Pompeii, with or without Herculaneum, is a popular day-trip from Rome. Of course, there are many organised tours to choose from. Depending on your level of interest in the archaeological sites, however, these tours are not always the best option. Getting from Rome’s Termini station to Pompeii and/or Herculaneum via Napoli Centrale station and the local Circumvesuviana metro, is not as complicated as it might seem. Having done the trip a few times, I set out the stages of the journey step-by-step illustrated with my own photographs. Following these steps will enable you to visit both sites in one stress-free day, without rushing around seeing only highlights.
- Thomas Dowson
- Last Checked and/or Updated 15 April 2026
- Italy, Rome
Not surprisingly, many people visiting Rome also want to see Pompeii, and to a lesser extent, Herculaneum. Put off by seemingly daunting logistics and not being able to speak Italian, many choose to take organised day tours. If the reviews are anything to go by, there people who genuinely enjoy these tours. But there are also many who do not. From too many hours in a coach and little time on site to wasted time at other generic stops, these tours are not a great choice for people who want to explore more than a few highlights at Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Naples is a rewarding destination in its own right. But if you are based in Rome, and have a full day to spare, visiting both archaeological sites can be a richly rewarding experience. With the right guidance, there is no need to test your sense of adventure or stretch your budget to its limits. Rather than opting for an unsatisfactory generic day-trip, using public transport you can get yourself from Rome to Herculaneum and Pompeii for under 95 euros (travel and entry tickets) and minimal time travelling that you will remember for all the right reasons.Â
Pompeii or Herculaneum? You Can See Both
A frequently asked question, and not only by people thinking about a day-trip from Rome, is which is better of the two archaeological sites? Always, my answer is neither one is better than the other. They are both very different, from the character and scale of the two towns in Roman times, what happened to these two towns at the eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD, to how they were discovered in more recent times, and how they have been excavated. If you have a whole day, why not visit both. Two or three hours at Herculaneum gives you enough time to have a good and meaningful look round. Then move on and spend the rest of the day at Pompeii. If, however, you have a limited amount of time, a few hours say, then you need to make a choice.Â
Very briefly, Pompeii was hit first by a rain of pumice and ash. This collapsed roofs and buried the city under relatively ‘light’ material. While it preserved the layout and floor mosaics, the upper stories of buildings were largely destroyed. Herculaneum, on the other hand, was covered later by pyroclastic flows – a hot, dense slurry of volcanic mud and gas. This ‘sealed’ the city instantly. Because it was an airtight seal, and organic materials survived. You can still see original wooden carbonized furniture, shelving, and even second-story balconies.
Only about 25% to 30% of Herculaneum has been excavated. The rest sits under the modern town of Ercolano. On entering the Herculaneum Archaeological Park, you stand on a path looking down into the excavated ancient city. In comparison, the archaeological site of Pompeii is massive, two-thirds of the once sprawling city of nearly 170 acres has been excavated. You can see the highlights of Herculaneum in 2-3 hours. Pompeii requires at least 4-5 hours just to scratch the surface. Pompeii involves significantly more walking over uneven Roman basalt stones. Herculaneum is smaller and easier to navigate. Because of its historic legacy, Pompeii is a ‘bucket list’ item, which gets the lion’s share of visitors and tour buses. Herculaneum is quieter, although this may not seem to be the case at the peak of tourist season.
In short, while Pompeii is famous for its plaster casts of victims, Herculaneum is famous for reserved carbonized wood and the 300+ skeletons who perished in boathouses on the shoreline. The atmosphere at the two sites is noticeably different. Pompeii is epic, grand and dusty, while Herculaneum is more intimate, suburban and hauntingly ‘livable’. If it is a grand experience you want and you have the stamina for a long day of walking, choose Pompeii. If you are more interested in detail (furniture, mosaics, woodwork) and a shorter visit, you will get more out of a visit to Herculaneum.
Because of their differences, I feel the correct answer is that these two archaeological sites complement each other perfectly. Pompeii gives you the scale of Roman life, while Herculaneum gives you the texture. And, it is for this reason I suggest if you are going to make a day-trip from Rome you can see both, quite easily. I have done this often, and in this article I share how.
My Recommendation for a Perfect Day-Trip
From Rome’s Termini station, catch the 07h00 express train to Napoli Centrale.
Once at Napoli Centrale station (08h12), go down one level to Napoli Garibaldi – this is the station that serves the Naples Metro and the Circumvesuviana networks.
Purchase a ticket for Ercolano Scavi. Proceed to the platform and board a train going to Sorrento (08h26, Campania Express) or Poggiomarino (08h28, 08h52). Exit the train at Ercolano Scavi, not Ercolano Miglio d’oro.
Walk from the station (under 10 min) to the Herculaneum Archaeological Park for your 09h00 entry.
Leave Herculaneum by 12h00 and go back to Ercolano Scavi. Purchase a ticket for the train to Pompeii (Sorrento line and Pompei Scavi Villa Dei Misteri station for the Porta Marina entrance, Poggiomarino line and Pompei Santuario station for the Piazza Antifeatro entrance) in time for a 13h00 entry.
Leave the site via the Porta Marina entrance opposite Pompeii Scavi Villa Dei Misteri station, and catch the 17h53 (or 18h26 at the latest) train back to Napoli Garibaldi. Walk up to the Napoli Centrale concourse for the 19h35 express train back to Roma Termini, arriving 20h55.
I last did this trip in March 2026. Further details for each step can be found below.
Buy in Advance - Train & Site Tickets
To ensure you get a seat on the train journeys you want to be on, and to get a better price, buying your train tickets in advance will not only save you some money, it will also save you time. Purchasing tickets at least one month in advance costs around €26, while purchasing tickets one day in advance costs over €52. You can book tickets on the Trenitalia website (available in Italian, English, German and French). I buy all my train tickets on the Trainline website.
The prices above are for high-speed Frecciarossa journeys. You cn get tickets at half the price, but these are much longer, between two and three hours, as opposed to just over a hour.Â
Also, I strongly advise buying tickets for both archaeological sites in advance. These too can be purchased online from the official websites:
Official website for Herculaneum (available in Italian, English, German, French, Spanish and Chinese) – choose 09h00 entry
Official website for Pompeii (available in Italian and English only) – choose 13h00 entry
Circumvesuviana Train Tickets
Unless you opt to use the Campania Express, train tickets for journeys from Naples to Herculaneum and Pompeii, and back, can not be purchased in advance – you will have to buy these at a ticketing machine or a ticket booth at the stations. The total for the three train trips was €8.30 in March 2026. I have always bought these tickets singly, at each station, when I want to travel.
As already mentioned, you can purchase tickets for the Campania express in advance. This express service is only available on the Naples-Sorrento Line as it is specifically for tourists wanting to get from Naples and Sorrento to the various Vesuvian sites, and between them. The downside is that it only runs four times a day, each way. See the latest timetable for the Naples-Sorrento Line on the Official Website – the times indicated in red are the Express service.
I have not used this service, as I think the convenience and comfort does not warrant the vastly inflated price – each train journey is €15, for a total of €45. Also, the times are not great. If you do want to pay the extra for these train journeys, buy the tickets on the Trainline website – simply add the station names for Herculaneum (Ercolano Scavi) and Pompeii (Pompeii Scavi) to the search box.
Be warned: do not get on a Campania Express train with a standard metro ticket.Â
Detailed, Step-by-Step Guide
The following is a more detailed set of instructions for each step of my recommendation set out in brief above. I last did this day-trip on 16 March 2026. Of course, the times can change – but I will point out the times of the express trains have been the same for a number of years. And bear in mind, travel conditions on the day can can result in times shifting. But, if you follow the plan, you will be able to experience both Herculaneum and Pompeii beyond the highlights.
The times for each of the train journeys suggested below may change, from one season to the next, one year to the next. For this reason it is imperative you check the times suggested on this page against the official timetables on the EAV website.
07h00 - Depart Rome (Termini Station) for Naples (Napoli Centrale)
Purchase tickets for the high-speed Frecciarossa service (details and links above), although a bit more expensive, the journey is just over an hour. Two hours both ways is not too much travelling for a day-trip, but four or six is a waste of time; you might as well stay in Rome. Tip: buy your tickets as far in advance as possible, they are considerably cheaper.
08h15 - Transfer from Napoli Centrale to Napoli Garibaldi - Circumvesuviana
Once at Napoli Centrale station, go down one level to Napoli Garibaldi – this is the station that serves the Naples Metro and the Circumvesuviana network. On the Napoli Centrale concourse, follow signs for Circumvesuviana. Take the escalator down, and then turn left to the entrance to Napoli Garibaldi platforms (just before another set of escalators). Facing the escalators, ticket machines and booths are to our right, while the entrance to the platforms is to your left.
08h26 - Buy Tickets for the Circumvesuviana Metro
If you are following my itinerary and visiting Herculaneum first, buy a ticket for Ercolano Scavi (Pompeii Scavi, if you are going there first or for the whole day). Proceed to the platform and board a train going to Sorrento or Poggiomarino.
To Herculaneum first
There are direct trains to Ercolano Scavi departing Napoli Garibaldi at 08h28 and 08h52 – on the Napoli-Poggiomarino Line (correct as of March 2026, for an up-to-date timetable, check the Official Website). These two trains get to Ercolano Scavi at 08h43 and 09h10 respectively.
