How to Get from Rome to Pompeii

It is an amazing idea to visit the ruins of Pompeii from Rome, Italy’s most famous archaeological excavation. Since there is no direct train, the best option is to get to Naples from Rome and then to Pompeii. The distance is 242 km. The journey will take from 2 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours.

One day trip from Rome to Pompeii is one of the most famous options among visitors of the Eternal City.

Here’s the list of options on how to get from Rome to Pompeii:

Roundtrip Visit from Rome

If you are interested in a trip from Rome to Pompeii and back for one day, then the most comfortable and most economical way would be a group tour. The tour lasts 11 hours and starts at 8 am from Rome Tiburtina Station.

What’s included in the tour:

1. Roundtrip to Pompeii.
2. Free WiFi on the bus.
3. Access to Pompeii.
4. Audio guide for the archaeological area (English, Italian, German, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese).
5. Assistance at the bus stops from Touristation staff.
6. Transfer from Pompeii bus station to the archaeological area (Pompeii).

Did you know that the equally famous and interesting archaeological park of Ostia Antica Ruins is located near Rome? It is much faster and cheaper to get from Rome to Ostia. I recommend a must-visit!

Train from Rome to Naples

There are about 16 trains per day that you can take to reach the station nearest to the Pompeii ruins from the Roma Termini train and bus station. If you travel from the Rome Fiumicino Airport, you have to take the Leonardo Express shuttle train to the Termini railway station. Then, it would be best if you had a train which goes to Naples (Napoli Centrale). Talking about Rome Ciampino airport: take a bus or taxi to Termini station and then a train to Naples.

There are different types of trains that run between Rome and Naples:

• Eurostar Freccia Rossa (TAV) is the most convenient and fastest option and the most expensive. In less than two hours, you will arrive at Naples’ Piazza Garibaldi station. Also, the train departs every hour, and usually, it is quite punctual. The ticket price is from 20 euros one-way
• Intercity: the ride takes about two hours to reach Naples by this train, with the ticket cost starting from 18 euro
• Interregional: these trains stop at every station, so the journey from Rome to Naples takes about four hours. The ticket price is cheap – about 10 euros, so this option is perfect for budget tourists

There are two main companies that provide train tickets: Italotreno.it and Trenitalia.com

You can easily purchase train tickets online or at any station. Note: prices for tickets are much lower if you buy them in advance. In addition, both companies often provide customers with special offers and discounts. However, such kind of tickets is not refundable.

Read also Ultimate Rome-Naples  Guide.

Train from Naples to Pompeii

When you reach Naples, take a Regional train (Regionale) to Pompeii. There are two train lines: the Metropolitan Railway that runs between Naples and Salerno with a stop at Pompeii and the Circumvesuviana train service that stops during the journey to Sorrento. You can buy tickets online app.italiarail.com.

The Circumvesuviana trains are more popular. The train station is right next to one of the main entrances at Pompeii. Both Circumvesuviana and Metropolitan Railway trains run from Naples Garibaldi station, which is physically part of Naples Centrale Station

Naples Centrale Station is located on ground level. From the ground, level escalators go down one level to an underground shopping center, and then you can go further to the Naples Metro. Naples Garibaldi Station is located on the same level as the shopping center. 

• The Circumvesuviana trains operate twice an hour between 6 am and 9.30 pm. Usually, trains are quite crowded. The journey to Pompeii Scavi station takes around 40 minutes. You can buy tickets from the ticket counter in Naples, but note that only cash is taken.
• The Metropolitan Railway is line 2 of the Naples Metro system. The station at Pompeii is located in the town, at a longer distance from the entrances of Pompeii than the Circumvesuviana’s one. However, there are usually less crowded trains, and you can buy tickets online on the website of Trenitalia.

By Bus

Another option is to get to Pompeii from Rome by traveling from the Rome Tiburtina station (on the Metropolitana subway blue line) by bus – we recommend buying tickets online on Flixbus.com.

This option is the cheapest one since the one-way ticket price starts from 9.99 euros per person. 

