Rome to Amalfi Coast: 2026 Travel Guide (Train, Bus, Ferry, Drive)
I remember the first time I stepped off the train at Roma Termini, sweat-soaked from a summer heatwave, my backpack digging into my shoulders like an unwelcome hug. Rome had already cast its spell—gelato melting on my tongue, the Colosseum's roar echoing in my ears—but I craved the sea. The Amalfi Coast was calling, that jagged ribbon of cliffs and turquoise water I'd seen in faded postcards from my nonna. The question gnawed at me: how to get from Rome to Amalfi Coast by train 2026? Or should I bus it, ferry-hop, or brave the wheel? Over a decade of chasing Italy's curves, I've done them all. Some left me euphoric, others carsick and cursing. This guide spills the secrets from those dusty roads and salty decks, tailored for 2026 wanderers. Schedules shift like Mediterranean moods, so double-check Trenitalia, SITA buses, and ferry sites closer to your trip, but the bones stay solid.
By Train: Fast Tracks South from Rome
Let's start with the rails, because nothing beats that rhythmic clack-clack pulling you south. High-speed Frecciarossa from Rome Termini to Napoli Centrale is your golden ticket—about 1 hour 10 minutes, zipping at 300 km/h past Lazio's olive groves. Tickets start at €20 if you book early (Super Economy fares vanish fast), climbing to €50+ last-minute. From Naples, you've got branches: Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento (another hour, €4-ish, crowded as a rush-hour sardine can), then SITA bus or ferry onward. Or push to Salerno via Frecciarossa (Rome Termini to Salerno train times for Amalfi trip 2026 hover around 2 hours total, €30-60), where ferries fan out to the coast. I once splurged on first-class to Naples, sipping espresso as Etna loomed in the distance—no, wait, that's Sicily; Vesuvius, actually, brooding like a jealous lover.
Train from Rome to Naples then ferry to Amalfi Coast
That train from Rome to Naples then ferry to Amalfi Coast combo? Pure poetry if you're ferry-inclined. Disembark at Napoli Centrale (Piazza Garibaldi, open 24/7 for arrivals, but grab a coffee at the Bar Touring across the street—Via Alessandro Poerio 3, swings open at 5 a.m., slings €1.50 cornetti stuffed with ricotta that taste like clouds). Walk or taxi (beware rip-offs) to Molo Beverello port (Via Molo Beverello, Naples; ferries run 7 a.m.-7 p.m. seasonally, €15-25 one-way to Amalfi). Travelmar or NLG lines hug the coast, docking at Amalfi (Piazza Flavio Gioia pier) in 1-1.5 hours. The spray hits your face, lemons scent the air, and suddenly Rome feels like a fever dream. Pro tip from a veteran: book ferries online; summer queues snake like angry dragons.
Bus from Rome to Sorrento: Schedule and Tickets 2026
But trains aren't always cheapest. Enter the bus from Rome to Sorrento schedule and tickets 2026—FlixBus or Itabus from Tiburtina station (Circonvallazione Nomentana 1, Rome; departs 6 a.m.-midnight) shave costs to €15-30 for 3.5-4 hours. Windy A1 autostrada views of Campagna felix farmland give way to Sorrento's cliffs. Tickets via app; aim for 8 a.m. slots to dodge traffic. I took one at dusk once, golden light bathing the bay, but the AC wheezed like an asthmatic uncle. From Sorrento (bus hub at Circumvesuviana station, Corso Italia 261; SITA buses to Positano/Amalfi €2-3, every 30-60 min 6 a.m.-10 p.m.), it's a 40-minute vertigo ride along SS163. Smell the pine, hear the scooters whine—Italy alive.
Cheapest Public Transport Rome to Amalfi Coast Itinerary & Rome to Amalfi Coast train bus ferry comparison costs
For the thrifty soul, here's your cheapest public transport Rome to Amalfi Coast itinerary: Termini to Salerno (€30 train), Salerno port ferry to Amalfi (€12, 50 min), total under €50 round-trip if timed right. Add a Napoli Centrale coffee stop, and you've got a €60 day that beats flying. Rome to Amalfi Coast train bus ferry comparison costs? Train-ferry edges bus for speed (4-5 hrs vs. 5-6), but buses win on wallet (€25 vs. €45 avg). Ferries add €20 but subtract stress—no hairpin nausea. I crunched 2025 numbers (2026 inflation nudge: +5-10%); hybrids rule for families.
