How to get from Naples to the Amalfi Coast (come arrivare alla Costiera Amalfitana da Napoli) has three genuinely different answers depending on your specific Amalfi destination, budget, and tolerance for the most specifically terrifying single Italian coastal road (the SS163, a 50km single-lane cliff road with zero overtaking, tour buses at every blind bend, and parking that costs €35 per day if you're lucky enough to find a space). The short version: if you're going to Positano or Amalfi directly, the ferry from Molo Beverello is the fastest and most scenic option. If you're based in Sorrento, the Circumvesuviana is the cheapest. If you're anywhere between Vietri sul Mare and Amalfi town, the train to Salerno plus the SITA bus is the most specific "local" approach.
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Naples to Amalfi Coast: All Routes
Option 1. Direct Ferry From Molo Beverello (Fastest to Positano: 75 min, ~23€)
The Naples Molo Beverello ferry pier (GPS: 40.8390°N, 14.2555°E, the specific pier at the base of the Castel Nuovo, adjacent to the Naples waterfront (Lungomare Caracciolo)): the SNAV and Alilauro high-speed ferry services to the Amalfi Coast towns run April to October. Specific routes and times: Naples Beverello → Positano (GPS: 40.6280°N, 14.4847°E): 1h15m, approximately €23 one-way (SNAV summer service). Naples Beverello → Amalfi (GPS: 40.6340°N, 14.6025°E): 1h30m, approximately €25 (Alilauro summer service). Naples Beverello → Salerno (GPS: 40.6824°N, 14.7681°E): 1h10m, approximately €12 (the most specifically affordable single Beverello ferry service). Booking: at snav.it, alilauro.it, or the specific Beverello ticket office (the most specifically walk-up-and-buy single ferry buy approach, the Beverello ferry office is open from 7:30 AM to 18:00 daily). Access from Napoli Centrale: Metro Line 1 from Napoli Centrale to Piazza Municipio (2 stops, €1.30) + 5-minute walk to the Beverello pier, or taxi (approximately €10-12).
Option 2. Circumvesuviana to Sorrento + Ferry (Best Value: 2h, ~8€)
The Circumvesuviana from Napoli Garibaldi to Sorrento (GPS: 40.6264°N, 14.3757°E): 1h05m, €3.30 (the most affordable single Naples to Sorrento connection). The Sorrento ferry pier (GPS: 40.6268°N, 14.3744°E) to Positano: 25 minutes, approximately €12-15 (summer ferry service from April to October). Total: approximately 1h30m travel, approximately €15-18 for the Sorrento + Positano combination. The specific Circumvesuviana advantage: the most specifically authentic single southern Italian railway experience (the narrowest single track, the most specifically packed carriages, and the specific Vesuvius volcanic landscape visible from the right windows between Portici and Torre Annunziata), the Circumvesuviana is simultaneously the most useful and the most specifically memorable single Naples transport experience. The specific Sorrento base advantage: staying in Sorrento and using the ferry network for all Amalfi Coast access is the single best logistics decision for the Amalfi visitor, the Sorrento ferry pier connects to Positano (25 min), Amalfi (40 min), Capri (25 min), and Ischia (45 min) every day from April to October.
Option 3. Train to Salerno + SITA Bus (Most Local: 2h30m, ~10€)
Trenitalia Regionale Napoli Centrale → Salerno (GPS: 40.6824°N, 14.7681°E): 40-55 minutes, approximately €4.20 + the SITA bus Salerno Autostazione → Amalfi: 1h10m, €2.50 (the most specifically local single Amalfi approach, the SITA bus from Salerno follows the SS163 eastward giving the most specific eastbound coastal view). The specific SITA bus booking note: the SITA bus from Salerno to Amalfi departs from the Salerno bus station (Piazzale Ferrovia. GPS: 40.6778°N, 14.7631°E, adjacent to the Salerno train station) approximately every 30-40 minutes from 6:00 to 21:00 in summer. No advance booking required, buy at the Autostazione tabacchi. The Salerno ferry alternative: the Salerno ferry pier (Molo Manfredi. GPS: 40.6822°N, 14.7643°E) connects to Amalfi (25 min, ~€8) and Positano (45 min, ~€12) from April to October, the most specifically scenic single Salerno to Amalfi Coast connection (approach by sea from the east).
Option 4. Rental Car (Only for Vietri sul Mare / Cetara)
Renting a car in Naples for the Amalfi Coast is recommended only for the visitor whose specific Amalfi Coast program includes the specific Vietri sul Mare (the ceramics town) and the Cetara (the bottarga town) at the eastern end of the SS163, these towns are most efficiently accessed by car from Salerno. For Positano and Amalfi: the ferry or bus is always better. The specific car parking reality: Positano has 9 small car parks (total approximately 200 spaces) for approximately 10,000 daily summer visitors, the car parks fill by 9:30 AM in July-August with no exception.
Q&A: Naples to Amalfi Coast
What is the cheapest way to get from Naples to Positano?
The Circumvesuviana + Sorrento ferry combination: total cost approximately €15-18 (Circumvesuviana Napoli Garibaldi → Sorrento: €3.30 + Sorrento ferry → Positano: €12-15). Compared to the direct Beverello ferry: approximately €23, the saving is €5-8 but the journey adds approximately 45 minutes. The most specifically budget-efficient choice for the visitor staying in Sorrento is the Circumvesuviana alone (€3.30 from Naples): the Sorrento-based visitor uses the ferry network for the Amalfi Coast access each day and never needs the expensive direct Naples ferry.
Do the Naples to Amalfi Coast ferries run in winter?
No, the specific Amalfi Coast ferry season is April to October only. The winter (November to March) Naples to Amalfi Coast connection requires the train to Salerno + SITA bus exclusively (the only year-round connection). The specific winter SITA schedule is less frequent than the summer service (every 60-90 minutes instead of every 30-40 minutes), verify at sitasudtrasporti.it for the specific 2026 winter timetable.
