How to get to Naples

BY AIR

Capodichino is one of the most important airports in Italy and has regular international and domestic flights with many airlines, like EasyJet, British Airways, Alitalia, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Vueling, Air France and direct flights to and from New York with Meridiana.  Once you have landed, you can take shuttle buses Alibus to Piazza Municipio (harbour area and metro Linea 1) and to Piazza Garibaldi (Central Station and metro).  

The cost of the shuttles is still the cheapest option, you can buy the tickets on the bus or from any newspaper shops (tabaccherie/edicole) .  They run every 20 minutes from 06.30am until midnight.  

Otherwise, you can take a taxi, which is the easiest option and you can find the lane all the Taxi lane is located in front of arrivals. You don’t need to book one in advance but you can find many around the city.

The fee can vary and it includes every extra: from/to the airport, night time surcharge, amount of luggage, holiday, fees for the motorway, animals and calls independently of the passengers number.  When you take the taxi always double check the fare and make sure the driver is official with the symbol of Naples borough on their taxi. 

BY TRAIN

There are three train stations:

Stazione Centrale (Piazza Garibaldi) is the main station with trains coming from all over Italy, including the new fast trains of Italo and Freccia Rossa. This station is linked with the metropolitan Linea 1 and Circumvesuviana (the trains to the Sorrento coast).

From May to October, there is also the Campania Express a fast train connecting only Napoli - Herculaneum - Oplonti - Pompeii - Sorrento.  Trains run four times a day, with the possibility to reserve seats and air conditioned.  Tickets are available at Stazione Centrale, at the airport of Capodichino or at the Circumvesuviana station. For further info visit the official website of the Campania Express here.

BY BOAT

Napoli Mergellina is a station close to the port of Molo Mergellina, where there are hydrofoil (aliscafi) to the islands of Capri and Ischia (see at the bottom of the page for the Port section). It is well connected with the rest of the city with the underground (nearest metro station is MUNICIPIO) and taxi.

BY CAR

If you are coming from northern Italy the motorway is called Autostrada del Sole Milano-Napoli.  Follow the signs for Napoli Centro-Porto-Stazione Marittima-Stazione Centrale.  From the south you need to take Salerno-Reggio Calabria motorway.

Getting Around NAPLES.

In Naples it's quite easy getting around as the inner city and the promenade are around 30 minutes walk from each other. So walking is definitely the best way to enjoy it.

However you can easily take the metropolitan Linea 1 or the famous funiculars from the city centre to the highest part of the city.

The metropolitana collinare (hill) Linea 1 is one line that connects the main parts of the centre to the hilly residential areas like Vanvitelli, Medaglie d'oro, Montedonzelli, Rione Alto, Pliclinico (hospital area), Colli Aminei and so on until the most external areas.  

On the same line you will need to get off Museo stop for the Archeological Museum; Dante and Toledo stops for the old town and via Toledo (shopping high street); Municipio is the nearest station to the port.  Garibaldi is the last stop, for the main train station. 

Linea 6 is the newest metro line, connecting Municipio, Chiaia, Mergellina and Mostra (Fuorigrotta area). At the moment, this line is operating only from 07.36 in the morning until 14.50 in the afternoon.

At these stations you can find works of art by international contemporary artists, including the film director Peter Greenway.

For its architecture and design the metro station of Chiaia has been given the award for the most beautiful metro station in the world by the Prix Versailles organisation.

The first train in the morning is at 6.00 from Piscinola and at 6.20 from Garibaldi.  Last train at night is at 22.20 from Piscinola and at 23.02 from Garibaldi.  The last train at night on Fridays and Saturdays is 00.48 from Piscinola and at 01.32 from Garibaldi.  

This is the schedule from the official website of the neapolitain transports (ANM).  However always double check before travelling. 

 There are also four funicular railways;

Chiaia, Centrale, Montesanto and Mergellina.  

All funiculars connect the area of the Vomero with the old town and main high streets.  

The funicular Chiaia is located at via Cimarosa (Vomero area) and has four stops Cimarosa-Palazzolo-Corso Vottorio Emanuele-Parco Margherita; from here you can change with the metropolitana Linea 2. The station is open from 6.30 in the morning until 00.30 at night; until 02.00 on Fridays and Saturdays.  While on Wednesdays and Thursdays the service will close at 22.00.  Trains are every 10 minutes.  From the Chiaia station there is a subway that will take you straight away to the metropolitana Linea 1, piazza Vanvitelli stop.  Just a curiosity: the Chiaia funicular was the first to be open in Napoli in 1889.  Initially it a steam train, but in 1900 was substituted with electric trains.  

Another funicular is Montesanto situated at via Morghen and has three stops: Morghen-Corso Vottorio Emanuele-Montesanto.  The station is open in the morning at 7.00 until 22.00.  Trains are every 10 minutes.  This funicular is more 'modern' as it was opened in 1891 and the entrance at Montesanto keeps the original art nouveau features.  At this stop it is possible to connect to others trains lines, like Cumana, Circumflegrea and Linea 2. 

The funicolare of Mergellina is situated in via Manzoni and has five stops: via Manzoni-Parco Angelina-S. Gioacchino-S.Antonio-Mergellina.  The station opens at 07.00 until 22.00.  Trains are every 12 minutes.  Opened in 1931, is the youngest of all funicolari and was built to connect the new residential area of Posillipo.  

Circumvesuviana and Cumana are the two railways for the areas outside Naples. The Circumvesuviana operates services to the East of the city including Portici, Herculaneum, Torre Annunziata, Oplonti, Pompeii, Castellamare di Stabia, Scrajo, Vico Equenze, Seiano, Meta, Piano di Sorrento, Sant'Agnello and Sorrento, which is the last stop.  Trains start from Napoli Porta Nolana terminus and passing through Napoli Garibaldi station.  The entire journey takes about an hour.

The Cumana railway connects areas to the West like Cuma, Bacoli, passing through Pozzuoli to the vulcanic area of Campi Flegrei.  It has two routes one from Montesanto, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Fuorigrotta, Mostra, Zoo-Edenlandia, through Bagnoli, Pozzuoli and ending at Torregaveta; the other route from Montesanto, through Soccavo (stadium area), Cuma and Torregaveta. 

For both Circumvesuviana and Cumana you can buy tickets at any kiosk, machine and tabaccherie shop like the tickets for Naples.

The metropolitan and funicular close quite early so I suggest to ask the staff what time is the last train. 

Contactless payments are now accepted across the Napoli metro and funicular network. These work in the same way as tickets, just using your card or phone to tap in and out on your journey.

The tap out box is located on the wall near to the exit turnstiles not on the turnstiles themselves.

If you still want to use tickets, there are the same for both metropolitana and funicolare and can be bought in any newspaper kiosk, shop (Tabaccherie), inside the station or at the machines (which all take only cash!).

There are different tickets that you can use.  All tickets are valid for buses, metropolitana and funicolare.  Many tickets for every needs and prices.  

To help you out on your journey you can also download the Unico Campania app (in english as well) where you can find all the right tariff, calculate your route and buy tickets.

Like every city, in Napoli has open top buses which take tourists around the city to the most interesting sights with descriptions in 8 languages.  Like all the other touristic buses there are different tours, including Museums, views of the gulf and San Martino.  

Campania Artecard is very useful as it gives access to many Museums and transport in Napoli and throughtout the region.  Just one card combines buses, metropolitana and funicular and entrance to the Museum without queueing up.  Check on the official website for more info. 

Port.

The port of Naples is one of the most important in Italy since Medieval times.  Molo Beverello is the main port and is connected by the airport (with the Alibus shuttle) and the islands of Capri, Ischia and Procida, Sorrento, Palermo, Catania, Lipari, Panarea, Ponza, Cagliari, Salina, Stromboli and Vulcano.  Porto di Mergellina is the second port of the city and it is another route to Capri and Ischia.  Another port is the one in Pozzuoli, which is a bit outside the city but it is connected to the motorways.

Where to stay.

Nowadays it's very easy to find a reasonable place to stay.  There are lots of hotels to stay in Naples, airbnb and bed and breakfast are popular. My tip is to check the 4/5 star hotels, as quite often they have super offers, especially after the high season, like the second half of August, September, October and March to June. I personally suggest areas that are well connected and nice, such as via Chiaia, piazza Dante, Mezzocannone, Tribunali and Vomero (San Martino, piazza Vanvitelli, via Luca Giordano).  The area near the Piazza Garibaldi station is generally the cheapest but it is quite gritty and edgy, although improvements are being made.  If are not sure or you would like to double check you can always email me and I would be happy to answer to any enquire.