If you do not get on one of these two trains, be aware that not all trains stop at Ercolano Scavi, so either wait for one that does (not worth it), or get off at Torre Annunziata – Oplonti and then catch a train going back in the direction of Naples, getting off at Ercolani Scavi.
Important: Exit the train at Ercolano Scavi, not Ercolano Miglio d’oro.
To Pompeii, or Pompeii First
If you are spending the day at Pompeii, or going there first, there are two stations (on two different lines) you can use to access the archaeological site. The usual, and most popular entrance is Porta Marina, is opposite Pompei Scavi Villa Dei Misteri on the Sorrento Line. It probably is the most convenient entrance, not the best. The other train station is Pompeii Santuario (on the Poggiomarino Line) – a ten minute walk takes you to the entrance at the amphitheatre (Piazza Antifeatro). Read more about using this entrance below.
A Campania Express train departs Garibaldi at 08h26, which stops at both Ercolano Scavi (08h41) and Pompeii Scavi (09h02).
08h41 - Ercolano Scavi to Herculaneum
Once out of the station, turn to the right, then after a few metres turn left towards a traffic circle and head straight down (towards the sea, with Vesuvius behind you) to the entrance of Herculaneum Archaeological Park, less than a 10 minute walk on Via IV Novembre. It is a busy road, but the pavements on both side are ample and easy to walk.
11h30 - Herculaneum to Pompeii
Just before midday, start making your way back to the Ercolano Scavi station to get a train to Pompeii. Note there is only one entrance/exit to the excavated sites, which is at the furthest corner from the entrance to the park itself. Allow about 15 to 20 minutes to get back to the station from the bridge out of the site. Back at the station, get a ticket for the train to Pompeii. There are two options, on two different lines:
➤ Sorrento Line: exit at Pompei Scavi Villa Dei Misteri, which takes you too the Porta Marina entrance.
➤ Scafati-Poggiomarino Line: exit at Pompei Santuario, which takes you to the Piazza Anfiteatro entrance.
At midday, the options for trains from Herculaneum to Pompeii are limited. On the Naples-Poggomarino Line:
Ercolano Scavi to Pompeii Santuario – 12h10 and 13h22, getting to the Pompeii station at 12h39 and 13h51 respectively.Â
There are two trains from Ercolano Scavi that do not stop at Pompeii Santuario, departing a 12h17 and 12h35. If you choose one of these two, you will need to get off at Torre Annunziata – Oplonti station (12h53 and 13h11) and wait for a Sorrento Line train (12h43 and 13h19) to Pompeii Scavi, arriving there at 12h49 and 13h25.Â
The only two trains on the Naples-Sorrento Line that stop at Ercolano Scavi between 09h30 and 17h56 that will take you to Pompeii Scavi station are Campania Express trains, at 11h41 and 14h41. The timing of these, in my opinion, do not allow you to make good use of your time for the day.
On 16 March, I caught the 12h10 train at Ercolano Scavi, it pulled into Pompeii Santuario at 12h40, and, according to the time stamp on my photographs, I took my first photograph at the entrance to Pompeii (Piazza Antifeatro) at 12h55. The timings may change (unlikely, these are timetables that are used over and over again), but the principle of the suggestions above are solid. Check the Official Website for the latest timetables. And, I always check these against actual timetables displayed at the stations.Â
Pompei Scavi Villa Dei Misteri - Porta Marina
The most popular entrance is Porta Marina, just across the road from the Pompei Scavi Villa Dei Misteri station on the Sorrento line. It probably is the most convenient entrance. But as it is the most popular, bear in mind you will be going with the crowds, as you enter and then head to the main attractions in the excavated area.
Pompei Santuario - Piazza Anfiteatro
Pompeii Santuario, on the Poggiomarino line, is the station for the modern – day town of Pompeii. An easy, ten minute walk takes you though the town to the entrance near the amphitheatre (Piazza Antifeatro). If you are looking for something to eat before heading in the the archaeological site, this is a good opportunity to find something good (the restaurant at the Porta Marina entrance caters for tourists). If you have your own packed lunch, there is a pleasant, shady area to sit just inside the entrance. There are toilets as well as water fountains to fill your bottles.
From here head first to the amphitheatre, and then to the covered section of the Palestra, which houses the famous plaster casts of Pompeii’s citizens. From here head west to the theatres, then north to explore the various houses and baths. Make your way to the Forum, the basilica, and finally out of the site via the onsite Museum, souvenir and bookshop, known as the Antiuarium di Pompeii, at Porta Marina. Â
Although it is a 10 minute walk from the station to the entrance to he archaeological park, I prefer this entrance. And it is the preferred entrance of locals. I prefer this entrance because, you will be able to visit the site in reverse order to what the crowds using the Porta Marina entrance. When you enter around 13h00, you will first see the amphitheatre, fewer people from the Porta Marina entrance make it this far. As you move into the site, towards the Porta Marina exit those crowds, certainly the day-trippers who have arrived at 10h00, will already have started thinning out and even exiting the site before you do.Â
17h53 - Pompeii back to Napoli Centrale, and Roma Termini
Although I recommend entering the site at the amphitheatre, I recommend exiting at Porta Marina. My train back to Rome left Napoli Centrale at 19h35 – there were two trains from Pompeii Scavi to Garibaldi that were good for that departure time: 17h53 (arriving at 18h26) and 18h35 (arriving at 19h00). These times are good for 2026, for the latest timetable, check the Official Website. Remember to go to the platform on the other side of the tracks (i.e. for trains in the direction of Naples). A note of caution – these trains are very busy. Packed. Do not be surprised if you have to stand for the entire journey back to Naples.
