The route that works for most people
The Pompeii park's travel page lists three rail options. For a day trip from Rome, the practical one is a high-speed train to Naples followed by the Circumvesuviana.
- Rome to Naples. Italo lists 31 daily trains from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale with a journey time of 55 minutes (Italo Rome–Naples page). Trenitalia's Rome–Naples page says "over 100" daily Frecciarossa connections taking just over an hour, with departures from Rome listed from 7:00 to 22:35 and from Naples from 5:09 to 20:30 (both checked 12 October 2026).
- Naples to Pompeii. Take an EAV Circumvesuviana train on the Napoli–Sorrento line from Napoli Porta Nolana or Napoli P. Garibaldi to Pompei Scavi Villa dei Misteri. The park says this stop serves the Porta Marina and Piazza Esedra entrances.
On the L1 timetable valid from 1 October 2026, trains leave Napoli P. Garibaldi roughly every 36 minutes between 5:39 and 22:14 and reach Pompei Scavi in about 29 minutes (for example, 8:44 arriving 9:13). The last train back from Pompei Scavi to Naples leaves at 22:40.
The other two ways
- Trenitalia's combined tickets. Trenitalia's Rome to Pompeii page offers Frecce to Naples plus a regional train, Frecce plus PompeiLink (a train and bus combination to the archaeological area, booked by choosing "Pompei Scavi" as the destination), and direct Frecciarossa trains "on selected days". It gives no dates or fares, so check the search results for your day.
- Italo plus Itabus. Italo's Rome–Pompeii page sells a high-speed train to Napoli Afragola plus an Itabus coach to Pompeii, from €30.90 each way, with lower prices when you book early.
The premium Campania Express on the same Circumvesuviana line is suspended from 1 October 2026 until further notice, according to EAV. Ignore older advice that recommends it.
Pompeii tickets and what each covers
Prices from 12 January 2026, from the park's timetables and tickets page (checked 12 October 2026):
| Ticket | Full | EU 18–24 | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pompeii Express | €20 | €2 | Ancient city only |
| Pompeii+ | €25 | €2 | Ancient city, Villa of the Mysteries, Villa of Diomedes, Villa Regina and Antiquarium at Boscoreale, shuttle |
| Pompeii Plus+ (3 days) | €30 | €2 | Pompeii+ sites plus Oplontis, the Stabiae villas and the Stabia museum, one entry each |
Under-18s enter free: the park's press release on the 2026 prices lists free entry for visitors under 18. The €2 rate applies to EU citizens from 18 to under 25.
Each ticket is valid for one entry. If you bought Pompeii Express and then want the villas, you can add the suburban villa route for €8, card only, at the Herculaneum Gate (Street of the Tombs) entrance. You cannot buy the villa route on its own.
Sample cost: two adults and a 15-year-old on Pompeii+ pay €50 in entry. Two Express tickets plus two €8 villa add-ons bought on the day would cost €56, so decide on the villas before you book.
Named tickets, the daily cap and entry slots
The visitor regulations set the rules that most affect a day trip:
- Tickets are personal and show the holder's name, the day and an entry slot. Staff may check ID at the gate and during the visit; if the name does not match, you are refused with no refund.
- The name and date cannot be changed. These tickets are refunded only if the park closes unexpectedly.
- Entry is limited to 20,000 visitors a day: 15,000 in the morning slot (9:00–13:00) and 5,000 in the afternoon slot, which runs from 13:01 to the last entry time.
The timetables page splits those caps by ticket for 16 March to 14 October: 12,000 Express and 3,000 Pompeii+ in the morning, 3,000 Express and 2,000 Pompeii+ in the afternoon. The regulations page and the timetables page both apply the shorter afternoon slot (to 15:30) from 15 October to 15 March. The older PDF annex to the regulations still dates it from 1 November to 31 March, so between 15 and 31 October go by the web pages and the slot shown when you book.
Buy online on the park's official seller, Vivaticket (pompeii.vivaticket.it), linked from the park's pages. You get a PDF to print or show on your phone and go straight to the turnstiles. The only official ticket offices are inside the site, at Porta Marina, Piazza Esedra and Piazza Anfiteatro.
Opening hours and closed days
| Period | Open | Last entry | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 October – 15 March | 9:00 | 15:30 | 17:00 |
| 16 March – 14 October | 9:00 | 17:30 | 19:00 |
Pompeii closes on 25 December and 1 January unless the park announces otherwise. Boscoreale and the Antiquarium keep a later last entry (16:00 or 18:00). Oplontis, the Stabiae villas and the Stabia museum close on Tuesdays.
A realistic day plan
With the winter hours in force from 15 October, a day trip works like this:
- Take an early Italo or Frecciarossa to Napoli Centrale, arriving by about 9:00.
- Ride the Circumvesuviana to Pompei Scavi Villa dei Misteri; the 9:56 from Napoli P. Garibaldi arrives at 10:25.
- Enter in the morning slot (before 13:00) on your named ticket. With Pompeii+, the Villa of the Mysteries is at the Porta Ercolano end, and its last entry follows the site's (15:30 in winter).
- Leave by mid-afternoon: trains from Pompei Scavi at 15:29 and 16:05 reach Napoli P. Garibaldi at 16:00 and 16:36.
- Book the return high-speed train with some slack. Trenitalia's route page lists departures from Naples only until 20:30, so check the actual timetable when you book.
Bags, food and rules on site
Bags must fit 30 × 30 × 15 cm; larger bags and suitcases go to the left-luggage area. Eat only in the designated areas, wear comfortable shoes, and do not dress "scantily clad or bare-chested", in the regulations' words. Dogs up to 10 kg and 40 cm tall are allowed on a lead.
Back in Rome, a city transit ticket covers the ride from Termini to your hotel; see Rome metro and bus tickets. If you would rather keep a shorter day trip, Ostia Antica by train reaches a Roman port city on Rome's own transit tickets.