1

The holding company is in deep financial trouble with the regional government fighting for extra funds - indeed there was an item about it in "La Repubblica" newspaper only a couple of days ago. On the Naples - Sorrento line, some early morning and late night trains have been withdrawn (most replaced by buses I'm told) but between about 0600 and 2000 hours most trains are running as normal every half hour or so. However, some of the other lines have been reduced to hourly causing overcrowding so be prepared for a squash, but you should be otherwise OK.

2

Thanks very much, Mike.

I gather another option is Marozzi bus from Rome to Sorrento, then Sita bus from Sorrento to Positano. We may end up doing that instead.

If anyone else hears anything about the Circumvesuviana train please do post it. I'm sure other travelers will be curious.

3

Had you thought about going on the hydrofoil? - see http://www.aliscafi.it/show_aliscafi_localita.asp?localita=Positano . It would be worth getting a taxi from Centrale station to Molo Beverello if you've got any luggage, but its probably 20 - 30 minutes walk and is located right by the Piazza Municipio. On the rare occasions I've used the boats / hydrofoils, I've never had any difficulty getting a ticket provided I've been at the desk 15 - 20 minutes before departure.
Re buses, do you know just where to catch the bus from in Naples? - I've always found locating the departure stop an issue around Naples centrale station.

4

I understand that the hydrofoil doesn't run while we are there (April 13-20). Are you saying it does? It's hard for me to navigate that website, even with the help of Google translate. A ferry right from Naples to Positano certainly sounds appealing.

The bus we're looking at now goes right from Rome to Sorrento, so there's no need to navigate Naples centrale station.

Thanks again for your help!

5

I'm not going to do your homework on this, but when my wife and I took a cruise we stopped in Naples and took a train to Salerno. From there we took a ferry (near train station) to Amalfi and Positano. It was easy. Not sure when the ferry starts, though. You can also take a bus. So if you have a problem, this route is open to you.

6

Looks like I've repeated stuff you've already found over in that other thread...

It would somewhat easier to help if we had your probable arrival and departure times?

These people should have some boats running from Salerno (to whose station a good number of the Rome trains go) to Positano by the 13th - but you'd be well advised to check with them as to which are running, as the two-bus alternative (with a change in Amalfi) could be somewhat tedious.....

http://www.coopsantandrea.com/it/servizidilinea/servizi_b.asp?id=4

Their pier is fairly handy for the station where you'd arrive...
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/132810174

Or of course you could take a taxi from the station... or book a car to meet you there?

No idea quite what either would cost - although this ratecard, from one of the few firms prepared to publish such a thing, is perhaps indicative:

http://www.amalfi-drive.com/fares.html

Have a look here for more or less what the travel times are likely to be..

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/132567370

.... with cars not being a lot faster than buses for much of the journey!

Peter

PS... almost no chance of there being any direct services by sea from Naples to Positano this month!

Edited by: a_brit_in_ischia

7

Have also been trying to find the timetable for this train but apparently not running.Want to get from Sorrento to Pompeii Scavi. What is the alternative?

8

Local press reports that the number of trains increased from early May. It used to run about half-hourly and there have been generally one or two trains per hour but with few or no trains early morning and late evening when buses have been substituted. Have had difficulty getting an online timetable that works. This might give you some confidence, although it lists the problems to date as well: http://denaro.it/blog/2012/04/27/trasporti-circumvesuviana-dal-1%C2%B0-maggio-i-nuovi-orari/

9

When in doubt, simply refer to their site's Italian version...

http://www.vesuviana.it/web/it

May's timetables - with the gaps that appeared during April's crisis mostly filled in again, and services from 6AM until almost 10PM - are here:

http://www.vesuviana.it/web/files/Orario%20sorrento%20dispari.pdf

http://www.vesuviana.it/web/files/Orario%20maggio%200512%20sorrento%20pari.pdf

Peter

10

And those for June now...

From N to S
http://www.vesuviana.it/web/files/Sorrento%20dispari%20giugno%202012.pdf

From S to N
http://www.vesuviana.it/web/files/Sorrento%20pari%20giugno%202012.pdf

Peter