Public Transportation in Naples, Italy is Confusing - But Here's What I Know!
- Amanda Vosloh-Tedford
- Mar 27, 2024
- 18 min read
Updated: Feb 4
Navigating public transportation in Naples, Italy can be a daunting task for even the most seasoned travelers. With a network of buses, trams, and trains that seem to follow their own set of rules, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and lost in the bustling streets of this vibrant city. Despite the extensive research I did online beforehand, it was still a significant source of confusion, anxiety, and frustration during our trip. In fact, much of what I found was disappointingly unclear or just outright wrong!
But let's make my pain your gain! We weren't in Naples for long and I'm certainly no expert, however I may be able to clear up a few things. Hopefully, the information below will make your upcoming vacation a little less stressful.
Public Transportation in Naples, Italy
Airport Transport via Alibus
First and foremost, you'll need to find transport from the Naples Capodichino Airport to the main part of the city. While there are several options available, taking the Alibus is by far the simplest and most stress-free solution. It may not be the least expensive but, for me, the ease and dependability more than made up for any extra costs.
Buying Tickets
Buying Alibus tickets is quite simple. Upon exiting into the main airport terminal, you should find a machine located slightly to the right by the primary building doors. It is very clearly marked.
The machine offers directions in several different languages, including English. Where the confusion comes in, however, is the type of ticket needed to ride the Alibus.
Alibus is managed by ANM, which we discuss further below. It's relevant now, however, because ANM offers several different ticket types. If you're not careful, you could purchase the wrong one here by accident (like we did!).
For transport from the Naples Capodichino Airport to Naples proper, you need to buy a one-way Alibus ticket for €5. None of the other options available include the Alibus and there's no way to pre-purchase your return to the airport.
All of that said, you don't actually have to stop at the machine in the airport lobby. It's also possible to purchase your ticket with the driver when boarding the bus. Electronic payments are accepted and the cost is still €5 per person. As we purchased the wrong ANM tickets inside, this is ultimately what we did.
Alternatively, you can apparently purchase your Alibus tickets in advance online! I didn't realize this until now, but the option is available on the ANM website. Personally, however, I think you might as well just get the tickets when you arrive at the bus. This was a very hassle-free process for us.
It's also important to note that the buses are not located directly outside the airport doors. Fortunately, there are numerous signs directing Alibus passengers to the departure location. You'll have to follow these passed several very eager and annoyingly persistent taxi drivers, but it's a relatively short walk.
The Alibus departs every 20 minutes or so. From the airport, it runs Monday through Friday from 6:30am to 11:40pm. On weekends, the the hours extend to 11:50pm.
Drop-Off Locations
Alibus makes two stops in the city-center. The one we used was the central station, or Naples Garibaldi. The destinations are clearly marked and it was clear when we were supposed to exit the bus.
As far as locations go, this is fairly central and worked perfectly for our needs. It was about a 15-20 minute walk to our Airbnb, as well as many of the most popular Naples attractions. You can also use the nearby Naples Garibaldi station to get to other parts of the city or continue your travels via train.
I do not, however, have any good information to share regarding the second Alibus drop-off location. One official site says the stop is Piazza Municipio (port), while another lists it as Naples Immacolatella Porta Di Massa. These are in the same part of the city, at least, but about a 15-minute walk apart.
I mentioned before that public transportation in Naples is confusing and this is exactly what I'm talking about. It's not uncommon for locations to go by two names and for companies to advertise conflicting information...the best I can do is say it seems to be part of the city's charm?
Returning to the Airport
It's important to realize that the Alibus drop-off is not the same location you will use when returning to the airport. We made this mistake and wasted about 10 minutes waiting for the wrong bus. No biggie - the driver simply pointed us in the right direction - but it could add some extra stress if you're crunched for time.
When returning to the Naples Capodichino Airport, you'll need to wait across the road nearer to one of the Naples Garibaldi station entrances.
Again, the Alibus signs are pretty easy to spot. You should wait near the one that says "airport link." One should come round about every 20 minutes starting at 5:10am until 11:30pm.
Fair warning: you are likely to be approached by numerous taxi drivers trying to offer the "same deal." They claim the charge will be €5 per person, but this is unlikely to be all inclusive. From what we heard, there are hidden fees and/or upcharges. The total price also ultimately depends on how many people ride with you in the taxi.
ANM Transport Tickets and Passes
As mentioned above, Alibus is managed by ANM but none of their other tickets include this particular service. There are, however, many other modes of transport covered by these tickets.
Subways Lines 1 & 6
Tram Lines
Bus
Buying Tickets
There are a few different purchase options available.
