeii
€3.30
Naples to Herculaneum
€2.60
Pompeii to Sorrento
€2.80
Integrated 180-minute ticket
€6.10 Naples to Sorrento
Seat reservation
none on ordinary trains
Children
under 6 free with an adult, without a seat of their own
Bought on board
€5 surcharge, cash only

How often the trains run

How often is the Circumvesuviana from Naples to Sorrento, and when is the last train?

On EAV's timetable in force from 17 October 2026 every train on the Naples to Sorrento line is a direttissimo, at :00 and :30 past each hour from Napoli Porta Nolana, three minutes later from Napoli Garibaldi. The first leaves Porta Nolana at 05:30 and the last at 22:00, arriving in Sorrento at 23:15: 34 trains a day. From Sorrento they leave at :00 and :30 from 05:30 to 22:00, reaching Naples 75 minutes later. Herculaneum also has stopping trains to Torre Annunziata and Poggiomarino, so on weekdays a train leaves Naples for Ercolano Scavi every 10 minutes through the day; Pompei Scavi is served only by the Sorrento trains.

On strike days a set of early-morning and evening trains, marked G on the timetable, are guaranteed to run.

Porta Nolana to Ercolano Scavi
18 min
Porta Nolana to Pompei Scavi
39 min
Porta Nolana to Castellammare
52 min
Porta Nolana to Vico Equense
62 min
Porta Nolana to Sorrento
75 min
First and last from Naples
05:30 and 22:00
First and last from Sorrento
05:30 and 22:00

Stations, luggage and the ruins

Can you take luggage on the Circumvesuviana, and where do you get off for Pompeii and Herculaneum?

Each passenger may carry, free, one piece of luggage of up to 20 kg as well as a bag of personal things, placed where it does not block the aisle or the doors; there is no luggage van, and minding it is up to you. At peak times the trains are standing room only, so travel outside the rush hours with big cases.

For Pompeii, get off at Pompei Scavi Villa dei Misteri for the Porta Marina and Piazza Esedra entrances. Pompeii does not admit suitcases or bags larger than 30 x 30 x 15 cm; they go into its left luggage. Pompei Santuario on the Poggiomarino line is the stop for the Piazza Anfiteatro entrance at the other end of the site. For Herculaneum get off at Ercolano Scavi; the park's gates are on Corso Resina. In Naples, Napoli Garibaldi lies under Piazza Garibaldi, connected to Napoli Centrale for trains from Rome, but it has no step-free access; travellers using wheelchairs should start from Porta Nolana.

Luggage
1 piece up to 20 kg plus a personal bag, free
Pompeii
Pompei Scavi Villa dei Misteri for Porta Marina
Pompeii bag limit
30 x 30 x 15 cm; bigger bags to left luggage
Herculaneum
Ercolano Scavi; gates on Corso Resina
Step-free in Naples
Porta Nolana, not Garibaldi

On from Sorrento to Positano

How do you get from Sorrento to Positano, by bus or by boat?

By bus all year, or by boat for most of the year. On SITA Sud's timetable for 5 October to 1 November 2026, about 27 buses a day leave Sorrento for Positano and Amalfi from Monday to Saturday, 06:30 to 19:50, and about 17 on Sundays and holidays from 08:30. Positano Chiesa Nuova is 25 to 50 minutes away and Sponda about 10 minutes more; the longer runs go the high way by the Nastro Verde. A single to Positano is €2.50 from 1 October 2026; buy it before you board, for example at the newsstand on Piazza De Curtis outside the station. A bag up to 50 x 30 x 25 cm rides free; anything larger needs its own €1.50 ticket and goes in the hold.

The boats leave from Marina Piccola below the town and land beside Positano's Spiaggia Grande in 35 to 50 minutes, at €18 to €21.50 a single on the 2026 published fares, with one piece of hand luggage included. The full timetables run from 1 April to 31 October (Alilauro) or 3 November (NLG); NLG's 11:00 from Sorrento runs on to 15 November 2026, and last winter it sailed on Saturdays and Sundays. On a summer day the boat avoids the narrow coast road.

