how to get to the amalfi coast from rome in 2025

If this is your first time visiting the Amalfi Coast, then I have to tell you- getting to the Amalfi Coast can be HARD. If you're like me, you probably assumed, "The Amalfi Coast is so famous, there must be an airport and multiple train stations that travel through. I bet I'll have a bunch of options to choose from when it comes down to choosing how to get there." WRONG. I went to the Amalfi Coast in the last year, and I have to tell you, there wasn't one simple form of transportation to get there. When planning my friend group's trip to the Amalfi Coast, I even had trouble finding information about how to get down there. For that reason, I vowed to myself that when I got back from my trip, I would write a guide on how to get down to the Amalfi Coast along with all the questions that you probably have when it comes to this topic. And from that, this guide was born!

HOW FAR IS THE AMALFI COAST FROM ROME?

The Amalfi Coast is a 3 to 4 hour drive from Rome. This comes to about 174 miles, or 280 kilometers, between the two famous Italian destinations. Fortunately, many individuals looking to experience both the Italian coastline and one of the world's most historic cities can do so in less than a day's travel, which doesn't sound that bad, right? The only problem is that it's hard to find a public form of transportation that takes you directly from Rome to the Amalfi Coast (and vis versa) without having to make a transfer or two.

IS THERE A HIGH-SPEED TRAIN FROM ROME TO THE AMALFI COAST?

Unfortunately there is currently not a high-speed train that will take you directly from Rome into the Amalfi Coast. Instead, visitors can take both a high-speed train to Naples and then use local transportation to get to their destination along the Amalfi Coast. The reason that there is not a high-speed train that goes directly through the Amalfi Coast is because of the geographical challenges. The Amalfi Coast is full of super steep cliffs and a rugged coastline that would make building a railway across this area difficult and costly for Italy. The existing transportation, which is essentially local buses, cars, and scooters, must drive on narrow streets and through winding pathways to get from one small town to the next instead.

THE CHEAPEST WAY TO GET FROM ROME TO THE AMALFI COAST IN 2025

If you're planning to travel between Rome and a town on the Amalfi Coast, here's all the essential information tailored to your specific destination on the coast:

How to Get From Rome to Naples

The fastest way to get from the beautiful city of Rome to Naples is by a high-speed train like Frecciarossa or Frecciargento, both of which are operated by Trenitalia, or through the private company Italo. Regardless of which train company you end up choosing, you would want to take Rome's Termini Station to Naples Centrale. This takes about 1-1.5 hours and costs approximately €15 to €45 one-way. You can also pay a premium to sit in premium class, first class, or VIP on these trains. However, there is also a cheaper alternative than the high-speed train. For tourists looking to save a couple Euros while traveling from one city to the next, look at the slower regional trains like Regionale Veloce and Regionale. These will take around 2 hours, which is double the time that the high-speed train would take, but tickets cost as little as €12 one-way.

How to Get From Rome to Sorrento

If you're looking to get from Rome to Sorrento as quickly as possible, you're going to want to take a high-speed train operated by the train company Trenitalia from Rome's Termini Station to Naples Centrale. This first ride will be 1-1.5 hours and cost approximately €15 to €45 one-way. From there, you will transfer to the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento, which will take almost exactly 1 hour and cost €3.60 for a one-way ticket. A traveler can make the cost of transportation from Rome to Sorrento even cheaper by taking a slower regional train like Regionale Veloce instead of Trenitali. The ride will be an extra hour from Rome to Naples, but it would save you more money.

Another significant thing to mention when discussing traveling from Rome to Sorrento is the experience people have had when riding the Circumvesuviana train. I personally opted NOT to ride on this train. This is because I've had multiple family members and friends visit Italy, and all of them told me that this train ride is the worst. Even though it's only an hour long, it's a very crowded train with no air conditioning and little room for anyone to fit their luggage. For me, since my friends and I traveled to Italy in the peak of the summer, we just weren't willing to do this. Instead, we got a private car transfer from Naples to our destination. You can also opt to pick up a rental car at Naples Centrale if you were planning on renting a car during your time on the Amalfi Coast anyway. There are plenty of rentals to choose from with Discover Cars!

How to Get From Rome to Positano

Looking for a fast and cheap way to get from Rome to Positano? Take a high-speed train through Trentitalia from Rome's Termini Station to Naples Centrale. This train ride will be 1-1.5 hours long and cost approximately €15 to €45 one-way. Then you're going to want to take the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento, which will take an hour and cost €3.60. Finally, you will have to take a SITA Bus the final leg of the trip to Positano. Just remember- the Circumvesuviana is crowded with no air conditioning! While this might be the cheapest way, the more comfortable way would be to get a private transfer or an Uber from Naples Centrale straight to Positano. This would mean skipping BOTH the Circumvesuviana and the SITA bus. That's what my friends and I did and I can tell you right now- we did not regret it. After a long day of travel we spent the final hour from Naples to Positano laying in an air conditioned car napping and looking out the window to see Positano for the first time. 10/10 experience and that's all I'll say about that.

