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> SlowTrav > Italy > Travel Notes > Southern Italy > Naples
See Naples and Die! Getting Here and Getting Around
Kevin Clark
Getting to Naples
There are four main ways to get to Naples:
- By car via the A1 from Rome or the A3 from Salerno and points south. Entry into central Naples is easiest (if that word can be used to describe driving in Naples) by following signs for Napoli Porto, which bring you into the city by way of the commercial port, or via the Tangenziale, a sort of beltway (0.65 Euro toll per trip) which runs from the A1 near the airport across the city and on to the Campi Flegrei.
- By train arriving at Napoli Centrale station in Piazza Garibaldi. Some trains from Rome also stop at the Mergellina and Campi Flegrei stations. Napoli Centrale is the same station used (on different levels) by the Metropolitana trains which run travel across Naples and the Campi Flegrei and the Circumvesuviana trains which go to Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Sorrento. It's a bad spot for pickpockets and other scams, so be very careful here.
- By air at the airport in Capodichino, a couple of miles north of the center. From here a regular bus service (the Alibus) runs hourly to Piazza Garibaldi and Piazza Municipio. There are also taxis, of course, but there's no train service from the airport.
- By ferry from Sorrento, the islands, or the Amalfi Coast (and other places farther afield), or by cruise ship, at either the Molo Beverello or Mergellina ferry ports. Molo Beverello is near the Castel Nuovo and is the primary ferry port and the only port for cruise ships. Mergellina is farther west and is mainly used for ferries to and from Capri and Ischia.
Getting around Naples
Getting around Naples requires some practice ... and some patience. Maps aren't always entirely accurate, streets seem to change names in every block, signs may or may not exist (or be correct), and public transit is a confusing mixture of services which, while extensive, can also be a challenge to navigate. Driving, especially in the city center, is impossible for sightseeing purposes. It's challenging enough to get into and out of the city by car, but you should never consider driving within the city.
Walking is the best way to see Naples, and often the quickest as well. Trains, funiculars, and buses all have their place, but also their limitations. New lines and stations are being built, but it's a very slow process both because that's just the way things work here and because of endless delays caused by the inevitable archaeological discoveries wherever they dig a hole.
Trains
Local train services, while very useful, can also be somewhat confusing. There are four different rail services: the Metro (subway), the Metropolitana trains, the Circumflegrea/ Cumana service, and the Circumvesuviana. The confusing part is that these services are operated by different companies and serve different stations. Even where they go to the same place (both Cumana and Metropolitana lines go to Montesanto and Pozzouli, for example), they use different stations so a change is still necessary and the stations could be several blocks apart. There seems to be a plan to consolidate these services into a single operation and to greatly expand them, but despite the grand plans described on at least one "unofficial website", it hasn't happened yet.
- Metropolitana Collinare: The new urban Metro line, also sometimes called "Line 1". This line starts in Piazza Dante (on Via Toledo) and runs from there into the hills north of the Vomero and Capodimonte. It's really a commuter line and is not of much use to visitors. There are plans to extend this line to the airport and to Piazza Garibaldi, but progress is very slow.
- Metropolitana FS: The original Metropolitana line to Pozzuoli, also sometimes called "Line 2". This line is very useful to visitors, as it runs from the train station through central Naples and the Campi Flegrei, ending in Pozzouli. Important stops include Piazza Garibaldi, Piazza Cavour (Museo Archeologico), Montesanto (on Vomero hill), Piazza Amadeo, and Mergellina (ferry terminal). These trains run about every 15 minutes from 6:00am to 11:00pm.
- Circumflegrea/Cumana: These services are run by SEPSA which also runs bus services between Naples and the Campi Flegrei described later. Though they share some destinations with the Metropolitana, they use different stations so transfers can be confusing. There are two routes, both of which start at Montesanto. The Cumana line runs more or less along the Bay and is very useful for visiting the Campi Flegrei, as it stops at Pozzuoli, Lucrino, Baia, and Fusaro before terminating at Torregaveta (near Lago Fusaro). The Circumflegrea line follows a more northerly route and is less useful but it does stop at Cuma (a fair walk from the site, however). These trains run about every 10 minutes from 5:30am to 10:00pm.
