--- title: "Train stations in Sorrento: which service to take and why" date: 2026-06-21 author: "Johan E. Johansson" featured_image: "https://everyrail.com/wp-content/uploads/sorrento-train-stations-city-coastline.jpg" categories: - name: "Destinations" url: "/destinations.md" --- # Train stations in Sorrento: which service to take and why Sorrento has one usable train station, and the most important thing to know before you book anything is what it is not. Trenitalia and Italo do not run to Sorrento. No Frecciarossa terminates here. The Italian national rail network stops at Naples. To reach Sorrento by train, you change in Naples to the Circumvesuviana, a separate suburban line run by EAV (Ente Autonomo Volturno). A second thing to know early. Your Eurail or Interrail Pass does not cover this last leg. EAV sits outside the national rail network and outside the pass system. You will buy a separate EAV ticket, in euros, at the station. Two services share the Naples to Sorrento line, both run by EAV: the regular Circumvesuviana, which is cheap, frequent, and often crowded, and the Campania Express, which is a comfort upgrade with reserved seating, fewer stops, and a higher fare. This guide explains the station, both services, how to connect from Naples, and what to check before you pay. ## Sorrento’s train station at a glance StationOperatorWhat calls thereBest forAvoid ifStazione di SorrentoEAV / CircumvesuvianaRegular Circumvesuviana and Campania Express from Naples (via Pompeii, Herculaneum)Almost every visitor arriving from Naples or the Bay of NaplesYou expect a Frecciarossa or Italo platform here, or a Trenitalia ticket counterThere is only one station to consider in Sorrento. Anything else you see on a booking page calling itself a Sorrento station is either a typo, a different town, or a reseller listing the same EAV terminus under a slightly different name. ## Stazione di Sorrento, what it is and where it sits Stazione di Sorrento is in the upper part of the old town, a short walk from Piazza Tasso. The building is small, with EAV ticket machines, an EAV ticket office, a basic waiting area, and a Campania Express booking desk in season. There is no Trenitalia counter and no mainline platforms; everything here is the EAV operation. The station is not on the seafront. The walk down to Marina Piccola, where the ferries leave, takes around 15 minutes on foot, mostly downhill on a stepped path. Coming back up with luggage is harder than going down with a daypack. If you are arriving with heavy bags and your hotel is along the cliff or out toward Sant’Agnello, a taxi from the rank in front of the station is the sensible move; agree the fare before getting in. There is also a bus terminal next to the station. This is where SITA buses leave for Positano, Amalfi, and the rest of the Amalfi Coast, and where local Sorrento buses pick up. If your final destination is not Sorrento itself, your onward bus stop is right outside. ## Why no Frecciarossa or Trenitalia runs to Sorrento The Italian national rail network on this peninsula ends at Naples. Trenitalia high-speed Frecciarossa and Frecciargento services, Trenitalia Intercity, and Italo all stop in Naples, not Sorrento. From anywhere outside Campania, the first leg of your trip is to Naples, and the second leg is on EAV. For most travellers from Rome, Florence, or Milan, that means booking a Frecciarossa or Italo high-speed train to Napoli Centrale, then changing to the EAV Circumvesuviana on the underground level beneath it (signed as Napoli Garibaldi). Treat fast Rome to Naples journeys as around 70 minutes, Florence to Naples as around 2 hours 45 minutes, and Milan to Naples on the fastest services as around 4 hours 30 minutes. These are orientation figures; check the journey time for your exact train when you book. A specific check before you pay. Some high-speed Frecciarossa and Italo trains call at Napoli Afragola, a bypass station roughly 12 km from central Naples with no metro link. Booking pages often show only the city name in the search results, and the actual station appears when you open the train details. Confirm that your ticket ends at Napoli Centrale before you pay. From Centrale you can walk to the Circumvesuviana platforms; from Afragola you need a separate connecting train first. ## The Circumvesuviana from Naples: regular service or Campania Express Both services share the same line and the same termini in Naples (Garibaldi) and Sorrento. They differ in comfort, fare, and frequency. ServiceOperatorStopsFrequencyJourney time Naples to SorrentoFare (single, EUR, as of June 2026)Seat reservationRegular CircumvesuvianaEAVAll stops, including Pompeii Scavi and Ercolano ScaviAround every 30 minutes through most of the dayAround 55 to 75 minutesAround €4.50None; turn up and rideCampania ExpressEAVLimited stops (Naples, Ercolano Scavi, Pompeii Scavi, Castellammare di Stabia, Sorrento and a couple of others)A handful of departures per day, peak season-ledAround 50 to 60 minutesAround €15 to €16Yes, assigned seatFor a short hop, a cheap off-peak trip, or anywhere along the line, the regular Circumvesuviana is the right choice. It runs often, it is inexpensive, and it gets you there. The carriages are basic and can get crowded in summer afternoons, particularly between Naples and Pompeii, but for a 30 to 60 minute trip with a daypack it is perfectly fine. For a first arrival from Naples in peak season, with a couple of suitcases and a hotel waiting, the Campania Express earns its premium. You get an assigned seat, air conditioning, dedicated luggage space, and a much calmer carriage. The journey time is moderately faster, not transformatively so. The real win is comfort, not the clock. A quick rule. If you are going to Pompeii or Herculaneum for the day, take the regular Circumvesuviana. If you are arriving in Sorrento for the first time with luggage in July or August, book the Campania Express. ## Tickets and rail passes EAV is not Trenitalia. EAV tickets are sold at the EAV ticket office and machines at Napoli Garibaldi, at Stazione di Sorrento, at the intermediate stations, on the EAV mobile app, and for Campania Express via the EAV booking page. Mainline Trenitalia ticket windows do not sell EAV tickets, and the Trenitalia app does not show EAV departures. Eurail and Interrail passes do not cover EAV. The Circumvesuviana and the Campania Express are run by a regional operator outside the national rail network, and your pass is not valid on either service. Buy a separate EAV ticket. The regular fare is low, so the cost is not the issue; not realising the rule is. Do not try to swipe a pass at the EAV gates. For the regular Circumvesuviana, validate your paper ticket at the validation machines on the platform before boarding. Inspectors do check on this line, and an unvalidated ticket can result in a fine even if it is otherwise correct. The Campania Express ticket is per train, with a reservation, and does not need separate validation. If you buy a regular ticket and then upgrade to a Campania Express seat on the day, follow the desk’s instructions on which ticket to keep. Avoid third-party resellers that mark up EAV tickets. The regular Circumvesuviana fare is the same at the station as it would be on any honest booking page; if you see a much higher price, you are looking at a markup, not a faster train. For Campania Express, book through the EAV channel or via the visitpompeiivesuvius.com booking flow that mirrors EAV stock. ## How to connect from Naples: Centrale to Garibaldi Almost every mainline train into Naples will arrive at Napoli Centrale. From the main concourse, follow signs for Napoli Garibaldi or Circumvesuviana, and descend by escalator or stairs to the underground level. The EAV ticket machines and ticket office are there, with platforms signed for the Sorrento line and others (Sarno, Poggiomarino, and so on). Allow time for the change. Twenty to thirty minutes is comfortable, and gives you room to buy a ticket, validate it if you are on the regular service, and find the right platform. If you have a Campania Express reservation, arrive in time to board your specific departure. If you arrive instead at Napoli Afragola, you are not at the right station for the Circumvesuviana. You will need a connecting Trenitalia regional train to Napoli Centrale (around 14 minutes on the fastest services, longer on most) before you can descend to the EAV level. This is the simplest reason to confirm your mainline ticket terminates at Centrale before paying. ## Onward from Sorrento: Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the Amalfi Coast Pompeii is on the same Circumvesuviana line, between Naples and Sorrento. The stop for the archaeological site is Pompeii Scavi, also signed as Pompei Scavi Villa dei Misteri. From Sorrento, the regular Circumvesuviana takes around 30 minutes. Trains run roughly every 30 minutes; check the live departures at the station or in the EAV app on the morning of your visit. Herculaneum is also on the line, closer to Naples. The stop is Ercolano Scavi. From Sorrento, around 45 to 55 minutes on the regular service. For Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello, there is no train. The standard onward options are the SITA bus from the terminal next to Sorrento station, or in season the ferry from Marina Piccola. The bus route is scenic and slow; in peak summer queues at the bus stop can be long, and the road into Positano is sometimes closed to traffic on tight days. The ferry skips the road problem but does not run year-round. For Capri, the ferry from Marina Piccola is the practical option, with several daily departures in season. ## Practical tips for the Naples to Sorrento line The regular Circumvesuviana is a working commuter line, not a tourist train, and it shows. Carriages are basic, the air conditioning is variable, and on busy summer afternoons it gets full quickly. Pickpocketing on this line is a known issue; keep your wallet, phone, and passport in a zipped or front pocket, and keep your bag in front of you in a crowded carriage. EAV strikes happen. They are usually announced in advance on the EAV website. If you are travelling with a tight onward connection (a flight from Capodichino, a ferry from Naples), check the EAV site the night before and the morning of travel. Last trains from Naples to Sorrento on the regular service typically run into the evening, but not late into the night. If you have a late arrival into Naples, especially from an international Frecciarossa or a delayed flight, confirm the last EAV departure before booking your mainline ticket. A late hotel transfer or taxi from Naples is the alternative, and is significantly more expensive than the train. ## Should you take the train to Sorrento? Yes, for almost every visitor. The Naples to Sorrento line is the cheap, easy, well-trodden route into town, and it runs all day. Book the regular Circumvesuviana for a quick, low-cost trip in off-peak hours, or for any day-trip to Pompeii or Herculaneum from Sorrento. Book the Campania Express for a first arrival with luggage in busy summer months, when an assigned seat and luggage space turn the trip into a calm hour rather than a struggle. Confirm three things before you pay. Your mainline ticket terminates at Napoli Centrale, not Napoli Afragola. Your EAV ticket is the right one for your service (a regular Circumvesuviana single, or a Campania Express reservation). And you are not relying on a rail pass for the last leg; that ticket is separate, in euros, and only EAV sells it.