Group Trip to Pompeii from Naples
Now that your group is in Naples, it’s a great opportunity to visit Pompeii. Perhaps it’s been on your bucket list for years, or maybe it’s just a curiosity for some members of your group. You might feel compelled simply because you’re so close… Whatever the reason or excuse… You have to go!
Pompeii, one of Italy’s main archaeological sites, is a place any history lover must visit. If your group is exploring the area around Naples, don’t hesitate for a minute to go to Pompeii. The city buried by the wrath of Mount Vesuvius awaits you!
The trip is easy to organize: go to Pompeii from Naples by bus/minibus or rental car. Depending on the size of your group, you can choose one of these options (or go by train or regular bus). The House of the Vettii and the famous Lupanar with its well-preserved erotic paintings await you.
Map of Pompeii and other archaeological sites
Before you start discovering everything Pompeii has to offer, here’s a map with the location of the archaeological site, as well as Herculaneum, Oplontis, Stabiae, and Boscoreale, and Mount Vesuvius National Park. Due to their proximity, all of these are ideal options to complement this one-day group tour to Pompeii.
How to get to Pompeii from Naples
Traveling from the city of Naples to Pompeii is very simple, as only about 25 km separate the two destinations. Therefore, you won’t have to invest too much time to reach the archaeological site. Along the way, you can also take the opportunity to visit the ruins of Herculaneum or other nearby sites.
Here are different alternatives for getting to Pompeii from Naples:
By rental car
Many travelers choose to rent a car and move at their own pace. If you are a small group of up to 4 people, this option will likely be convenient for reaching Pompeii. You can even take advantage of it and make a road trip to other nearby points of interest.
To drive to Pompeii, take the A3 highway towards Salerno. After driving about 23 km, take the Pompei Ovest exit and follow the signs for Pompei Scavi. You will soon arrive at the archaeological site. The journey takes between 30-40 minutes, depending on traffic.
By bus/minibus with a driver
One of the most comfortable ways to get to Pompeii (if you are a larger group) is by hiring a bus or minibus with a driver from Naples. This way, you won’t have to worry about driving and can enjoy the trip while taking in the scenery.
If you choose this option, having a driver who knows the area will make it easier to plan a tourist route, which in my opinion should include the ruins of Herculaneum, Oplontis, Stabiae, and Boscoreale, as well as the Mount Vesuvius National Park and, of course, a good meal of Neapolitan cuisine. And since you have a driver, why not visit a wine bar?
After finishing your visit to the Pompeii archaeological park, you will meet your driver again to return to Naples or continue the tour to Herculaneum, another of Italy’s most interesting archaeological sites.
Getting to Pompeii by train
There are several options for getting to Pompeii by train, ranging from local or regional trains to faster, more comfortable services. The Campania Express train, for example, takes 20 minutes to reach Herculaneum and 40 minutes to reach Pompeii, with several departures in the morning and afternoon.
The Campania Express trains connect central Naples with Sorrento, passing by the archaeological sites of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Mount Faito. Its main advantage is that it takes less time to cover the same route compared to regular trains to Pompeii. Additionally, it has air conditioning and luggage space, among other amenities.
The Campania Express departs from Porta Nolana station, located at Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi, 387 (Naples).
Another alternative is to take the Circumvesuviana train line, which departs from Napoli Centrale or Napoli Garibaldi stations and arrives at Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri station, just 250 meters from Porta Marina, the main entrance to the site. You can check schedules, ticket prices, and make reservations through this search engine.
Circumvesuviana trains are a more economical option, with several trips per day, as it is a widely used means of transportation by locals (thus making more stops and taking longer to reach the destination). While the frequency of the trains is quite high and there is no need to book online, in summer, I recommend arriving early at the station to avoid crowds.
Getting to Pompeii by public bus
If you don’t want to rent a minibus with a driver or take the train, you have the option to go to Pompeii from Naples on a public bus operated by the SITA company. These buses depart from the Central Station at Piazza Garibaldi and take about 30 minutes to reach the destination. You can purchase your ticket in advance from the FlixBus website.
Getting to Pompeii on an organized bus tour
There’s one more way to get to Pompeii from Naples: by booking an organized bus tour. This way, you’ll always have the company of a tour guide who will tell you the history behind this city, which was one of the most prosperous in the Roman Empire. Additionally, some tours also include a visit to the archaeological site of Herculaneum or Mount Vesuvius, allowing you to explore two places in one day.
Here are some interesting options:
– From Naples: Pompeii, Herculaneum, & Vesuvius Full-Day Tour
How is the visit to Pompeii?
The archaeological park is located very close to the center of the current city of Pompeii. Entry is through the Marina Gate (on Via Villa dei Misteri), the Exedra Square (at Piazza Porta), and the Amphitheater Square (at Piazza Inmaculada). However, the first option is the most chosen by tourists, as it is the closest to the train stop.
