Urban Abroad

Urban Planning and Travel Blog

  • Start Here
    • About
  • Destinations
    • Europe
    • United Kingdom
    • USA/Canada
    • Latin America
  • Living Abroad
  • Sustainability
  • Resources
    • Travel Gear
    • Urban Farming
Home / Travel Blog

Getting from Naples to Pompeii

Travel Blog Last Updated · Jan 22nd, 2023

pompeii italy

Pompeii is one of Italy’s top tourist destinations, and what attracts people from all over the world is the story behind its ancient Romain ruins.

It was buried under a blanket of ashes and lapilli during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 a.D., together with Herculaneum, Stabia, and Oplonti.

As one of the most significant archaeological sites of all time, Pompeii is a must-see if you’re traveling around Italy or on a day trip from Naples.

Table of Contents

  • Naples to Pompeii
    • What is Pompeii?
    • Is Pompeii worth visiting?
  • How far is Pompeii from Naples?
  • How to get to Pompeii from Naples
    • Train from Naples to Pompeii
    • Driving from Naples to Pompeii
  • Getting from Naples to Pompeii

Naples to Pompeii

Pompeii is a real step back in time and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

So, if you are already in Naples you will likely have already read our Naples 2 day itinerary and be ready to take the road to Pompeii.

What is Pompeii?

The ancient city along with the close Herculaneum and other nearby villas was buried under 6 meters by ash and lava during one of the worst Vesuvius eruptions of history.

pompei naples italy

The site gives you a glance at the organization of life during the Roman Empire. You can walk the streets, inside private houses, and spot exquisite works of art all around.

Pompeii’s inhabitant bodies were found in the same position as when the lava took over the whole town.

Is Pompeii worth visiting?

Let’s look at some reasons why Pompeii is a true gem to visit:

  • Visiting Pompeii is a real step back in time. The volcanic eruption that happened in 79 a.D. was catastrophic and what remained of the Roman city was just layers of ashes and rocks. Behind these layers, archaeologists found Roman cities exactly how they appeared 2000 years ago. The site provides unique information about social, economic, political, and religious life during the Roman Empire.
  • The archaeological park of Pompeii extends for 66 hectares, 50 of which are excavated (including suburban areas). The site is divided into different areas, and there’s quite a lot to explore. For some visitors, one day is not enough to explore it properly! For this reason, we recommend spending at least one night in Pompeii (at the Hotel Pompei Be Green) to keep exploring the site the day after. You’ll walk through civil and private buildings, monuments, and sculptures and see paintings and mosaics of invaluable historical importance. Pompeii is also a recognized World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
  • Getting to Pompeii is really easy. If you’re spending your time in Naples, you just need to take the train, as Pompeii is 35 minutes away from Naples. If you are thinking of renting a car in Italy, it’s only 25 minutes drive. This makes Pompeii and nearby archaeological sites such as Herculaneum are perfect day trips from Naples.

If you’re still not convinced by this worldly attraction that lies 25km from Naples, why not take a look at our Italy itinerary to get more inspiration and see where else you could go during your time in Italy?

With all these points to consider before traveling, how far is the journey exactly and what are the best ways to get to Pompeii from Naples?

How far is Pompeii from Naples?

As mentioned above, Pompeii is just 25 kilometers away from Naples and you can either get there by car or by public transport.

naples souvenir

The best option is to take the train from Piazza Garibaldi railway station.

You either choose to travel by Circumvesuviana train which takes 42 minutes or the metropolitan/regional line (Napoli-Salerno) for a shorter trip of 24 minutes.

If you prefer the last option, just bear in mind that the train stop is 10-minute walk from the entrance of the site.

You can also get there by bus, which is a valid option to take into consideration if your accommodation is located in the docks’ area.

The travel time is between 35-45 minutes depending on the traffic.

How to get to Pompeii from Naples

Below we will share the best way to from Naples to Pompeii so you can take the best mode of transport that suits you:

Train from Naples to Pompeii

If traveling by train from Naples there are two preferred options.

The most popular train is the Circumvesuviana line leaving from Porto Nolana or Piazza Garibaldi railway station.

naples train station
naples train station

If you’re new to Naples, we suggest taking the train from Piazza Garibaldi located only 5 minutes walk from Napoli Centrale railway station.

For your comfort, we highly recommend you stay at the Starhotels Terminus, situated in front of the Napoli Centrale station.

The line is the blue one called Napoli-Sorrento, when purchasing your ticket ask for ‘Pompei Scavi’.

The train stops are announced and yours is going to be ‘Pompei Scavi – Villa Dei Misteri’.

If you forget to get off at this stop, the next stop is fine. It’s called ‘Pompei’ and it’s just a 10-minute walk from the archaeological site entrance.

The second option is the metropolitan (MET) or regional (REG) train Napoli-Salerno.

This departs from Napoli Centrale station but doesn’t stop at ‘Pompei Scavi’ like the Circumvesuviana one. In this case, you can only get down at the stop ‘Pompei’ and walk 10 minutes to get to the entrance.

Driving from Naples to Pompeii

If you decide to rent a car and travel from the north (Naples), take the A3 Naples-Salerno motorway towards Salerno and exit at ‘Pompei Ovest’.

naples to pompeii

From here, continue on the SS18, turn into ‘via Villa Dei Misteri’ and after a few meters, you’ll reach your destination.

The distance is 25 kilometers and depending on traffic it can take up to 35 minutes. There’s quite a lot of parking space near the site’s entrances.

If you’re coming from the south, always take the A3 motorway, but your exit is called ‘Pompei Est’.

From here, proceed along ‘via Antonio Morese’ towards ‘via S. Giovanni Battista Della Salle’, take ‘via Sacra’ and continue on the SS18 up to via ‘Villa Dei Misteri’.

Getting from Naples to Pompeii

Now you know how to get from Naples to Pompeii by train or by car.

As you can see, the options are many, and it’s pretty straightforward to plan a day trip to the famous archaeological site from Naples.

If you don’t want to plan it by yourself, then you can always join a guided tour leaving from Naples like the Naples or Sorrento: Full-Day Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius Tour one.


This post contains affiliate links, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase or sign up for a program, we may earn a commission. This is at no additional cost to you.

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Travel Blog Tagged With: Europe

🔒 Unfortunately, things can and do go wrong when you travel. World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

🌍 Search sustainable adventures:

Thank you for reading our lifestyle blog about travel and sustainable urban living.

Recent Posts

  • Positano vs Amalfi
  • How many days in Seville?
  • Is Sorrento worth visiting?
  • is Cádiz worth visiting?

Topics

  • Living Abroad
  • Sustainability
  • Travel Blog
  • Urban Farming

Copyright© 2023 · Urban Abroad · Private Policy
Urban Abroad is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.de. Other affiliate programs linking to other recommended products and services are also used. World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers in over 100 countries. As an affiliate, we receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. We do not represent World Nomads. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT