Circumvesuviana review: the train to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Sorrento

Who runs the Circumvesuviana today

Everyone still says “Circumvesuviana”, but the line now belongs to EAV (Ente Autonomo Volturno), wholly owned by the Campania Region. EAV runs the railways that used to belong to Circumvesuviana, SEPSA and MCNE, about 150 stations in all, as well as the Cumana, the Circumflegrea, regional buses and the Monte Faito cable car.

It is not Trenitalia: Napoli Centrale is a different station, even though Napoli Garibaldi sits right underneath the same square. EAV’s freephone information line is 800 211388.

The right stations for Herculaneum, Pompeii and Sorrento

All the trains day-trippers need run on the Naples–Sorrento line.

• Napoli Porta Nolana is the terminus; Napoli Garibaldi is the next stop, linked to Napoli Centrale and the metro.
• Ercolano Scavi is the stop for the Herculaneum Archaeological Park, within walking distance.
• Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri is the stop for the Porta Marina entrance. Do not confuse it with Pompei Santuario.
• Sorrento is the end of the line, with buses and boats on to the Amalfi Coast.

Local sources say trains run roughly every 30 minutes and the ride to Sorrento takes a little over an hour: check the day’s timetable on the EAV website.

Circumvesuviana tickets: fares and how to pay

Fares follow Unico Campania’s extra-urban bands: Herculaneum is band NA2 (€2.60 EAV-only), Pompeii NA3, Sorrento NA5. Prices changed on 1 September 2023, so figures you find online from before then are out of date.

You can buy:

• at station ticket offices and machines;
• in the GoEav app or at authorised shops;
• as a QR digital ticket at the main stations;
• with a contactless card (Tap&Go), tapping in and tapping out.

If you have an Artecard, the Campania 3-day pass includes regional transport, Circumvesuviana included, for reaching the sites on the pass; the Campania 7-day pass does not.

Campania Express: suspended from 1 October 2026

The Campania Express was the tourist version of the line: air-conditioning, an assigned seat, on-board staff and only a few stops (Porta Nolana, Garibaldi, Ercolano Scavi, Pompei Scavi, Castellammare, Vico Equense, Meta, Piano di Sorrento, Sant’Agnello and Sorrento). EAV has suspended it from 1 October 2026 until further notice.

Tickets for dates after 30 September are refundable (see the FAQ below for how). Before you plan your day, check the EAV website to see whether the service has resumed.

Comfort and accessibility: what to expect

These are basic regional trains, and at peak times they can be packed, especially from Garibaldi onwards; boarding at Porta Nolana helps you get a seat. Keep your backpack in front of you and never leave luggage unattended, as on any crowded line.

EAV is clear about accessibility: Napoli Garibaldi, Ercolano and Sant’Agnello are not accessible; Castellammare and Pompei Villa dei Misteri are accessible only in the Sorrento direction. Wheelchair users should start from Porta Nolana, or consider a transfer instead: a taxi from Naples to Pompei Scavi has a fixed fare of €70 per car.

Train plus entry ticket: what to buy and where

Your train ticket does not include entry. At Pompeii the official ticket, issued in your name with a cap of 20,000 visitors a day, costs €20 for the ancient city only or €25 with the suburban villas and shuttle; from 1 January 2027 a single €25 ticket valid for 30 days across all park sites has been announced. Herculaneum costs €16, plus a €1.50 online booking fee.

On Tiqets the same entries start at €27.50 for Pompeii and €19.50 for Herculaneum: more than the official channel, in exchange for simple multilingual checkout. If you would rather not think about logistics at all, an organised tour with transport, such as those run by NaplesBay Tour, costs more but removes trains and ticket queues from the equation. The full comparison is on our Pompeii and Herculaneum page.

Our verdict on the Circumvesuviana

For Pompeii or Herculaneum under your own steam, the Circumvesuviana is hard to beat on price and convenience: a few euros, no booking, stations next to the entrances. It works well if you set off early, get off at the right stop and already have your site ticket. It is not ideal with luggage, small children or limited mobility, and with the Campania Express out of service there is currently no comfortable alternative on the same tracks.

To reach Garibaldi from the airport, take Alibus; for everything else in town, see getting around Naples. We are an independent guide: if you book through the Tiqets or GetYourGuide links on this page we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.