Driving: Best Driving Route Rome to Positano Amalfi Coast 2026 & Drive from Rome to Amalfi Coast road trip guide 2026
Driving? Ah, the siren call. Best driving route Rome to Positano Amalfi Coast 2026 starts on A1 south (toll €25-30), exit Castellammare di Stabia, snake SS163 for 1.5 hours of hairpin heaven/hell. Total 4.5 hours, 270km, but summer traffic balloons to 6+. Rent from Hertz at Fiumicino (Aeroporto Leonardo da Vinci, Fiumicino; open 6 a.m.-11 p.m., midsize Fiat €50/day). Gas €80 round-trip, parking in Positano? Mythical—Via Cristoforo Colombo garages (€5/hr, book ahead). I drove it solo one foggy dawn in 2019, radio blaring Morricone, lemons thudding on the roof like hail. Thrilling, but locals honk like you're invading. Drive from Rome to Amalfi Coast road trip guide 2026 mantra: Dawn starts, ZTL zones (restricted traffic, Positano 8 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays), and breath mints for tollbooth chats.
Ferry from Naples to Amalfi Coast After Rome Train
Ferry from Naples to Amalfi Coast after Rome train shines for sea lovers. Post-Frecciarossa, Napoli's Beverello buzzes—fishmongers yelling, espresso steam rising. Travelmar's hydrofoils (7:30 a.m. first, €20) slice to Amalfi by 9. Ferry to Positano direct (€25, 1 hr 20). I boarded hungover once, waves rocking me sober amid sunburnt Brits and gelato-gobbling kids. Ports: Amalfi Marina Grande (Via Pantaleone Comite 21; ticket office 7 a.m.-8 p.m.), where you can detour to the Duomo (Piazza del Duomo 1, Amalfi; 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m., €3 entry—climb the stairs for cloister views that hush the soul, arabesque arches dripping history, sea breezes whispering secrets. Spend an hour here; it's 12th-century magic, paper museum nearby too).
Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi Highlights
Sorrento deserves its own ode. After bus or Circumvesuviana (Stazione Circumvesuviana, Corso Italia 261; trains 6:20 a.m.-10:50 p.m., €4.50 from Naples), hit Bar Ercolano (Via Bernardino Rota 32, open 7 a.m.-1 a.m.) for limoncello spritz that puckers your lips like a first kiss. Clifftop walks to Marina Piccola yield views of Capri floating like a mirage. It's the gateway—SITA to Positano (1 hr, €10 RT, buses from 7 a.m., pack gravol). I lingered here post-train, feet aching from Rome's cobbles, rewarded by sunset painting the bay orange.
Positano? The postcard killer. Rome to Positano day trip by train bus and ferry 2026: Termini-Naples train (7 a.m.), ferry to Positano (arrive 10:30), beach lounge, reverse. €80 total, 12-hour whirlwind. Dock at Spiaggia Grande (Spiaggia Grande, Positano; ferries 8 a.m.-6 p.m.), climb to Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta (Piazza Babette de Pompei 1; 8 a.m.-noon/4-8 p.m., free—black Madonna mosaic gleams, bells toll over terraced vineyards). Lunch at La Tagliata (Via Palmo Geronimo 10, up the hill; noon-3 p.m./7-10 p.m., book; €50pp for rabbit ragu that melts like sin, family-run since '72, views dropping to infinity). Hike Sentiero degli Dei later? Nah, siesta on the rocks, salt crusting your skin.
Amalfi town's heart beats in the centro storico. From Salerno ferry (Porto Turistico, Via Duomo; arrivals 8 a.m.-7 p.m.), wander Valle dei Mulini—abandoned paper mills mossy and mystical (Via dei Mulini, free trail, dawn-dusk; hike 30 min, waterfall mist cooling the hike, echoes of 13th-century industry). Ristorante Eolo (Vicolo delle Murene 4, off Piazza Duomo; noon-2:30/7:30-10 p.m., terrace perch €60pp—linguine alle vongole clams popping fresh from the Tyrrhenian, wine flowing like the town's fountains). Duomo di Amalfi sprawls below (as above), but pair with Arsenal (Via dell'Arsenale 7; 9 a.m.-1 p.m./5-8 p.m., €2—ancient shipyards where crusaders launched, stone echoing sea crashes).
Tips for Your 2026 Journey
One glitchy trip: I ferried from Sorrento to Amalfi during scirocco winds, puke bag in hand, emerging green as limoncello. Driving back? Tailgaters on SS163 nearly shaved my mirrors. Trains won that round—reliable, scenic sans sweat. For 2026, watch EU green initiatives: more electric buses? Electric ferries trialing now. Costs rise with tourism tax (€2-5/night), but magic endures.
Solo? Train-ferry for romance. Families? Bus-train hybrid, space for tantrums. Road trippers? Pack podcasts, patience. Me? I'll Frecciarossa to Salerno, ferry-hop, bus the twists—best of all worlds. Whatever path, chase sunsets over Praiano's coves, devour sfogliatella hot from the oven. Amalfi isn't a destination; it's a seduction. Buon viaggio!