Looking for a day trip from Rome? Try Pompeii! Not only is the town cute, but you have so much history to explore at the Pompeii site. There is a good reason why it is one of the most popular day trips.
The ancient city was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius and preserved for centuries by lava and ash from the volcano, makes for a fascinating historical site. If you’re like me, you could spend hours exploring the cobbled streets of the city imagining the way people lived almost 2000 years ago.
If you’re considering a Pompeii day trip from Rome, we recommend you plan a full day to really have time to explore the site and the town. When going to Pompeii, you have two options; you can go via tour or by yourself. We opted for going by ourselves, and it was relatively easy, just takes some planning. That’s why we wrote this guide on how to get from Rome to Pompeii on your own.
Pompeii by Tour
If you’re a person who enjoys it when someone explains the history behind the sites you are seeing or has an easily laid out path, then a guided tour of Pompeii is for you. When you opt-in for a guided tour on your day trip from Pompeii from Rome, you can soak in all the history your guide will explain about the site while they help navigate you to the main points of interest.
Having an expert walk you through and highlight all the important sights is a huge help as they are sometimes not easy to identify, and the place is rather large, so you could be walking around for a very long time looking for your intended destination.
Whether you choose a guided tour that is an all-day event or you want to choose your own tour just for Pompeii, both have their advantages. We are always fans of planning ahead, as you never know about the tours offered at the site. When planning ahead, you get the chance to read reviews and descriptions to decide what tour is right for you. A good tour to choose from is the 2-hour walking tour of Pompeii. It departs at various intervals from 9.30 am, including the afternoon, until 3.00 pm.
Another option is to download an audio guide or get one once you arrive at Pompeii. The Audio guides are available at Porta Marina entrance for €6.50 or €10 for two and they have several language options.
READ: our Florence Day Trip
How To Do A Day Trip From Rome To Pompeii On Your Own
If you prefer to go without a guide to go at your own pace or save money, it is doable. It just takes a little more planning, but don’t worry, we will explain all about how to plan your day trip to Pompeii from Rome on your own.
Rome To Pompeii By Train
The easiest way to get to Pompeii from Rome is going by train, as there are several departures per hour to Naples. Just remember, you will have to stop in Naples to then take a local train to Pompeii. This train will take you right outside the main entrance of the site and takes around 2 hours.
Your best option is to take the fast train from Roma termini to the Napoli Centrale, as it only takes roughly 70 minutes. We advise you to purchase your return trip in advance as they will typically go up in price on the day of travel and will sell out in peak season.
Once you arrive at the Napoli Centrale station, you’ll need to transfer to the Circumvesuviana local railway downstairs to get to Pompeii. As this is a local metro system train instead of the regional train, you will need a separate ticket which usually costs around €3.20 one way, and you can buy your ticket at the office next to the platform. It is easiest to just purchase this ticket once you get to the Napoli train station.
The journey to the Circumvesuviana trains takes about 35 minutes and starts to run at 06:10 am with departures every half hour or so. Note: this train can be crowded, so be mindful of pickpockets so keep your belongings safe.
The stop you will be looking for is the Pompeii Scavi – Villa Dei Misteri stop. There are other Pompeii stop options, but this is the best one.
Returning To Rome From Pompeii
It is essentially just retracing the steps you took to get to Pompeii. Get on the Circumvesuviana train from Pompeii Scavi – Villa Dei Misteri stop, and get off at Napoli Porta Garibaldi. To get to the regional trail to Rome, head upstairs. Keep in mind, the last fast train to Rome is typically 20:30, so plan accordingly.
READ: our Italy train travel guide
Bus From Rome To Pompeii
There is a bus option if you don’t want to deal with timing the train and transferring. The bus leaves at 07:30 am from a departure point close to Rome Termini station. Bus travel is usually slower than trains, so plan ahead for the added time.
The bus shuttle service operates daily – > click here for prices
Pompeii Tickets And Visiting Hours
Pompeii’s visiting hours are based on the time of year you go and are listed below:
1st April – 31st October
- 09:00 – 19:00 (last entry at 17:30)
1st November – 31st March
- 09:00 – 17:00 (last entry at 15:30)
As this is a major attraction in Italy and tends to have rather long lines to get it, we are always a fan of getting whatever tickets we can ahead of time. You never know how crowded the place may be on the day you go, and you don’t want to spend hours waiting in line.
The best place to get your ticket is by following the instructions on the Pompeii website. The cost of an adult ticket at normal hours is €18.
READ: 4 Day Itinerary Rome
FAQ And Tips For Visiting Pompeii
If you want to see everything there is to see in this 170 acre city that was home to over 17,000 people, then it will easily take you about 4-5 hours. Otherwise, if you just want to see the main points, you can plan for a minimum of 2 hours.
The most popular places to see in Pompeii include:
– The amphitheater
– Forum of Pompeii
– Temple Of Apollo
– Villa of the Mysteries
– Stabian Baths
– Temple of Isis
– House of the Small Fountain
You won’t find many places with shade or cover, so be mindful of the weather and plan accordingly. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes whatever the weather is as you will be doing a lot of walking. Also make sure to bring lots of water as there are limited places to get some once inside. Lastly, any bag type item with dimensions exceeding 30x30x15cm are not allowed. If you bring something over that size, you can leave the bags at the cloakroom services provided at the entrances.
Yes, it is. The site is great for exploring and there are no cars. You can bring your stroller and there are specially marked routes and has three baby changing facilities.