Pompeii Travel Forum

I'm spending 8 days in the Amalfi Coast and would like to visit Pompei. Since I'm flying into Naples on a Sunday morning, I thought it would make the most sense to visit Pompei that day since I'll already be in Naples. Is there a place to store luggage in Pompei? If not, can anyone recommend which town it is easiest to get to Pompei from? Positano, Capri, or Ravello?

I don't believe there is a place at Pompeii to store luggage, although you might search for 'luggage' in the Pompeii and Naples Forums just to be sure, since I am sure that this has been asked before.

As for "Positano, Capri, or Ravello" being most convenient to Pompeii, the answer is "none of the above". Sorrento is the most convenient town to get to Pompeii on the peninsula, of the typical tourist destinations (note that I am leaving out Castellammare, the modern town of Pompeii, and others for that reason).

The reason that Sorrento is so convenient is because the Circumvesuviana rail line deadends in Sorrento and stops right next to the Scavi (excavations) on the way to Naples. From Capri, you would take a ferry or hydrofoil to Sorrento, then take the train. From Positano, you would take a bus to Sorrento, then take the train (or a bus may go all the way, I don't know). From Ravello, you would take a bus that wanders around in the direction of Sorrento and Positano (may go through Positano first).

There is very little public transit straight across the pensinsula, south (Ravello) to north (Pompeii and beyond). I think I have seen an occasional bus do it, but to Naples, and maybe only once or twice a day.

OK?

Bill

:--:
first Pompei is not Naples
second Sundy is the worst day to visit Pompei
third Bill (mccalpin) gave you very good suggestions

Pompeii does in fact have luggage storage. Actually there are two options. You can leave your bags at the station for (I think) 3 euros a piece or you can walk up to the site, where they have free left luggage. The site is very close to the station so no need to worry that you're going to walk too far with your bags. The left luggage area is just to the right of where you hand the ticket-taker your ticket to enter Pompeii. They'll give you a slip in exchange for your luggage and you can be on your way. There's even someone in there watching your bags for you.

I think your plan of going to Pompeii on your first day in Naples is a very good one. I was in a very similar situation, but backwards. I had stayed in Sorrento for a few days and was on my back to Rome so I had my bags with me. It really wasn't a hassle at all to leave them in Pompeii. Have a wonderful trip. Pompeii is an incredible experience!

Good answers, both! We stayed in Sorrento and it couldn't have been better for visiting both Pompeii, Herculaneum, Villa Oplontis, as well as the Amalfi Coast. It would be awkward and time-consuming to visit Pompeii from any of the three places you mention.
I am almost positive there is nowhere to store luggage at Pompeii. In any case, imho, it makes no sense to try and visit Pompeii on the same day as you arrive in Naples. Apart from a matter of logistics, unless you want a fleeting visit, then there really isn't time to do it justice. I would imagine a Sunday is just about the worst day to visit in any case! If you are spending 8 days on the Amalfi Coast, then you can devote one day to the visit to Pompeii. It would be a proper visit, not a tick on a list.

Hawkhead, Why is Sunday the worst day to visit Pompeii? The only thing that comes to mind is that it is perhaps more crowded. Is there another reason that I'm missing?

Also, I can guarantee that as of last month there was a free baggage check right next to the turnstiles at the entrance to Pompeii. I was at Pompeii on June 12th so I don't see why they'd get rid of it between then and now.

It appears that people recommend going to the Amalfi coast and then coming back to Pompeii. However, I still think that you'd be better off doing it the way you initially suggested. You're going right past Pompeii anyway so you can leave your luggage there (for free) and then continue on your way after you've taken all the time you want in Pompeii. Either way, it's sure to be a wonderful trip. Where are you flying from Meltrev? Depending on the flight length you may be too exhausted to properly enjoy Pompeii (it's a lot of walking). In that case you would be better off waiting and doing Pompeii either as a day trip from the Amalfi coast or on your way back to Naples, depending on the flight time.

Hmmmn, well, I sort of started this by stating that I didn't think that there was Left Luggage services at Pompeii, based on my recollection of previous posts. But Laurel has been there recently, so I started wondering what was up.

I see at
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187786-i1888-k1877255-Visiting_Herculaneum_Vesuvius_and_Pompeii_with_luggage-Pompeii_Campania.html
that someone in a recent posting from Salerno indeed says that there is now Left Luggage services at the entrance to the excavations, but that there are no Left Luggage services at the train station...aha, but WHICH train station?

As we know, there are actually two train stations at Pompeii, the Circumvesuviana near the entrance to the scavi, and the FS (Trenitalia) train station on the other side of the modern town. I see that the Trenitalia website says that the Pompeii FS station indeed has Left Luggage services...is it possible, Laurel, that this is the train station you meant?

Oh, look at
http://www2.pompeiisites.org/database/pompei/Pompei2.nsf/b4604a8b566ce010c125684d00471e00/52e3ed3af95af30ac1256ac4003b6edf!OpenDocument
which talks about the Left Luggage services at Pompeii...I wouldn't be surprised if these were new this year...it looks to me that the administration did this in self-defense to keep people from bringing all their large items inside the scavi...

Well, live and learn, huh?

Bill

Well, obviously the left luggage facility has sprung into action since I was there in February, so I stand corrected. Is this the locker type or the type where you hand over your bags and it is stored in a large area?

As for Sunday being the worst day, yes, I guess as avoiding crowds is important to me that it why I said it would be the worst day. I still stand on that, unless, of course, crowds and not being able to move very freely or see anything properly doesn't matter to you!

Hawkhead - the luggage storage is in a seperate building that is really only one small room. Reminds me of a guard shack actually. You can place items in cubbies, but there aren't any lockers, just a guy standing there who hands you a ticket.

Bill - I'm positive that the other option for checking luggage was at the Pompeii Scavi stop on the Circumsuviana line. I was coming from Sorrento and going to Naples. Not sure why it doesn't show that there is left luggage. Oh well. They definitely do have a left luggage, though.

Well, Laurel, I am getting beat up in another thread for telling people that I saw something that they said I could not have possibly seen...so I am going to bow to the fact that you have been 'in country' a lot more recently than me.

I will note an interesting thing...the person on tripadivisor who said that there was no Left Luggage at the Circumvesuviana station in Pompeii, made that posting in April, but you were there more recently than that, right? It does cross my mind that this Left Luggage service could be seasonal, that is, June through August, when Italy is swamped by tourists. There are certainly other seasonal services around the country.

Well, there's not a good way to know (the Circumvesuviana website doesn't describe services at its stations, so far as I have seen)...unless you go back and ask them ;-) you up for that? hahaha...

Bill

I'm up for it! I might be going back in late September, but that's up in the air. If I do go back, I'll definitely ask the Circumsuviana train station if they have left luggage year round. As to when I went, I was at Pompeii on June 12th of this year. You really should stop getting beat up in the forums! :o)

We were there in February and there was definitely no left luggage at Pompeii Scavi 'cos there was someone at the station who was stampin g around bemoaing (to put it politely) that there was nowhere to leave anything! Copme to think of it, I think McAlpin might be right about "seasonal" 'cos this same person went on to complain that "the ...... site didn't have anywhere to leave 'stuff'...".