Pompeii, only 22 km (14 miles) southeast of Naples, is ideal for a day trip.
See some of Italy’s most exquisite frescoes at Villa dei Misteri, or travel back to the Amphitheatre, one of the world’s best-preserved and busiest open-air Roman arenas.
It just takes 40 minutes to go by train from Naples to Pompeii, and nearly 35 trains are running each day, making it one of the easiest ways to get around.
You may also explore the town before visiting the ruins because Trenitalia station in Pompeii is in the middle of the city.
This article shares everything you must know about visiting Pompeii from Naples by train.
Table of contents
Getting to the Train Station in Naples
Naples’ largest station, Napoli Centrale, is located on Piazza Garibaldi, which serves as the primary center for local and regional buses.
Napoli Piazza Garibaldi is a Metro (subway) station connected to Centrale.
The station’s various areas receive different trains, but it is simple to locate, thanks to directional signages at the station.
Its official name is Napoli Garibaldi.
Learn everything about the tickets for Pompeii ruins, guided tours, and what to see at Pompeii before planning your trip to the ancient ruins.
Regular trains between Naples and Pompeii
There are three different trains that you can take to get to Pompeii – EAV Circumvesuviana, Campania Express, and the regional/metropolitan Trenitalia trains.
EAV Circumvesuviana train is a slow regional train but is popular because of its high frequency.
Campania Express is a more touristy version of the Circumvesuviana train, while the Trenitalia trains require a change at Torre Annunziata.
The trains leave Naples for Pompeii about 2-3 times every hour most of the day, typically taking 35 to 40 minutes to reach Pompeii.
Fewer services are offered and travel times may occasionally be longer on weekends and holidays.
Most of the tourists reach Pompeii from three nearby cities – Rome, Naples and Sorrento.
Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Pompeii
To get to the Pompei Scavi train station in Pompeii, you can board the Circumvesuviana train in the direction of Sorrento from Napoli Piazza Garibaldi station in Naples.
Napoli Piazza Garibaldi station is an underground train station that can be accessed from within Napoli Centrale, Naples’ main central station.
The Circumvesuviana train starts from Napoli Porta Nolana station, and Napoli Piazza Garibaldi is the first stop (and the preferred station for most tourists to board the train).
Pompei Scavi station has two platforms – one for Circumvesuviana trains coming from Naples (going towards Sorrento) and the other for trains running in the opposite direction.
The Naples to Pompeii train takes about 40 minutes.
The Porta Marina entrance to Pompeii archaeological site is right next to Pompei Scavi station, also known as Pompeii Scavi-Villa dei Misteri. Learn about all Pompeii entrances
Circumvesuviana trains run from Naples to Sorrento all through the day, every day.
The train ticket from Naples to Pompei costs around $3, and you can buy your tickets at the Napoli Garibaldi station before boarding your train.
The ticket office is next to the Circumvesuviana platforms and is marked with the EAV sign (the company running the Circumvesuviana trains).
Recommended Reading: Day trips from Rome to Pompeii
Campania Express from Naples to Pompeii
Campania Express is a special train on the Circumvesuviana line exclusively for tourists visiting Pompeii (and Herculaneum).
Since it is a tourist train, it has fewer stops and takes only 35 odd minutes compared to the almost 40 minutes taken by the normal Circumvesuviana trains.
Campania Express trains are less crowded and run only four times daily – at 8.50 am, 11.38 am, 3.38 pm, and 6.02 pm.
Regional/Metropolitan trains from Naples to Pompeii
Trenitalia’s regional trains (also known as the metropolitan trains) can also get you to Pompeii.
You can book your tickets from Trenitalia’s website and board the train from Naples Central Station or Piazza Garibaldi.
However, these trains only go to Torre Annunziata Centrale station, about 4 km (2.5 miles) away from Pompeii.
From there, you can take a need to take the local bus, which will get you to Pompeii in 10 minutes. However, the bus ride is covered in your Trenitalia train tickets.
Recommended Reading
# Facts about Pompeii
# Graffiti on Pompeii walls
Naples to Pompeii: Direct trains or change?
