Pompeii Travel Forum

Hi,
big help needed! Cruise ship dock at Pompeii for one day in Oct and i really like to see the amalfi coast/sorrento. Recommend us to rent a car or any reasonable priced private tour for 4 of us?
Thanks sincerely
ann

Can't help you with times and stuff, but you can get a train from Pompeii to Sorrento... about 20min away?
Buses go down the Amalfi coast from Sorrento, but you'd be pushing it.

Are you sure your cruise ship is docking at Pompeii? They usually dock at Naples! You had better find out as it will be rather crucial for picking you up. I don't know what you call reasonably priced, in your position I would shop around and get quotes from differnt operators, but try http://www.tours-italy.com/italy-shore_excursions-naples_amalfi_shore_excursions.htm.

Take the tour! The roads are very twisty and the drivers are crazy!!!

Just been to Pompeii last week and then we took a ferry to Amalfi and it was beautiful.

Thanks guys!
The itinerary says docking Naples/Pompeii...so?? I'm not sure.
I wonder if the train station at Naples/pompeii is walking distance from the port? I think take the train to Sorrento, then boat to Amalfi would be the cheapest way yet not too stressful?? I checked out some private tours, they charge about euro 360-400 for 8 hrs trip. Does it sound fair?
Having said that the bus route would be a bit bumpy, no good for the elderly.
Thanks for all your help!
ann

I did the ship's coach tour in June and felt so sick due to all the jerking movement as coach had to keep repositioning to get around the many sharp bends. Would suggest you hire a driver to take you along the coast by car - try to find someone who would share minibus or similar. The views are great.

I believe Naples/Pompeii means Naples, the cruiseline is probably trying to signal that it is the stop for Pompeii, but it isn't actually AT Pompeii. There is a railway station next to the port but it is Mergellino, and no use to you - you would need to get to Napoli Centrale (by bus or taxi, it would take you too long to walk) and then find the Circumvesuviana part of it, from where it would take you about 1 1/2 hours to Sorrento, which is the terminus. You can also take a hydrofoil from Naples - I think from Molo Beverello, which should be near the pier (molo) where the cruiseships dock - all the way to Sorrento.
Timetables for both are on here http://www.sorrento-online.com/english/orari.htm.
As for continuing to Amalfi, there is only 1 ferry a day between Sorrento and Amalfi so you may have to continue by SITA bus. But you may not have time to get as far as Amalfi and back in time to board your ship if you are using trains and buses (let alone ferries). In fact depending on when you get off the cruiseship and exactly what time you have to be back on it, even taking the hydrofoil just to Sorrento could leave you with barely 40 minutes there before you have to come back!
I would expect a chauffeur-driven car from Naples to Amalfi to cost at least €100 one way and this would not be a tour but merely transport.

Ooops, I thought ferries continued into October but it seems the one to Sorrento may finish in September!
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187785-i421-k780489-Hydrofoil_service_Naplesto_Sorrento_in_October-Naples_Campania.html

i noticed that as well. I supposed there are other boat companies still operate in Oct, right??? Now, i'm thinking if we should rent a car from Naples and do our own driving!! Still can't decide what is the best way travel with 2 elderly. cheers!

Escort/transport service is about euro 90-100, i supposed it's one way. I think you're right, ship dock at Naples, thanks. It will be from 8-8pm so i hope it's enough time to drive round trip from Naples-Sorrento-Positano-Amalfi. I've posted same questions under Naples Forum and got advices on "drive my own" option. Thinking taking jet boat from Naples to Sorrento (since Naples traffic is bad), then get rental car from Sorrento and drive to Amalfi. We may be able to make stops along the way?? Any more good suggestions? Thanks
ann

As far as I know there is only one hydrofoil (jet boat)/ferry operator between Naples and Sorrento (Caremar operates between Sorrento and Capri and between Naples and the islands, but apparently not between Sorrento and Naples other than via Capri); so if service finishes in September, that option is not available. I would suggest using the contact button on here:
http://www.navlib.it/linee/DettaglioLinea.asp?idli=8

I shouldn't be so negative, but I reckon you'll be really pushing it doing it yourselves. efinitely do your maths regarding the time hiring the car, driving distance, considering it's a narrow coastal road, etc.

That's all I'll moan about, but have a top time if you do it. It's a beautiful coast indeed. I've actually got a photo on my desktop of the Amalfi Coast... Nice, big 22" widescreen pic. Makes me want to stop work just to look at it and remember the good times!

What about Capri? That's close to Sorrento too.

not negative, every opinion counts :-) Taking a private tour sure is the best and easiest way for this port of call! Other than the price difference, it's euro 88 (rental car) vs 400 (private tour), we like to take challenges! If we drive from Naples -> Positano -> Ravello, the total km is around 80 from mappy.com. Taken traffic, road condition into consideration, putting aside 5 hrs for commuting should be safe enough? It still leave us good 3 hrs for lunch, stopping for photos along the way. My in-laws can enjoy resting in the car too!
I checked many other travel forms on driving your own car along amalfi coast, experience was unforgettable (good and bad) so we really like to find out ourselves. Now I'm hoping to find a road map or something and gather more driving tips so i can prepare the route ahead.
thanks everyone!

I imagine mappy might give you this too, but if you go to www.viamichelin.com you can get detailed driving instructions to print out.
Ignore the 1st 3 boxes (map), then under Driving Directions you have departure in green and destination in red.
Departure: 1st box (country) select Italy, 2nd box (address) I would suggest entering Molo Beverello (though I don't know where you are picking up the hire car) and in the 3rd (city), Napoli.
Destination: 1st box select Italy, 2nd box leave blank, 3rd box enter Sorrento.
Click search. Et voila!

That's a better online driving map. I'm thinking to by-pass Sorrento and go straight to Positano then Ravello. The driving time will be less stressful this way.
thanks!