How to Get to the Amalfi Coast from Rome
Positano, Sorrento, and Amalfi are all dream destinations in Italy's Amalfi Coast...but how do you get there?! Since there's no direct airport in the area yet, getting to the Amalfi Coast can be tricky, but we're here to help! After living in Italy for months as long-term tourists and visiting this area from both Rome and Naples countless times, we've figured out the best routes. Here's exactly how you should and shouldn’t get to the Amalfi Coast from Rome to keep your dream Italian vacation dreamy.
Flying to Italy
Depending on time, budget, and where you're flying from, we'd recommend flying roundtrip through Rome or into Naples and out of Rome. We personally found it more affordable to fly roundtrip to Rome, but if you find a great flight option into Naples, your trip will be launched right to the action.
Easiest Option: Hire a Private Driver
Clearly, a private car transfer from the airport is the fastest and easiest way, but also a little pricier. Pre-book a private transfer from the Rome or Naples airport directly to your hotel in Positano. Once your driver picks you up from the airport, sit back, relax, and take in the scenery along the way as you let the driver handle the luggage and the crazy, winding roads! We highly recommend this one offered through GetYourGuide.
Where to Stay In the Amalfi Coast on a Budget
Need accommodation recommendations? We’ve rounded up the best places to stay on the Amalfi Coast on a mid-range budget here! No 5-star sticker-shock but no hostel horrors, just quality recommendations for those on a mid-range budget.
Easy Option: Speed Train to Ferry
If you plan to take the ferry, plan your trip around the ferry schedule. The ferries primarily run in the morning, take a break throughout lunch hours (typically between 11 a.m.-2 p.m.), and resume trips in the later afternoon.
If you're coming from Rome airport, your first step is to buy train tickets from the airport station to Roma Termini on the Trainline app, at the kiosks, or in person at the ticket desks. Once you arrive at Roma Termini, purchase tickets for the next train. The high-speed train from Rome to Napoli Centrale takes about 1 ½ hours. The train will stop at a few terminals along the way. Still, you don’t get off until the end in Naples - known in Italy as Napoli!
Once you arrive in Naples, take a white taxi to the ferry port - Molo Beverello. The taxi should cost no more than $10-15. Make sure they take card before getting in! You can find plenty of taxis right outside the station. (And if you’re on a budget and wondering, no, you don’t want to walk from the train station to the ferries - it’s farther than it looks. The taxi ride is well worth it.)
After your short 10-15 minute taxi ride, head to the ticket booth to confirm which boat platform you should use to board. We highly recommend purchasing your ferry tickets in advance through the FerryHopper app, but you can also buy them in person at kiosks on location. Just be aware that ferries sell out during high season! The ferry typically costs about $20-$30 per one-way ticket and takes about 40 minutes to arrive in Sorrento and up to two hours to arrive in Positano, as the ferries always make other stops at different destinations along the Amalfi Coast.
As a note of caution - when the water is choppy, it can be a nausea-inducing ride. We've experienced rides that felt almost as smooth as class, and we've, unfortunately, had rides that left us hanging onto the seats and reaching for the Dramamine. Come prepared either way! And if you know you're very prone to motion sickness on the ocean, we recommend going with the private driver option.
Doable Option: Speed Train to Regional Train to Regional Bus
Consider the regional train as plan C and/or the worst-case scenario. The regional train, the Circumvesuviana (which means “around Vesuvius”), is...an experience. To get to Napoli Garibaldi station, exit Napoli Centrale, walk outside, and wander around a few corners to the next station. Once you lug yourself and your baggage down a flight of stairs, you can buy a ticket at the window for cash only, around $8 each.
Once the heavily graffitied train arrives, every car will most likely be incredibly crowded. Picture the oldest New York subway car you can imagine filled to the brim. While both Google and Apple Maps may say the journey will take a little over an hour, plan for a train ride that can take up to two hours. This commuter train makes many stops where more people get on the train than off - meaning the train cars were Disney-World-On-Christmas-Day-Crowded for the entire journey.
If you're staying in Sorrento, congrats! You've made it, and this is your last stop. From here, we recommend either toting your things across town or hailing a taxi to your final destination, like your hotel or vacation rental. However, if you are continuing on to Positano, Amalfi, or Ravello, you have one (or two) more steps. You can find the bus stop directly across from Sorrento's central train station. Buy bus tickets from the tobacco shop (tabacchi) adjacent to the train station. Unless you're buying over $10 worth of tickets, you'll need to pay cash. Join the long line of passengers and wait for the next bus.
Once the bus finally arrives, throw your big luggage in the bottom, bring your small purse or bag on board, and hold on for dear life. This is an incredibly winding road that looks like it could careen off a cliff at any moment. It's hands down the least favorite bus ride of our lives. When you arrive in your town, tell the driver you have luggage; he'll open the hatch, and you'll grab it. From here...best of luck. The bus stops in these Amalfi Coast towns aren't necessarily convenient. Your best option is to walk to your final destination from here. Taxis are very hard to come by in these small coastal towns.
We beg you - save the headache and schedule your travel timing to use a driver or catch the ferry instead!
Perfect 10 Day Italy Itinerary
See Italy's most stunning sites in one week! Click below to check out our 10 Day Itinerary through the Amalfi Coast and Rome!
Andrew & Kait driving in Sardinia - not Amalfi Coast!
Worst Option: Drive (Please Don’t!)
Well, technically and legally, you can; you really can't. You might assume driving yourself is an option, but we cannot discourage you enough from trying. In southern Italy, pretend you don’t know how to drive anymore because - trust us when we say - you don’t know how to drive as the southern Italians do. That said, you have three main options for getting to the Amalfi Coast from Rome or Naples.