How to Get to Pompeii — From Naples, Sorrento, Rome & Cruise Ports

There are two train stations in Pompei. Most travellers want the other one. That single fact, surfaced upfront, will save more visitors a confused arrival than any other piece of advice in this guide. Pompeii is straightforward to reach from anywhere on the Bay of Naples — once you know which station, which train operator, and which entrance matches your arrival. Here’s the working-traveller version, organised by where you’re coming from. For the Pompeii archaeologist tour, you want Porta Marina — the entrance directly across from the Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri station.

The One Station Mistake Everyone Makes

The Circumvesuviana stop is Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri. The Trenitalia station is just Pompei — in the modern town centre, a 10–15 minute walk from the east side of the archaeological park. Booking the wrong station is the single most common Pompeii arrival mistake; it adds a 1 km detour for travellers heading to the Piazza Anfiteatro gate, or roughly 20–45 minutes plus the train backtrack for anyone whose tour meets at Porta Marina on the west side.

From Naples (Circumvesuviana, ~35–40 min)

The standard route is the Circumvesuviana commuter train, operated by EAV, leaving from Napoli Porta Nolana or Napoli Garibaldi (next to Napoli Centrale on a lower level — follow the “Circumvesuviana / EAV” signs from the main concourse). Take a train signposted for Sorrento and alight at Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri.

• Duration: ~35–40 min
• Frequency: every 20–30 min during peak hours (07:00–10:00 and 16:00–20:00); about every 30 min off-peak
• Fare: around €3 each way — buy at the station kiosk, via the GoEav app, or tap a contactless card on the turnstile

The station faces the Porta Marina entrance — there is no real walk involved. For a more comfortable ride during peak season, see the Campania Express option below.

From Sorrento (Circumvesuviana, ~25–30 min)

The same Naples–Sorrento Circumvesuviana line runs in the opposite direction from Sorrento station. Trains for Naples stop at Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri. Duration is about 25–30 minutes, frequency roughly every 30 minutes, fare around €2.80–€3.00 one-way. Again, buy at the kiosk, via GoEav, or tap-and-go.

From Rome (Frecciarossa or Italo, ~1h08m–1h15m)

Rome is high-speed-train country. From Roma Termini, take either Frecciarossa (Trenitalia) or Italo to Napoli Centrale — about 1h08m–1h15m depending on service. Combined, the two operators run 85+ daily departures, so booking flexibility is generous. Fares are dynamic: from around €15 if booked weeks ahead, climbing to €50 or more at walk-up.

At Napoli Centrale, follow the “Circumvesuviana / EAV” signs down to the Garibaldi-level platforms and catch the Sorrento-bound train to Pompei Scavi (35–40 minutes). Total door-to-door from Rome Termini: 2h15m–2h45m.

Sunday-only direct option: A direct Trenitalia Frecciarossa Rome → Pompei FS runs on Sundays, around 08:53 → 10:40 outbound, returning roughly 18:40 → 20:55. A shuttle bus then takes you the final 1 km from Pompei FS to the park entrance. Convenient for a day trip, but verify the timetable on trenitalia.com close to your travel date — the service started as monthly and has been expanding.

From Salerno (Trenitalia regional, ~25–45 min)

Trenitalia regional trains run between Salerno and Pompei (the FS station in the modern town, not Pompei Scavi). Duration is 25–45 minutes depending on how many intermediate stops. Fare is around €3–€4 — a fixed regional tariff, so less prone to drift than the Circumvesuviana figure. Walk 10–15 minutes to the Piazza Anfiteatro entrance on the east side of the park, or use the Pompei Link shuttle (see below).

From the Cruise Ports

Naples Stazione Marittima (cruise port) is about 25 km from Pompeii. Walk or take a short taxi (5–15 min in traffic) to Napoli Centrale / Garibaldi, then the Circumvesuviana to Pompei Scavi. Alternatively, Metro Line 1 from Municipio (next to the terminal) runs three stops to Garibaldi. Plan minimum 1 hour each way door-to-door. Pre-booked private transfers or shore-excursion shuttles direct to the park are the most time-efficient option for cruise day timings.

Salerno cruise port is about 2 km from Salerno train station. Walk or short taxi, then Trenitalia regional to Pompei FS (25–45 min), then walk or shuttle to Piazza Anfiteatro. Total door-to-door: 1h15m–1h45m. A pre-booked private driver is the cleanest option.

Driving and Parking

Take the A3 Naples–Salerno motorway and exit at “Pompei Scavi” for the west-side lots near Porta Marina and Piazza Esedra. For the east-side Piazza Anfiteatro lots, follow signs for the modern town. Private parking near Porta Marina runs roughly €5–€15 per day depending on lot and season, or about €2–€5 per hour. Anfiteatro-side lots are similar at €2 per hour or €10–€15 per day. Lots fill by mid-morning in peak season — arrive before 09:00 for a guaranteed spot at the closest lots.

The “Express” and “Link” Products Untangled

Three different products use the words Express or Link and travellers constantly conflate them. Here is what each actually is:

The two confusable cases worth flagging: Campania Express is the premium EAV train (worth the upgrade in peak summer for guaranteed seating); the third product is a Sorrento-based commercial tour bundle that, despite the name, is not a Ministry of Culture ticket and not an EAV train. The Pompeii archaeologist tour featured on this site includes its own skip-the-line park entry as part of the standard package — no separate transport ticket is needed.

Quick Time Budget by Origin

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The featured 2-hour Pompeii archaeologist tour meets at the Porta Marina entrance — exactly where the Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri station drops you. Skip-the-line entry is included, so you walk past the queue with a working archaeologist as your guide. Rated 4.8/5 by 21,008+ verified travellers, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. See availability and book →