There are direct buses from Rome Tiburtina station or Rome Anagnina to Pompei. The journey takes about 3 hours 25 minutes. You can buy tickets online here

By Car

You can reach Pompeii from Rome by rental car in 2 hours and 50 minutes. The distance is 242 km. Moreover, there are many interesting and beautiful cities and towns nearby Pompeii. For instance, you can visit towns of the Amalfi Coast, such as Sorrento and Positano. Of course, it is worth visiting Naples during your trip to Pompeii. One of the best ideas on what to do in Naples is to try the famous Neapolitan pizza.

You can rent a car by www.rentalcars.com online service. Prices for car rental from Rome Fiumicino airport start from 10 euro per day.

History of Pompeii

First constructions on the site date back to the 8th century BC, when the Oscans, citizens of the central part of Italy, founded five villages there. Later, when the Greeks arrived in Campania from around 740 BC, Pompeii entered into the orbit of the Hellenic people. During that time, the most important building was the Doric Temple, and the cult of Apollo was introduced. In addition, the location was used as a safe port by the Greek and Phoenician sailors.

Around the 6th century BC, a single community was created, which territories located on the crossroad between Cumae, Nola, and Stabiae, surrounded by a tufa city wall. Later, in 524 BC was the first settlement of the Etruscans. The same as the Greeks, the Etruscans did not conquer the city militarily. Pompeii became a member of the Etruscan League of cities. 

In the 3rd century BC Pompeii was conquered by the Romans and became important for the Roman trade exchanges because it started to export wine and olive oil

Many important buildings were created in that period as Jupiter’s Temple and the Basilica, the House of the Faun, and the Temple of Iside. Under Roman rule, Pompeii became at first a “municipium” and then a colony “Veneria Cornelia Pompeianorum” since it was ruled by the dictator Publio Cornelio Silla (89 BC). Thus, Roman architectural and cultural styles highly influenced Pompeii, and many patriciate families lived there. Moreover, the Temple of Augustus and the Building of Eumachia were created in 1 century AD.

There was a strong earthquake in 62 or 63 AD, and the Roman senate ordered the town’s reconstruction. However, on 24 August 79 AD, an eruption of the volcano Vesuvius destroyed the whole of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae, and Oplonti. Thus, all forms of life disappeared from the territory of famous ruins that nowadays millions of tourists visit every year.

The last eruption of the Vesuvius volcano happened in 1944. Despite the fact that today people are aware of its danger, the area around the volcano is highly populated

Entrance Fee

You can buy tickets at a ticket desk or for an additional cost of 4 euros per adult, and a pre-purchase will allow you to skip the ticket queue. You can buy skip-the-line tickets to Pompeii at a trusted site.

• Ticket price: 21 euros for adults
• For EU citizens (18-24): 9 euro
• Visitors under 18 y.o. Enter for free
• Entrance to Pompeii archaeological zone is free of admission every first Sunday of the month.
• Working hours: daily from 9 am to 3.30 pm

Interesting Facts about Pompeii

1. According to historians and archaeologists, the Greeks were the first who settle the territory of Pompeii, not the Romans.
2. The debate about the actual date when Vesuvius erupted still continues nowadays. However, archaeologists have found the clothing and food preserved in the ash as a sign of a colder season rather than the 24th of August, which is the date when it is believed that the lava destroyed Pompeii.
3. Many historians claim that residents of Pompeii did not know that Vesuvius was a volcano.
4. According to scientists, the city and its citizens would stay alive if the wind did not blow toward Pompeii on the day of the Vesuvius eruption.
5. Pompeii remained undiscovered for 1500 years.
6. It is now the world’s most significant archaeological site covering 150 acres.
7. Vesuvius can still erupt any day.
8. Over 2.6 million people per year visit the Ruins of Pompeii
9. The Amphitheatre of Pompeii is the oldest stone building of its kind in the world, which was constructed in 80 BC
10. The Catastrophic eruption in 79 AD is said to have lasted for more than 24 hours

Have you ever visited the ruins of Pompeii? 🙂

Author: Kate Zusmann

I have lived in the Eternal City for the past 12 years. They say every angle of Rome has its history, and I'm here to tell you about the most intriguing historical facts and city legends. :)