Venice to Naples by Train

GenuineFan

Have never been to Italy. My husband and I are thinking of going end of May / early June - starting in Venice, going to Florence, Rome, Sorrento and flying home from Naples. Hope to do the best we can over 10 days and do this by train. Any ideas or suggestions, websites, planners, etc.

Keyzer

Go home from somewhere else. All due respect to Italy as its a beautiful country but Naples is one of the roughest town's I've ever been in.

schemingbohemia

https://www.seat61.com/Italy.htm is very useful for train information and best tickets to buy. Bologna is an interesting stopping off point and even though you'd be doubling back on yourself Siena is beautiful for a day trip from Florence.

[edit] Added info from Seat 61
"A pass is unlikely to make sense: By all means check out the InterRail pass (for European residents) or Eurail passes (for non-Europeans) at the seat61 rail shop, especially if you are under 26 so qualify for the cheaper youth versions (as the youth passes can indeed make financial sense). However, for most people railpasses are now the gold-plated expensive option. They have lost their convenience factor in Italy, as passholders must make a reservation and pay a €10 reservation fee for virtually every fast train they take, and this must be factored into the cost. Trenitalia's cheap advance-purchase fares from just €9.90, €19.90 or €29.90 blow railpasses out of the water price-wise if you are prepared to book in advance on a no-refunds, no-changes-to-travel-plans basis. So passes are only worth considering if you demand the flexibility to go as you please. Even here, you need to be doing the equivalent of Rome-Venice every pass travel day to make them pay. If you are only doing Rome-Florence one day, then Florence-Venice a few days later, it's cheaper to buy fully flexible base-price tickets at the station than to use a pass once the reservation fee is added."

incentsitive

Keyzer wrote: »

Go home from somewhere else. All due respect to Italy as its a beautiful country but Naples is one of the roughest town's I've ever been in.

Naples is so rough we were afraid to leave the train station. It is an absolute HOVEL. We met some people in Pompeii who said they stayed 1 night in Naples and checked out and moved on.

We got the train from Sorrento to Naples and straight on to Rome. Flew home from there. I would agree, don't waste a minute in Napoli. It sounds lovely when Dean Martin is singing about it, but that's about as good as it gets.

Muahahaha

Naples is a dump for sure but there is no need to linger there. Given the OP is going from northern to southern Italy Naples is as good a place as any to fly home direct to Ireland from. If they are finishing up the trip in Sorrento Naples airport is only about 60km away. I dont see the point in doubling back all the way to Rome just to fly home, it is a further 250km from Naples. You would waste the guts of a days holidays doing so and then be limited to whatever afternoon/evening flights there is.

OP you are stuffing a lot into 10 days. Not saying it cant be done but going to all those places in 10 days will feel a bit rushed, you will be flying around the tourist sites. I would consider leaving out at least one of Venice & Florance and go back to see them on a further trip, perhaps combined with other highlights of northern Italy such as Tuscany, Lake Como, Padua etc.

sweeneed

loved naples after 3 day stay this summer. really old city full of character and amazing food. its chaotic so was a little intimidating on our first day having come from croatia and bari but we settled in and loved it. walked many dark narrow streets and not an ounce of trouble seen or experienced! i was also expecting a smelly city with rubbish everywhere but this was not the case!

Vologda69

Yes Naples gets a bad rap....but important to do a bit of research before you go. The National Archaeological museum is well worth a visit. As is the Royal palace, cathedral and catacombs. The city is as ancient as Rome itself with all the associated problems that come with. I had some of my best food in Napoli.

johnire

Wow can’t believe the negative comments about Naples. We’ve been there 3 times and loved it!
If you need a hotel recommendation just pm me. There’s loads to see and do in Naples itself and then there Pompeii and Herculaneum and Mt Vesuvius and Capri.

sweeneed wrote: »

loved naples after 3 day stay this summer. really old city full of character and amazing food. its chaotic so was a little intimidating on our first day having come from croatia and bari but we settled in and loved it. walked many dark narrow streets and not an ounce of trouble seen or experienced! i was also expecting a smelly city with rubbish everywhere but this was not the case!

Wyldwood

I agree with the poster who said you are trying to pack too much into 10 days.

Rome and Sorrento alone will absorb all 10 days. Fly into Rome spend 3 days exploring the city and then get the train to Naples. I would then get on the Circumvesuviana train straight to Sorrento. There is a week's worth of sights to see in that area alone.. Amalfi coast/Positano, Vesuvius, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Capri. All can be done using public transport, either bus, train or ferry and are really cheap. If you really want to see Naples then spend your last night there and fly back from Naples airport.

Alternatively, fly into Milan, Bergamo or Verona and stay in Lake Garda (Desenzano is good for public transport links) lots of stunning scenery and very easy trips around the lake to be made here on the ferries. Take a few days in Venice as part of the trip. Venice is easy to reach by train from southern Lake Garda.

Another option is to fly to Rome and having spent a few days there to go up to Florence and Pisa and see a bit of Tuscany. However, to do this properly you would need to hire a car and driving in Italy takes nerves of steel. They are the most reckless drivers I've ever come across.

Don't try to do the 'grand tour', you won't see anything properly and will be left feeling a tad disappointed for not allowing more time. Italy is stunningly beautiful and needs to be savoured in small bites.

schemingbohemia

johnire wrote: »

Wow can’t believe the negative comments about Naples. We’ve been there 3 times and loved it!
If you need a hotel recommendation just pm me. There’s loads to see and do in Naples itself and then there Pompeii and Herculaneum and Mt Vesuvius and Capri.

Would you not just post it for people?

coffey87

Very surprised to hear people talk so negatively about Naples. While its not as clean and organised as the Northern Italian cities, it has much more character and way better food. Lots of beautiful architecture, friendly people, interesting museums and the views of Vesuvius are unreal. I would have to think some peoples views are based on what they saw when they were at the train station, which like every city in the world does attract some undesirables.

Outside of Venice, I would easily say Naples is the next best Italian city, way better than Rome.

Twee.

For Rome to Sorrento I took the Marozzi bus https://www.marozzivt.it/home. It worked out cheaper for the days we were looking at, and we were booking fairly close to departure day so that impacted train prices. It's 4 hours with a stop in the middle, and is fairly comfortable. The scenery is stunning on the way as well!

We flew out of Naples, just booked a transfer from our hotel and it was no bother.

https://www.goeuro.com/ is a great way to look at all the transport options. Remember that Italy has two train companies so it's good to use a search engine to see all options.

I'd agree with other posters in reference to your time frame. I spent 10 days in just Rome and Sorrento this year.