The quickest and least expensive method is to take a direct train from Naples to Pompeii.
If you decide to change trains along the way, it won’t just extend your journey time by an hour, but will also be significantly more expensive than taking the direct train.
Every day, the first direct train leaves Naples at about 5.30 am, and the last train leaves at 9.30 pm on weekdays and 6.30 pm on weekends.
While returning from Pompeii to Naples, the last direct train timings are 8.22 pm, 8.52 pm, 9.52 pm, and 10.21 pm.
Raileurope, Trainline, and Italiarail are some service providers offering economical train travel from Naples to Pompeii and vice versa.
Many visitors travel to Naples by high-speed train and take a guided tour of Pompeii by booking tickets for Pompeii from Rome.
Where to buy train tickets
To get the best deal on a train ticket from Naples to Pompeii, make your reservation online in advance, and avoid the peak hours.
The cheapest tickets from Naples to Pompeii will cost only around €3.
The train timings and prices are mentioned below.
| Departure – Naples | Arrival – Pompeii | Ticket Prices |
|---|---|---|
| 1.03 pm Napoli Gianturco | 1.34 pm Pompeii | €3 One way ticket |
| 1.09 pm Naples P.za Garibaldi | 1.47 pm Pompei Scavi Archeologici | €3 One way ticket |
| 1.33 pm Napoli Gianturco | 2:04 pm Pompeii | €3 One way ticket |
| 1.38 pm Naples P.za Garibaldi | 2.11 pm Pompeii Scavi Archeologici | €3 One way ticket |
| 1.57 pm Naples P.za Garibaldi | 2.35 pm Pompeii Scavi Archeologici | €3 One way ticket |
| 2.03 pm Napoli Gianturco | 2.34 pm Pompeii | €3 One way ticket |
| 2.21 pm Naples P.za Garibaldi | 2.59 pm Pompeii Scavi Archeologici | €3 One way ticket |
| 2.33 pm Napoli Gianturco | 3.04 pm Pompeii | €3 One way ticket |
| 2.45 pm Naples P.za Garibaldi | 3.23 pm Pompeii Scavi Archeologici | €3 One way ticket |
| 3.03 pm Napoli Gianturco | 3.34 pm Pompeii | €3 One way ticket |
| 8.57 pm Naples P.za Garibaldi | 9.34 pm Pompeii | €3 One way ticket |
| 9.21 pm Naples P.za Garibaldi | 10.04 pm Pompeii | €3 One way ticket |
You can check the other train timings or buy train tickets online from these recommended links – train timings from Naples to Pompeii or ticket prices from Naples to Pompeii
Stations on the Naples to Pompeii route
Departure from Naples
Trains from Naples to Pompeii often leave from Naples Piazza Garibaldi or Naples Centrale.
Naples Centrales is located below Naples Piazza Garibaldi; while both are situated in the same general region, both are 0.5 km (0.3 miles) from the city’s core.
From the Naples railway stations, the city center is 10 minutes on foot and considerably less in a cab.
Arrival at Pompeii
Trains from Naples arrive at Pompeii at either the Pompei Scavi Villa Dei Misteri, Scafati station or the Trenitalia Pompeii station.
Pompei Scavi Villa Dei Misteri is the closest railway station to the Pompeii ruins – it is right next to the Porta Marina entrance of the Pompeii archaeological site.
Many tourists prefer to take a roundtrip from Naples to Pompeii.
Additional tips for visitors
You can follow certain tips if you are traveling from Naples to Pompeii:
– Most European railway companies offer tickets three to six months in advance, many becoming more affordable the sooner you book.
– Other train companies in Europe also offer popular commuter services. Many raise ticket costs during “peak hours” (generally between 6 am to 10 am and 3 pm to 7 pm on weekdays).
– Since the best time to visit Pompeii is before 10 am, try to select the appropriate train to get there in time
– Try to avoid traveling at busy times to obtain cheaper airfares.
– If you have time and are on a budget holiday, you can catch a slower or connecting train on the busiest lines to get lower ticket prices.
