Getting around · Naples · Italy
Getting around Naples
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: PaestumPaestum, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Naples is best explored on foot in the centre, with the metro, funiculars and buses for longer hops. The Circumvesuviana railway serves Herculaneum, Pompeii and Sorrento, and ferries leave from the port for the islands. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- NAP
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Campania Artecard
Ways to get around
Walking
The historic centre, Via Toledo, Piazza del Plebiscito and the seafront are all within about 20–30 minutes' walk of each other.
Cross streets decisively and at crossings; scooters and cars rarely stop otherwise.
Metro
Metro Line 1 links Piazza Garibaldi (central station), Università, Municipio, Toledo, Dante, the Archaeological Museum and Vomero, with several stations decorated as 'Art Stations'.
Cable car
Four funiculars (Centrale, Chiaia, Montesanto and Mergellina) climb from the lower city to Vomero and Posillipo.
Train
The Circumvesuviana suburban railway runs from Porta Nolana and Garibaldi to Ercolano, Pompei Scavi and Sorrento; trains are basic and often crowded.
Keep bags in front of you on the Circumvesuviana, where pickpockets operate.
Ferry
Ferries and fast hydrofoils leave Molo Beverello and Calata Porta di Massa for Capri, Ischia, Procida and Sorrento, with more frequent services in summer.
Taxi
Official white taxis offer fixed fares on common routes such as the airport, station and port; ask for the fixed fare (tariffa predeterminata) before setting off.
Tickets and passes
Campania Artecard
A museum and transport card covering free or reduced entry to sites including Pompeii, Herculaneum and the Archaeological Museum, with public transport options.
UnicoNapoli tickets
Integrated tickets valid on the metro, funiculars, buses and city trains within Naples.
From the airport
Naples International Airport (NAP, Capodichino) is about 7 km northeast of the centre. The Alibus shuttle runs to Piazza Garibaldi and the Molo Beverello ferry port in about 15–35 minutes depending on traffic, and taxis charge fixed fares to central zones.
Do you need a car?
No. Traffic and parking in Naples are notoriously difficult, and trains, ferries and buses reach Pompeii, Sorrento and the islands. A car only helps for exploring inland Campania.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Pompeii | About 35–40 minutes by train | Circumvesuviana to Pompei Scavi |
| Herculaneum | About 20 minutes by train | Circumvesuviana to Ercolano Scavi |
| Mount Vesuvius | About 1 hour by bus or shuttle | Shuttle bus from Ercolano or Pompei, then a 30–45 minute walk |
| Capri | About 45–50 minutes by fast ferry | Hydrofoil from Molo Beverello |
| Amalfi Coast | About 1.5–2.5 hours by bus or ferry | Ferry or SITA bus via Sorrento; organised tours |
| Sorrento | About 40 minutes by ferry or 1 hour by train | Hydrofoil from Molo Beverello or Circumvesuviana |
| Royal Palace of Caserta | About 40 minutes by train | Regional train to Caserta |
| Procida | About 40 minutes by fast ferry | Hydrofoil from Molo Beverello or ferry from Calata Porta di Massa |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Naples?
No. Traffic and parking in Naples are notoriously difficult, and trains, ferries and buses reach Pompeii, Sorrento and the islands. A car only helps for exploring inland Campania.
+How do you get from the airport to Naples?
Naples International Airport (NAP, Capodichino) is about 7 km northeast of the centre. The Alibus shuttle runs to Piazza Garibaldi and the Molo Beverello ferry port in about 15–35 minutes depending on traffic, and taxis charge fixed fares to central zones.
+What is the best way to get around Naples?
Walking: The historic centre, Via Toledo, Piazza del Plebiscito and the seafront are all within about 20–30 minutes' walk of each other.