If you have some time to kill waiting for your train back to Rome, I recommend a visit to Chalet Ciro for a coffee and a Neapolitan pastry. My last trip was a few days before Father’s Day. A typical treat to celebrate this day is the zeppola di San Guiseppe. A choux pastry bun is topped with a custard-like yellow cream and cherries. If there is no time to enjoy this there and there, at Chalet Ciro, they will wrap it well so that it can last the trip back to Rome.
Pompeii to Herculaneum
If Pompeii is first on your itinerary, your best option for the train to Herculaneum is to exit at Porta Marina and catch a train heading from Sorrento to Naples at the Pompei Scavi Villa Dei Misteri station. After purchasing your ticket, take the subway to the platform on the other side of the tracks for trains running from Sorrento to Naples. As noted above, for the outbound journey, the same is true for the inbound journey, not all Sorrento-Naples Line trains stop at Ercolano Scavi. You can either wait for one that does. But that wastes time. Rather, catch the first train that stops at Pompeii Scavi and then get off at Torre Annunziata – Oplonti. This station is also served by Poggiomarino-Scafati-Napoli Line, all of those trains (running between Poggiomarino and Napoli Garibaldi) stop at Erclano Scavi.
Check the latest timetables on the official website for both of these two lines.
Another Suggestion - Pompeii & the Archaeological Museum
Including the National Archaeology Museum in Naples to your day-trip from Rome is also possible. But probably not with both Herculaneum and Pompeii – unless you really only intend to spend an hour or so at each.
The museum is one of Italy’s finest, and one could easily spend a whole day and not see everything. Home to the Farnese Collection (the Farnese Bull being just one extraordinary object in this historic assemblage) and an assortment of interesting ancient Egyptian artefacts, perhaps the main attraction are the artefacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum. An hour would not do any justice to this attractions.
If the museum is high on your list of places to visit, my suggestion would be to pair your visit with one of the two, Pompeii or Herculaneum. Come to Naples as above, visit the museum in the morning, and then spend the afternoon at either Herculaneum or Pompeii.
Donations and memberships start from as little as €5.
Create Itineraries & Travel Lists
Planning a trip to Rome, and Naples? You can create your own travel lists (such as places you have been to, places you would like to visit) and an itinerary for your visit. These can also be shared with your friends and on social media. You can see how this is done by watching our Using the Itinerary video on YouTube, or reading the Using the Itinerary page.
For more sites and museums to consider, see our Italy Travel Guide.
Pompeii
The archaeological site of Pompeii is one of the most well-known and much visited sites in the world. Pompeii was a Roman city that was buried under four to six metres of volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The site has been a tourist destination for about 250 years, and today over 2.5 million people visit each year making this one of the most popular attractions in Italy. For conservation reasons, only a fraction of the site is open to the public – but there is still much to see of the Roman city, including theatres, the amphitheatre, the forum, bath houses and residences with exquisite wall paintings.
Herculaneum
The ancient city of Herculaneum, buried under 30 metres of ash and volcanic material in the eruption of 79 AD, was brought to light in 1738 under the reign of Charles of Bourbon. Excavations of the site were extremely demanding and concentrated on the area that once overlooked the sea. The visit allows you to move between the ancient streets on which the various craft and commercial activities opened, and the entrances to the domus. Some places such as the Palestra, which remains partly buried and accessible through a gallery, or the College of the Augustales, in which painted scenes of the myth of Hercules survive.
National Archaeological Museum of Naples
The Museum is the most important in the world for Roman painting, and was founded in 1816. The original nucleus of the collection is due to King Charles of Bourbon, who promoted excavations in Pompeii and Herculaneum and brought part of the Farnese collection inherited from his mother to Naples. There are many famous finds to admire, such as the Alexander Mosaic or the bronzes from the Villa of the Papyri, while the collections display Roman mosaics and frescoes, Egyptian artefacts and those from Magna Graecia, as well as entire sections dedicated to prehistory and protohistory, epigraphy and numismatics, concluding with the Farnese Collection, which includes the famous sculptures of Hercules and Bull.
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