Single Ticket
This costs €1.30 and includes a single ride on valid ANM buses, trams, and metros.
Daily Ticket
This costs €4.50 and includes unlimited rides on valid ANM buses, trams, and metros until midnight.
Weekly Ticket
This costs €12.50 and includes unlimited rides on valid ANM buses, trams, and metros for seven full days.
Monthly and annual subscriptions are also available.
These various tickets can be purchased at kiosk machines throughout the city. The Alibus machine at the airport, for example, sold weekly tickets (which we purchased by mistake but used as much as possible anyway). I also noticed ticketing machines in the subways.
Alternatively, you can use the Unique Compania app to purchase tickets digitally. I can't speak to this process personally, but it is the official Unico Compania app.
Closing Times
Keep in mind that the metro in Naples doesn't stay open as late as in some other cities. The subway closes promptly at 11:00pm.
I mention this because one of our activities ran a little late and we didn't make it in time. While the city stays awake late, it's important to ensure you have the necessary transportation back to your accommodations. Fortunately, we were still within a reasonable walking distance and made it back just fine. It's definitely something you'll need to keep in mind, though!
EAV Railways
If you're anything like most tourists visiting Naples, you're not just interested in the city itself; you also want to explore nearby ancient Roman ruins! This will require finding transportation out of Naples, which is a whole other box of chocolates.
This is where EAV comes in. EAV is another company that offers public transport in and around Naples. Although we didn't utilize this service for any inner-city travel, it was our primary means of visiting other nearby towns. It is entirely distinct from ANM.
EAV manages three primary networks:
Circumvesuviana
Circumflegrea
Cumana
For our purposes, we only used Circumvesuviana. Unfortunately, this means I have no input regarding the workings of Circumflegrea and Cumana. Figuring out Circumvesuviana was hard enough, though, especially with all the misinformation posted online!
Circumvesuviana Trains
Circumvesuviana is a regional network of train lines that run east out of Naples to various cities around Mount Vesuvius - namely Ercolano (Herculaneum) and Pompeii. These are popular commuter and tourist trains, so they are often crowded. This is especially true during high-traffic hours. The trains are also quite old and there's no reserved seating, but ticket prices simply can't be beat!
Although there are many methods of reaching the various historical sites in the area, none are as inexpensive as using the Circumvesuviana trains. I researched this thoroughly before traveling and, honestly, find their prices really fair.
It's important to realize, however, that Circumvesuviana trains are not part of the Italian National Rail Network. As a result, it's not possible to purchase tickets in advance via any of the online platforms.
Buying Tickets
While most online information I found about purchasing Circumvesuviana tickets states that they accept cash only, this was not our experience. Three of the four station attendants we bought from accepted credit cards. And, interestingly, the woman who required a cash payment was in the same booth where we purchased using a card just one day prior.
My best guess is that they do accept credit card payments, but that their readers are unreliable. Alternatively, they may accept credit card payments for tickets to certain destinations or when the total is above a certain amount.
Regardless, I do recommend bringing cash as a backup when traveling on the Circumvesuviana trains. You just may not actually need it.
All tickets must be purchased from attendant booths at the stations in person. This process generally moved quickly with little waiting. The only time we had to stand in line was on our way back from Pompeii, as the site was closing and large numbers of visitors needed tickets all at once.
Ticket prices will vary depending on your starting and ending destinations. From Naples to Sorrento (the beginning and end of the line), it costs €4.60 per person. Although you'll still need to purchase a return ticket, this is extremely reasonable for a 70-minute train ride. We paid less when traveling to Ercolano and Pompeii.
Safety
Circumvesuviana has gained a relatively bad reputation. A lot of articles I read beforehand said that these trains were unsafe, rife with pickpockets and other undesirables. Although I only used them for a couple days during the off-season, this was not at all my experience or the experience of others I've spoken with.
As I said, the trains are older and they can get crowded - but at no point did I feel unsafe riding them. In fact, the majority of the time we were surrounded by other tourists. There were definitely locals present, but everyone we interacted with was very kind and helpful.
That isn't to say that there were no pickpockets. Indeed, I'm sure there were some! But let's be fair and acknowledge that thievery is a risk everywhere, particularly in large cities like Naples. You'll need to be careful with your belongings no matter what train you use. See my recommendations for this below.
I personally know a few people who paid extra to take the high-speed trains available from Napoli Centrale, but I don't think it's worth the additional cost.
Station Information
There are two Circumvesuviana stations in Naples: Porta Nolana and Garibaldi (which is located in the lower level of Napoli Centrale).
I recommend using Porta Nolana, if possible. It is the end/beginning of the line and seemingly a little less busy. As a result, starting your journey at Porta Nolana increases the likelihood that you'll have seats. In fact, the two days we used Circumvesuviana from Porta Nolana we had no trouble finding places to sit on the trains.
The ride from Porta Nolana to Garibaldi is quite short. It was at this station that I noticed the majority of passengers entering on the way to Ercolano (Herculaneum) and Pompeii. During the return tip, this is also where most people disembarked.
Getting to Herculaneum & Vesuvius
Now it's time for the bit that actually matters - how do you use the information above to get to your intended destinations outside the city?
We used Circumvesuviana to get from Naples to Ercolano, which is where Vesuvius and the ancient remains of Herculaneum are located. Again, we chose to leave from Porta Nolana in order to beat the crowds and ensure we had seats throughout the journey.
You can find the station using your GPS. I had no trouble bringing it up on Google Maps and it took us right to the front of the building.
From here, you'll want to head to the right side of the building around the buses. The left side is comprised of mostly administrative offices.
The area was pretty busy, so it can be easy to miss the signs directing you to the ticketing booths. You should come to a set of stairs going down to the platforms. Take these and turn left at the bottom.
Purchasing tickets wasn't too difficult...I made it much more stressful than it should have been.
While the attendant we interacted with did not speak fluent English, we were able to communicate sufficiently. I told him where we were going and how many people were traveling; he told us the price, took payment via credit card, and gave the tickets to us. Easy-peasy!
Trouble is, I confused the situation by saying we were going to Sorrento, not Ercolano. The reason for this is that all the information I found beforehand indicated that Ercolano and Pompeii were just stops along the route to Sorrento. While this is technically true, not every train actually STOPS at all locations along the way! They do this to make some trips shorter and more direct than others.
My brain was still functioning as if we were using the subway in London and it nearly resulted in us getting on the wrong train!
Fortunately, we were early and had time to get this sorted out. Although we did pay a little more than we should have for a trip to Ercolano, one of the workers told us which train platform was the correct one.
Still, there was no information posted about which stops the train made and the one we were directed to wasn't heading to a destination I was familiar with. This caused our party, and many other tourists on the platforms, a bit of undo stress. We were all milling around aimlessly for quite some time!
This resulted in me double (triple, and even quadruple) checking with other attendants to ensure we were in the right place. The train to Ercolano takes about 25 minutes.
Exit the train at the Ercolano Scavi station.
Transportation to Vesuvius from Ercolano
We chose to visit Vesuvius and Herculaneum on the same day. I'll write more about this decision in another post soon. For the purposes of this article, though, it's just important that you know we needed transportation from the train station in Ercolano to Vesuvius National Park.
Please note that there are numerous transport methods, but this was the easiest and cheapest option I found. (I'd love to hear other suggestions if you have them!)
Upon exiting the Ercolano train station, you should see a business called Vesuvio Express.
Vesuvio Express provides round-trip transportation to the Vesuvius park entrance for €12 per person. This does not include admittance to the Vesuvius National Park. It is possible to purchase a combination ticket, however, for €30. Both options are available to buy in person on the day of your visit, assuming they aren't fully booked.
While convenient, it's worth noting that the combination ticket is more expensive than making the reservations separately.
Ultimately, we opted to pre-purchase transportation only with Vesuvio Express. This option is less obvious on their website; scroll down and click "Buy Now" to access it.
We then bought our Mount Vesuvius tickets directly from the park website. Full price entrance is €11,68 per person. Vesuvius tickets must be purchased online in advance, as phone service is generally too poor to complete the order after arrival and there is no option to buy them in person. You will need to register with Vivaticket in order to complete your order, which is a bit of a hassle but simple enough. Although the park ticket is for a specific time, you can enter 40 minutes early and up to 100 minutes afterward - this makes it fairly easy to align with the Vesuvio Express timetable.
Overall, this decision saved us €6,32 each.
Now, a few words about the Vesuvio Express service.
While I generally recommend using Vesuvio Express, there are a couple things you should be aware of beforehand.
The times posted on their website may not be accurate. Either they advertise earlier departures or they regularly run behind. While the first available timeslot listed is 9:10am, we were informed that the bus wasn't actually leaving until 9:30am. Based on reviews, this is a common occurrence. It didn't drastically impact our plans, but is worth keeping in mind.
The bigger issue is that Vesuvio Express commonly misleads visitors regarding the amount of time they are allowed on the mountain. According to the website (and the desk attendant I spoke with), the entire trip should take approximately 3 hours. This includes a 30-minute drive up, 2 hours in the park, and a 30-minute drive back. However, it's apparently common for the drivers to cut your free-time at the volcano short. We had only 1 hour and 40 minutes, for example. While we were able to make this work, I was displeased with the development - especially because I had just confirmed timing with the worker in the office before leaving. According to reviews, this seems to happen regularly and can present significant disappointment for travelers.
Overall, I still think Vesuvio Express is a convenient and inexpensive transportation method from Ercolano to Vesuvius. It is important, however, to strategically purchase your park tickets with a potential late departure in mind and to expect less time for independent exploration at the crater.
*Personal Note: It took me 18 minutes to make the climb from the park entrance to the crater. I didn't time myself on the way down, but the descent was comparable. This gave me approximately 1 hour to walk around the top pathways, take pictures, and shop for souvenirs. The ascent isn't super difficult, but it could easily take longer to complete for others. An hour is sufficient, although I certainly would have appreciated additional time if we'd had it.
Returning to Naples from Ercolano
Fortunately, returning to Naples from Ercolano via Circumvesuviana was extremely easy. We entered the station exactly where we exited it.
Inside, there was barely any line to purchase tickets at the booth. Again, the attendant knew enough English to make the buying process a breeze. We simply stated we needed three tickets back to Napoli (Italian for Naples) and were good to go. We paid €2,60 per person using a credit card.
The next departure time was clearly displayed on the mounted monitor and we followed signs for the appropriate platform.
Notably, the return train made significantly fewer stops, so the trip was a little shorter. It was, however, a little more crowded than in the morning. We still managed to acquire seats partway through the journey.
While you can exit at the Garibaldi or Porta Nolana stations, it was most convenient for us to utilize Porta Nolana.
Getting to Pompeii
We also used Circumvesuviana to get from Naples to Pompeii. Again, we chose to leave from Porta Nolana in order to beat the crowds and ensure we had seats throughout the journey.
The directions are the same as above:
Use Google Maps to find the Circumvesuviana Porta Nolana station
Approach the right side of the building around the buses
Descend the stairs to the ticketing booths and train platforms
Tell the attendant your destination and pay for tickets (have cash on hand just in case)
Determine the corresponding platform number using mounted video screens (or ask for assistance)
Board your train once it arrives
Having learned from my mistakes, I was very specific when telling the attendant what our destination was. Unlike the day before, however, we were told we had to pay for the tickets using cash. This was the only time we were required to do this while traveling with Circumvesuviana.
Our train was already parked and waiting, so the attendant directed us to the correct platform. There were many other tourists meandering around, however, who seemed unsure which train to board. As with the day before, the destination label was unfamiliar and Pompeii was not listed as a stop anywhere. With this in mind, I recommend asking a worker for assistance if you're confused about which train is the right one.
The trip to Pompeii is a little longer than the one to Ercolano, taking approximately 40 minutes. As this is a more popular tourist destination than Herculaneum, the train was also a little more crowded.
Exit the train at Pompeii Scavi-Villa dei Misteri.
This station is only a few minutes from the main Pompeii ruins entrance. There are several food and souvenir stalls along the route if you want to grab a bite or do some shopping beforehand.
Note: While many online sources incorrectly state that there is no food available inside, there is a café in Pompeii just passed the forum.
Returning to Naples from Pompeii
Unfortunately, returning to Naples from Pompeii with Circumvesuviana was a little less pleasant than our previous trips. We left the ruins around 4:00pm, which was apparently a very busy time at the station. Upon returning to Pompeii Scavi-Villa dei Misteri, we found a significant line of people waiting to purchase tickets back to Napoli. Rushing at this time really isn't possible.
Once we reached the attendant, we specified our destination was Napoli and paid for our tickets with a credit card.
It's also important to realize that you must go down stairs (or take an elevator) in order to reach the appropriate platform. As the station is on the wrong side of the tracks, you'll need to follow the posted signs in order to ensure you get to the right place. We were rushing, so I didn't get to take any photos for reference - but the stairs are directly across from the ticketing booth and should be clearly marked.
The train from Pompeii to Napoli was significantly more crowded than any other we boarded. We barely had room to squeeze in and it was not a very comfortable ride back. However, the train made very few stops along the way and reached the city quite quickly.
Again, we chose to exit at the Porta Nolana station, but the majority of riders got off the train at Garibaldi.
Trenitalia Train Tickets
You can also use Trenitalia to book train travel in Compania (area around Naples). These trains are newer and offer departures from Napoli Centrale. Booking is possible and encouraged online.
In comparison with Circumvesuviana, Trenitalia ticket prices do seem to be more expensive.
Although we opted to use Circumvesuviana to reach Ercolano and Pompeii, I did book tickets with Trenitalia to Paestum. Paestum is an ancient Greek city on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, in Magna Graecia. It is best known for the three ancient Greek temple ruins located there.
I cannot provide any good information about Trenitalia or travel to Paestum, however, as local transportation strikes caused us to cancel this part of our trip. To the best of my knowledge, this is the only way to reach the site.
What About the Compania Artecard?
There are several Naples city passes available to purchase, each with unique benefits and offered at varying price points. I recommend researching a few of them to see what will fit your travel plans best.
Ultimately, our itinerary fit best with the Compania Artecard.
The Good
This electronic pass provides free/discounted access to several attractions in and around the city - including Pompeii, Herculaneum, the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Paestum, and many more. The Artecard also grants free transportation in Naples and Campania using lines powered by Unico Campania. I believe this includes all ANM subways, buses, and trams.
I was particularly attracted to the Campania Artecard 3, which includes free entrance to two associated attractions, varying discounts up to 50% for subsequent attractions, and free Unico Compania transpiration over a three-day period.
Assuming you plan to visit at least three or four sites, this is a great deal for only €41 per adult. Individuals 18-25 years of age can purchase the Campania Artecard 3 Giovani pass, which includes the same benefits but costs only €30.
The Bad
The Compania Artecard is only available electronically and the app is apparently utter rubbish. I read numerous reviews provided by various websites and found that everyone said the same thing - the deal is fantastic, but the execution is terrible. In fact, the app has an embarrassingly low rating of 1.2 stars on Google Play.
So what is the issue? According to the reviews, the pass loads extremely slowly (if it loads at all). This is particularly problematic when using public transportation, as the necessary QR code regenerates every three minutes and cell service may not be readily available. People reported wasting a significant amount of time trying to get it to work and/or abandoning the pass altogether. In some cases, attendants apparently take pity on Artecard holders and let them through, but the added hassle rarely seems worth the money saved.
Ultimately, based on this information, we opted NOT to purchase the Artecard passes. My nephew decided to visit fewer attractions and has particularly terrible cell service when traveling aboard - and the price difference for my husband and I didn't seem justifiable.
That said, I think it may still be a viable option for certain travelers and trips. We had a pretty tight schedule to keep, which would have made delays highly stressful. On a more laidback trip without my nephew's phone issues, I think my husband and I would have given the Compania Artecard a try anyway.
General Recommendations
More than anything else, invest in good shoes before traveling anywhere in Italy! Walking around the cities is hard and visiting ancient sites is even harder. The uneven walkways are beautiful, but make for some truly hellish days on your feet. Personally, I wear these Karrimor Weathertites, but find walking shoes to suit your needs and style!
Invest in shoe inserts. No matter how good your tennis shoes or trainers are, your feet could use a little extra support in and around Naples.
Take the necessary steps to keep your belongings protected while traveling in Naples. As mentioned above, pickpockets are common in and around the city. For us, this meant making a few extra purchases before our trip.
Phone Lanyards I've used a phone lanyard like this one on every trip since we visited Barcelona earlier this year! My husband opted for a simpler version, but also uses it regularly now. I think they're great, even for shorter day outings!
RFID Card Protectors
Keeping your finances safe while traveling is really important. While no system is foolproof, we did invest in RFID card protection this year. There are a lot of options out there, but my husband and I use blocking cards like these. We also purchased blocking sleeves like these.
Baggage Locks
I've mentioned in previous posts that I like to use a drawstring bag as a "purse" when traveling. I find it both comfortable and secure; plus it tends to hold a lot more items. For some added protection, I recently purchased one of these cute cow locks! It seems to be an effective deterrent and is super cute!
Take extra preclusions with your belongings when using public transportation. I tend to turn my bag around so it's hanging against the front of my body before boarding. This ensures no one can rummage around in it without me noticing. I also tie off any shopping bags and ensure my phone is secured. If I'm waring my raincoat, I also zip my pockets to protect whatever is inside them.
Don't keep all your money in one place. This is easily achieved by leaving some amount of cash at your accommodation while out exploring, or having an extra credit card hidden somewhere in your luggage. If you are the victim of theft, at least you'll still have some access to your finances during the remainder of your trip.
Similarly, don't carry your passport on your person while out and about in the city. Instead, take a picture and save it to your phone. In most cases, showing the image will suffice - although I've never needed it at all after reaching my destination. Again, if something is stolen, this important document won't be lost and you'll still be able to get home easily.
Be prepared to take a LOT of pictures. This is not an exaggeration; I took over 2,000 photos over a three-day period. I use the Nikon D7000 digital SLR with either a 18-55mm lens or 55-200mm lens. Amazon also has a comparable Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR camera, which comes with two lenses and a carry bag.
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