How to Get From Rome to Praiano

In order to get from Rome to Praiano as quickly as possible, you're going to need to start by booking a high-speed train ticket on one of Trenitalia's trains from Rome Termini Station to Salerno Centrale. The cost of a one-way ticket is typically €20 to €40, depending on the time of booking and the class of service. Once you arrive in Salerno, you will have to take a SITA bus from Salerno to Praiano. This takes about 1.5 hours and costs around €2.40 to €4.00. Then, if you are staying somewhere in Praiano and not just visiting for the day, you will need to take the bus as close as possible to your accommodation or walk. There are no Ubers in Praiano.

How to Get From Rome to Amalfi

You have two options as far as transportation goes when you are deciding how you're going to get from Rome to the town of Amalfi. Both options begin by taking a high-speed train through a company like Trenitalia from Rome Termini Station to Salerno Centrale. After that, you can decide whether you want to take a ferry to Amalfi or a bus. The ferry offers a more scenic route but is a bit more expensive and harder to schedule during the off season. A SITA Sud bus is a little cheaper and more reliable year round, regardless of the weather.

How to Get From Rome to Ravello

The fastest way to get from Rome to Ravello is by first taking a high-speed train from Rome's Termini Station to Salerno Centrale. The train ride takes approximately 1-1.5 hours and can cost anywhere from €20 to €40 one-way. Once you arrive at Salerno Centrale, you will need to either take a ferry, bus, or taxi to Ravello. If you opt to take a bus or a ferry, which is the cheapest route, you will likely need to stop in Amalfi first and then transfer to Ravello. Taking a taxi or private car transfer will cost the most but will also take you directly from Salerno Centrale to Ravello.

MY EXPERIENCE GETTING FROM ROME TO THE AMALFI COAST & BACK

My experience getting from Rome to the Amalfi Coast and back was INTERESTING to say the least. My friends and I had a very tough time finding information on how to get from Point A to Point B, so we mainly relied on friends who had traveled to Italy the year before. This is the advice we got from our friends and family members before going:

Based on the advice we got above, this is how my friend group and I got from Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Rome Fiumicino Airport to our airbnb in Praiano on the Amalfi Coast in one day:

THE NEWEST AIRPORT IN THE AMALFI COAST

Good news! Even though we currently have to take multiple forms of transportation to get from Rome to the Amalfi Coast and vis versa, a new and simpler form of transportation is in the works- an airport. The Salerno-Amalfi Coast airport is projected to open in July of 2024 and it will open in phases. First, the Spanish budget airline Volotea will start offering flights from Nantes, France and Cagliari, Sardinia. Then the airport will open up to flights from EasyJet, and they are projecting even more airlines to include routes to the new airport in the future. This means that hopefully within the next year or so we could be seeing domestic flights from Rome, as well as even international flights from famous cities like New York City, making the Amalfi Coast more accessible to tourists.

There is SO much to do in both of these areas that I would say you need a minimum of 3 days in the Amalfi Coast and a minimum of 2 days in Rome to see all that each place has to offer. If you truly only have a day to squeeze in, then I would say a day trip from the Amalfi Coast to Rome (or vis versa) is only worth it if you're willing to start your day early, end late, and have travel be half of your day. The trip alone between the two famous destinations will take a minimum of 3 hours and depends on the time of day, day of the week, and the season you are traveling in, so thats at least 6 hours of total travel time. These are also two very crowded destinations from May-October. I personally would not recommend and would recommend exploring the region that you're in and taking the extra time necessary to visit each if possible. My friend group landed in Rome and immediately traveled down to the Amalfi Coast that same day, where we spent a glorious week in Praiano. We explored Amalfi, Positano, Naples, Sorrento, and more- and it was AMAZING! Then, we went back up to Rome for 5 days where we walked the narrow streets of Trastevere, took a day trip to Florence, and more. It was a perfect way to see a lot of Italy, having a destination on the Amalfi Coast be one of our accommodations, and an apartment in Rome as the second.

SHOULD YOU RENT A CAR IN THE AMALFI COAST?

The answer depends on how much freedom you want to have! Our friend group did not rent a car and instead relied on public transportation, which was local buses, and walking. It was August and an average day was about 90-95°F, so we were basically drenched in sweat most of the day. We also had to plan everything around when the local buses would be available. With all that in mind, if I were to do it again I would rent a car in the Amalfi Coast. While the streets are narrow, you have all the flexibility to go anywhere and everywhere whenever you want with a car rental. You also have the benefit of air conditioning, and saving your energy for your destination instead of having to factor in a bunch of walking time. To learn more about renting a car in Italy, click on the link here!

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