Bus Sorrento to Positano
25 to 50 min, €2.50 (SITA Sud)
Buses, autumn 2026
about 27 Mon to Sat, 17 Sundays
Bus bag allowance
free to 50 x 30 x 25 cm, then €1.50 a bag
Boat Sorrento to Positano
35 to 50 min, €18 to €21.50 (2026)
Boat season
1 April to early November; NLG 11:00 to 15 November 2026

Worth knowing before you go

Where to stay at either end

Sorrento is where the coast road begins: from the station square the SITA bus runs on to Positano, the first of our Amalfi Coast hotels.

The journey in pictures

A red Circumvesuviana train at Pompei Scavi station, with passengers on the platform
The front of a Circumvesuviana train at a platform surrounded by greenery
Mount Vesuvius rising above the ruins of Pompeii near the Villa dei Misteri stop
The excavated streets and houses of Herculaneum, beside the Ercolano Scavi stop
Sorrento's Marina Grande at sunset with Vesuvius across the bay
The fishing harbour of Marina Grande in Sorrento, ringed with coloured houses

Questions people ask

Good questions about The Circumvesuviana to Sorrento

How long is the train from Naples to Sorrento?

75 minutes from Napoli Porta Nolana, 72 from Napoli Garibaldi, on EAV's Circumvesuviana timetable in force from 17 October 2026. Every train on the line is now a direttissimo, leaving at :00 and :30 past each hour from 05:30 to 22:00, 34 a day in each direction, weekdays and Sundays alike. On the way it stops at Ercolano Scavi for Herculaneum, Pompei Scavi for Pompeii, Castellammare di Stabia, Vico Equense, Meta, Piano di Sorrento and Sant'Agnello, among others.

How much is the Circumvesuviana from Naples to Sorrento?

€4.60 for an EAV single in October 2026; EAV kept its fares unchanged when the regional fares rose on 1 October. Naples to Pompeii is €3.30 and Naples to Herculaneum €2.60. There is no reservation. Buy at the station or in the GoEav app, or tap a contactless card at the turnstiles in and out. Buying on board costs a €5 surcharge in cash.

Does the Campania Express still run, and is it worth it?

Check before you travel. EAV's 2026 service charter still describes the Campania Express as eight runs a day with reserved, air-conditioned seats and hostesses on board, at €15 single or €25 return, but its latest published timetable dates from 2023 and it last appears in an EAV notice for 24 and 31 December 2025. Since October 2026 the ordinary direttissimo takes 75 minutes every half hour for €4.60, so the express would buy a reserved seat, not a faster trip.

How do I get from Naples to Pompeii by train?

Take the Circumvesuviana Sorrento train from Napoli Porta Nolana or Garibaldi to Pompei Scavi Villa dei Misteri: 39 or 36 minutes, a train every 30 minutes, €3.30 single (October 2026). The station is beside the Porta Marina and Piazza Esedra entrances. Pompeii tickets carry your name and the park admits at most 20,000 visitors a day, so book online in season. Suitcases go into the site's left luggage.

Which side of the train is best from Naples to Sorrento?

The right-hand side, facing forward, for the sea: the line follows the bay south-east and then runs west along the Sorrento peninsula with the water on the right. For Vesuvius, sit on the left between Ercolano and Pompeii. Coming back to Naples, take the left for the sea. Board at Porta Nolana, where the trains start, for the best choice of seats.

Can I take a suitcase on the Circumvesuviana?

Yes. EAV lets each passenger carry one piece of luggage up to 20 kg free, plus a bag of personal things, as long as it does not block aisles or doors. There is no luggage van or rack service, so keep it with you, and avoid the commuter peaks with large cases. If you stop at Pompeii on the way, bags larger than 30 x 30 x 15 cm go into the site's left luggage.

How do I get from Sorrento to Positano?

By SITA Sud bus all year: about 27 a day from Monday to Saturday and 17 on Sundays on the autumn 2026 timetable, 25 to 50 minutes to Positano Chiesa Nuova and about 10 more to Sponda, €2.50 single from 1 October 2026, with an extra €1.50 for a large bag. From April to early November boats also run from Sorrento's Marina Piccola, 35 to 50 minutes to the pier beside Positano's main beach, from €18 (2026 fares); NLG's 11:00 sails until 15 November 2026.

The Circumvesuviana to Sorrento

Vesuvius on one side, the bay on the other, two buried Roman towns on the way and Sorrento at the end of the line.

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