- Circumvesuviana: These services are operated by Circumvesuviana. There are several routes, but the most useful is the Napoli-Sorrento line which runs from Piazza Garibaldi (beneath the main train station) via Ercolano (Herculaneum) and Pompeii to Sorrento. These trains run about every 30 minutes from around 5:00am to 11:00pm daily (may be more frequent in summer).
Funiculars (Funicolari)
The funicolari are cable railways used to climb Naples' larger hills. These services run every 10 to 15 minutes from 7:00am to 10:00pm daily (may be more frequent at peak hours). There are four lines.
- Centrale: Runs from Piazza Duca D'Aosta, a small square near Galleria Umberto and the San Carlo Opera House to Piazza Vanvitelli, one of the main piazzas of the Vomero.
- Di Chiaia: Runs from just off Parco Margherita near Piazza Amadeo and also ends near Piazza Vanvitelli.
- Montesanto: Runs from Montesanto to Via Morghen in the Vomero, a couple of blocks from Piazza Vanvitelli.
- Mergellina: Runs from Mergellina to Via Manzoni in Posillipo. This is one of the most traditional rides in an original wooden cable car.
Buses
- ANM: This is the primary city bus service in central Naples. There are probably dozens of routes; unfortunately it's hard to find a decent map of them. Route descriptions can be found on ANM's website (www.anm.it), but you need to be pretty familiar with the major streets and piazzas to make sense of them.
- CTP: This is a regional service with routes from central Naples in all directions. Services of likely interest to visitors include those to Ercolano, Caserta, and the Campi Flegrei. A map and timetables are available on the CTP website (www.ctpn.it).
- SEPSA: SEPSA runs bus services from central Naples across the Campi Flegrei, starting from Piazza Garibaldi and Piazza Municipio. Destinations include Agnano, Pozzuoli, Baia, Bacoli, Cuma, and Monte di Procida. A map and timetables are available on the SEPSA website (www.sepsa.it).
- Archeobus: SEPSA used to run this service from Piazza della Repubblica in Pozzuoli to many of the interesting archaeological sites around the Campi Flegrei, including Cumae, Lago d'Averno, Baia, Bacoli, Miseno, and Fusaro. It ran hourly and took around 90 minutes. Apparently this service is not currently running, though you still see signs for it on buses and by the roadside. I don't know if the service will resume. It's a shame - it was certainly the most practical way to see this area without a car.
- Alibus: The Alibus is a special ANM bus service from the airport to the central train station and the ferry terminal. This service runs every 30 minutes from 6:30am to 10:00pm and costs 3.00 Euro. The ticket is good for 90 minutes, so you can connect to other services if time permits.
- Open-Topped Bus: There is an open-topped tourist bus service in Naples operated by CitySightseeingItaly. There are three routes, all beginning in Piazza Municipio. Each route lasts an hour. Tickets cost 18.00 Euro and are valid for 24 hours. They run about every 30 minutes in summer from 9:00am to 7:00pm. In winter they run much less often and Route C is only available on weekends.
Tickets
One piece of good news is that most of these services use a common ticket, the Unico Napoli ticket. These are available as singles (1.00 Euro) good for 90 minutes of travel, as day tickets (3.00 Euro, 2.50 Euro on weekends), and as monthly passes (35.00 Euro). There used to be a weekly pass, but that doesn't seem to be available any more.
Tickets are available from many tabacchi and some bars. They are also available at some train stations from coin-operated machines, but these don't exist everywhere and they don't always work. Tickets are NOT available on the trains or buses.
You must validate the tickets before boarding a train or when boarding a bus. Of course, many people don't do this, but I have seen this enforced many times, especially at the central train station. If the validation machines aren't working, you should hand-write your name and the date and time you began your journey on the ticket, and remember to use European date format (DD/MM/YY).
© Kevin Clark, 2007
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