ridiculous day trip from Rome - how?

[davidva]

Ok...I know this day trip is going to be extremely rushed, but that's ok. I'm just looking for any advice on how best to do this!

I am trying to put together a day trip starting in Rome, going to Pompeii for half a day, heading to Capri for the second half, and then come back to Rome. Starting or ending the trip any other place than Rome is not an option for me. So far this is what I have (using Eurail's 2006 timetables, I imagine 2007 is similar)

- 1st train leaving Rome to Naples - 6:45 am
- Arrive in Naples at 8:38 am
- take Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii, arrive by 10 am hopefully
- see Pompeii for a few hours (I know I'll barely be scratching the surface)
- Leave Pompeii to Sorrento around 1:00 pm
- Hydrofoil from Sorrento to Capri
- Hydrofoil from Capri to Naples around 6:30/7:00 pm
- Arrive Naples by 8 pm hopefully
- Last train to Rome leaves at 8:42 pm

Does anyone have any better suggestions on how to format this? I know most of you wouldn't fit this much into one day, but this is one rushed day trip out of a longer, more relaxed trip, so this won't bother me. Thanks!

[madamtrashheap]

Aaaahh davidva, we love ridiculousness here! ;D

Your itinerary looks fine - that first train should be a Eurostar (Italia) one and judging by the time Rome-Naples it is. The Circumvesuviana trains run Naples to Pompei every 30mins and start early and finish late during the week (Sundays are less). The you just get on the train going the same direction to go Pompei-Sorrento. There is a train leaving Naples (follow the signs to the underpass from the main train station) at 8.53 and another at 9.18 (Feriale means weekdays) so you'll be in Pompei easily by 10am.

The getting to Capri bit is the part that concerns me as the boats from Sorrento to Capri aren't as regular as the trains. The Aliscafo (Hydrofoil) is faster than the Scarfo/Traghetto (ferry) but both leave from the Marina Grande in Sorrento. It's about a 15min walk from the train station to the marina, but there are orange busses that do this route too. The hydrofoil costs around Euro10.00 and takes 20-30mins Sorrento-Capri. There are more departures in the morning and afternoon than around lunchtime so I'm half-inclined to say (if I haven't already in another Post) do Capril in the morning from Naples then go Capri-Sorrento and train Sorrento-Pompei. Pompei is open from 8.30am to last admission 6pm during Summer so you'll get time to visit in the afternoon (a little lest crowded too), but it's up to you.

If you stick with your current plan, then you'll arrive on Capri around 2/2.30pm (on a good run - there are hydrofoils at 1.15pm and 1.50pm) so you'll have time to get to the Blue Grotto (use the little wooden boats in the centre of the marina grande if you can) and maybe get up to Capri town (funicular is 5mins from the port), but probably not all the way to the top of the island to Anacapri. The hydrofoil back to Naples takes around 45-55minsand the last daily one is at 6.40pm (or 7.55 on Fri/Sat/Sun from what I can see). Just make sure you know which port it's docking at - the one near the main harbour (called Marina Beverello) and Castel Nuovo or the other one near Mergellina train station (if you can, use the Beverello one). The last fast train Naples-Rome leaves at 10.22pm but trains run all night in case you miss the Eurostar one (they might arrive at stations other than the main Termini one, but they are still in the city). Not that I'd recommend hanging around Naples train station for fun.

If you want to be sure of those train times, use the Italian train service www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html (English version) and the Circumvesuviana site www.vesuviana.it/nebula/ (only in Italian, so click on the "Orari" heading on the left then choose "Ferrovia" then the station you want is "Pompei Scavi Villa Misteri"). Also, when you arrive in Rome, get your accommodation people to help you confirm all of this with a few phone calls, etc.

Good luck, wear comfortable shoes and let us know how you go!

[davidva]

Great! I checked out the times for the trains leaving Naples, and you were right, they do have trains leaving later than what I thought. I guess the timetable book they sent me with my Eurail pass is a little outdated! I'll be sure to print this out and bring it with me. I won't be doing this particular trip for about a month, but I arrive in Europe on the 7th!