After purchasing the ticket at the ticket offices, you will be given a map with itineraries to plan your route. There are many route options available, with the longest lasting 7 hours, although the average visit takes a little over 4 hours.
Within the archaeological park, there is a large number of buildings (more than 50) that were part of the ancient city: temples, the basilica, the Forum, the baths, luxurious houses with well-preserved frescoes and mosaics, and more. Therefore, it is best to arrive early to have enough time to explore this wonderful place.
Guided tours for groups
Since you are traveling in a group, you can take advantage of hiring the service of a private guide who will take you to explore every corner of the site and immerse you in the history of the place. These tours are conducted in Spanish.
What was the day of the great eruption of Vesuvius like? What did the inhabitants of the city do? What are the most emblematic buildings of the archaeological site? You will find out all this and more during the private visit to Pompeii.
The 2024 rates for private visits of approximately 2 hours are:
– €150 for groups of up to 6 people
– €180 for groups of 7 to 10 people
– For larger groups, the price must be consulted.
– An additional hour costs €60.
It is worth mentioning that these prices do not include the cost of entry to the archaeological site. The guided tours are in Spanish.
Where to buy tickets to enter the archaeological park?
The ticket booths are located at the entrances of Porta Marina, Piazza Anfiteatro, and Piazza Exedra. This means that if you’re planning to purchase the ticket on-site, you’ll need to do so at one of these ticket booths and arrive early to avoid queues.
Don’t forget that Pompeii is one of Italy’s most famous sites, so it receives many visitors. To skip the lines, you can purchase tickets online (which is very convenient, especially during peak season).
What is the price of admission?
A single ticket for Pompeii for adults costs €18, while a skip-the-line ticket costs €21.
Children under 18 enter for free, and young adults aged 18 to 24 have a reduced rate of just €2.
Other ticket options
Another option is to purchase combined tickets:
– Skip-the-line ticket + guide: includes skip-the-line entry to the site and a guided tour in Spanish.
– Train + ticket: includes the train ticket and entry to Pompeii.
– Ticket + audio guide: includes skip-the-line entry ticket and an audio guide.
– Private tours for groups (previously detailed)
Free entry to Pompeii for your group?
Yes, you can. The first Sunday of each month, admission is free. However, please note that the ticket booths close for an hour once 15,000 visitors have been reached by noon. This is done to prevent an excessively high simultaneous presence of visitors, making the visit more enjoyable.
Can you purchase a combined ticket with other archaeological sites?
Yes, you can also do this and save some money. For example, if you want to visit the sites of Oplontis, Stabiae, and Boscoreale (in addition to Pompeii), you’ll have to pay €18 for general admission and €9 for reduced admission.
You can also purchase a ticket for access to the sites of Oplontis, Stabiae, and Boscoreale for €7 (general admission) and €3.50 (reduced admission). Meanwhile, admission to Herculaneum costs €13 (general admission) and €2 (reduced admission).
What are the visiting hours?
The visiting hours for the Pompeii ruins are from 9 am to 7 pm, with the last entry at 5:30 pm (until October 31st). The Herculaneum, Oplontis, and Stabiae sites remain open from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm.
From November 1st to March 31st, the visiting hours are from 8:30 am to 5 pm. The Herculaneum, Oplontis, and Stabiae sites remain open from 8:30 am to 5 pm, with the last entry at 3:30 pm.
All archaeological sites are closed on January 1st, May 1st, and December 25th.
How to avoid the queues at Pompeii?
As I mentioned before, Pompeii is a very touristy place, so long queues often form at the ticket booths. Therefore, I advise you to purchase a priority skip-the-line ticket. This ticket will give you a receipt that you can print out or carry on your phone, which you can then exchange at a special reserved access ticket booth.
Should we combine our visit to Pompeii with the site of Herculaneum?
If you’re traveling with time, it’s definitely worth it, as it will give you an even broader perspective of the wrath of Vesuvius. This city was another affected by the volcano’s eruption, only it doesn’t have the fame of Pompeii. However, it’s the perfect complement.
The visit to Herculaneum is shorter than that of Pompeii, as the site is smaller and only a quarter of its total extent could be unearthed. Nevertheless, exploring the ruins of this city and its history is worthwhile, as its attractions are different and complementary to those of Pompeii.
The Herculaneum site is very close to the “Ercolano Scavi” station, making it very easy to reach from both Naples and Pompeii.
You now have all the information to visit Pompeii. Now all that’s left is for you to coordinate with your group and allocate a day to explore this historic and emblematic place in Italy. You’ll have a great time exploring the remains of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii!