Pompeii is a must-see for any history lovers out there when going to Italy. Most of the time, people choose to take tours to get to the ruins of Pompeii, of course, this is an option especially if you don’t want to bother yourself finding your way through the ruins.
However, it is super super easy to get there and here I will teach you how to get to Pompeii from Naples.

How to get to Pompeii from Naples
The ruins of Pompeii
For over 250 years now, the archeological site of Pompeii is one of the most famous tourist attractions of Italy.
The city was completely destroyed in the 79AD by the eruption of Mount Vesuvio, a huge volcano that can be seen from pretty much everywhere in Pompeii and Naples as well.
Pompeii was not the only city to be destroyed by the eruption, which was considered the deadliest in Europe’s history. Many cities nearby like Herculaneum, Oplontis and Stabiae were also completely covered, only to be rediscovered centuries later.
Today Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Oplontis are all UNESCO World Heritage sites and Pompeii alone receives over 2.5 million visitors per year.
The well-preserved buildings with colorful frescos give us a good idea of how life was back in the time of the glory of the ancient Roman Empire.
The City of Naples
Naples is a beautiful city located on the coast of Italy, just 2 hours away from Rome. It is already part of the itinerary of many, especially those making their way south.
Naples is also an obligatory stop if you are planning to visit the ruins of Pompeii since you have to stop there to take the Circumvesuviana line, the train line that brings you to the gates of the ruins.
For those passing through the city, I suggest spending at least 2 days in Naples, so that you can see the main attractions in Naples in one day, and the next day head to Pompeii.
Pompeii Tours
Despite being relatively simple to visit Pompeii from Naples by yourself, there is always the possibility to take a tour instead.
If you are looking for a more comfortable option, where you won’t need to worry about finding your way around the city, buying the ticket, finding your train’s platform, and all these stressing things relating to moving around, you can just book your tour here.
They will not only bring you to Pompeii but also guide you through the ruins. Each is great, especially if you are passionate about history like me.
I highly recommend booking a guided tour when visiting ruins, since it is a chance to learn more about the history of the places, plus have a more immersive experience since most of the times, some building is not in good conditions, and it is not possible to figure out what they were and their importance without the help of a professional.
Another good reason to book a guided tour is that you get automatically a skip-the-line pass, which allows you to visit the ruins without having to wait in the entrance line. This saves a lot of time, especially when you consider how big this archaeological site is!
If you want to get to Pompeii from Naples by yourself and get a guided tour through the Pompeii ruins, book it here!
Nowadays, it is also possible to book a VR tour through Pompeii, which is a guided tour that included VR glasses. This way, this tour brings you back to the golden ages of Pompeii, recreating each building in detail, and showing you inside the houses of prominent figures of that time. It is a chance to have a feeling of how life used to be back then. Book this experience here!

Taking the Circumvesuviana line
The first step to get to Pompeii from Naples is to head to the Napoli Centrale. The main train station in the city. It is the same train station that you arrive in, coming from other cities if you arrived in Naples by train.
To get to Pompeii, you have to take the Circumvesuviana line, which is the train line that links Naples all the way to Sorrento.
This same line stops at Herculaneum, another ancient ruin that like Pompeii, that was destroyed in the Vesuvio’s eruption.
Herculaneum is another great archeological site to visit in Italy and has some well-preserved walls and frescos, I recommend visiting it if you have time, but do plan different days to visit Pompeii and Herculaneum, as both sites are huge and demand a lot of time to be appreciated.
The Circumvesuviana line is located just downstairs at the Napoli Centrale, the stairs are right in the entrance of the station and you will easily spot it as it is well signalized.
Plus you will see a bunch of tourists doing the same thing as you, so there is no way to get lost.
The trains of this line are definitely not the most beautiful trains you will see in your life, but let’s say they have some…personality.
Brace yourself because the trains are normally crowded during the trip as this is a tourist route. Everybody that goes to Herculaneum, Pompeii or head to the Amalfi Coast, usually takes this same line.
It is also important to pay attention to your belongings during the trip, put your bags close to your body and make sure everything is secure.
Unfortunately, pickpockets are famous in Italian trains and especially in the Circumvesuviana line due to the fact it’s being so touristy.
It is a really short trip, it only takes around 35 minutes to get from Naples to Pompeii via the Circumvesuviana line.

Arriving in Pompeii
To get to Pompeii ruins, you should leave the train at the Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri station. It will leave right in front of the gates.
From the station, you just have to make your way to the ticket post, which will take less than a minute.
If you are like me though, that love to learn about the history of each place and make the most of your trip, join one of the Pompeii tours below, as they will give you a way better insight about this amazing archaeological site.

3 Comments
[email protected] expat
20 de February de 2020 at 07:28It’s great that you share your experience. I am a novice traveler, and for me your blog is an aid in planning my trip. Thanks!
Isadora
20 de February de 2020 at 16:24Thank you Victoria 🙂
arvinder
13 de March de 2020 at 06:19To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist.