Sorrento from Naples: train, ferry, what to do

Sorrento from Naples works well as a day trip: an hour and a quarter by train, or about forty minutes by hydrofoil, and then a small town you can walk end to end in a few hours. Below you'll find how to get there by train or by boat, what to see between the old town and the Vallone dei Mulini, and how to stretch the day toward the lemon groves of Massa Lubrense or the Amalfi Coast.

How to get to Sorrento from Naples

The easiest way is the Circumvesuviana, the EAV Naples-Sorrento line: it leaves from Porta Nolana or from Piazza Garibaldi, on the underground level of Naples Centrale, and Sorrento is the last stop on the line, after Herculaneum and Pompeii. Since 17 October 2026 a train leaves every 30 minutes for Sorrento, from early morning until late evening, and the ride from Garibaldi takes about an hour and a quarter. The fare follows UnicoCampania's zone-based pricing: for the longest stretch of the network it runs around 4.60 euros, sold at station machines, at tobacco shops with the UnicoCampania sign, or on the GoEav app, and must be validated before boarding.

The alternative is the hydrofoil from Molo Beverello, with Alilauro and NLG: in low season, from early November, sailings drop to a few a day, with Alilauro skipping Saturdays, and the crossing takes 35 to 45 minutes. Fares start at around 18 to 19 euros per person, more than the train but handier with luggage, or if you want the coastline from the water as you go. Before you leave, always check the latest schedules on the Alilauro and NLG sites, since autumn and winter sailings change often.

What to see in Sorrento in a day

Piazza Tasso and the old town

From the station the centre is a five-minute walk, barely a kilometre on a gentle downhill slope. Piazza Tasso is the starting point: from there Corso Italia, the street for shopping and strolling, runs to the Carmine church and the Cathedral of Sorrento, with its bell tower set on ancient marble columns. In the lanes either side of the corso are the inlaid-wood workshops and the limoncello shop windows, all a few steps from each other.

The Cloister of San Francesco and Villa Comunale

The Cloister of San Francesco, dating to the 1300s, has arches that mix Gothic and Arab styles around a garden of tropical plants: free entry, and it takes ten minutes to see. Next door, from the Villa Comunale's viewpoint, the view drops to the gulf and the small harbour of Marina Piccola, with Vesuvius facing it. It's the right spot for sunset, timing allowing.

Marina Grande and Marina Piccola

Marina Piccola is the harbour for hydrofoils and tour boats, below the centre: you reach it on foot down a staircase of a few hundred steps, or by local bus on lines A, B, C, D, E from Piazza De Curtis, next to the station. Marina Grande is a different place: a fishing hamlet further from the centre, with boats pulled up on the shore and seafood trattorias right by the water, less touristy and slower paced. If you only have time for one, pick Marina Grande.

The Vallone dei Mulini

The Vallone dei Mulini is the ravine that splits the old town in two, carved out by a Campi Flegrei eruption around 35,000 years ago: it's free to view from Via Fuorimura, and it's Sorrento's most unusual sight, with an old abandoned mill among the greenery at the bottom. It only takes five minutes, but it's worth the detour from the main street.

Beyond the centre: the lemon groves of Massa Lubrense

If you want to see where Sorrento's lemons come from, the ones behind the liqueurs and granitas, you can carry on by bus to Massa Lubrense, at the tip of the peninsula: about twenty minutes on the SITA bus from Sorrento station, past terraces of citrus trees with views of Capri.

Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast in the same day

The blue SITA Sud buses for Positano and Amalfi also leave from right outside Sorrento station: it's the same line covered in the guide to the Amalfi Coast from Naples, with travel times and the seasonal ferries between towns. It can be done, but combining Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast in a single day from Naples means spending more time in transit than in the towns themselves: if it's your first visit, it's better to pick one and come back for the other.

When to go

From April to early November the sea helps, with hydrofoils cutting travel time; from mid-November to March, sailings shrink or stop altogether, and the train stays the safest way not to get stranded by a last-minute change of plan. On peak-season weekends, both the train and the harbour get crowded: a weekday makes for a calmer visit.

Frequently asked questions

How much time do you need to see Sorrento in a day?

Half a day is enough for the old town, the Cloister of San Francesco and the Villa Comunale; a full day lets you add Marina Grande or a stop at the lemon groves of Massa Lubrense.

Train or hydrofoil to get to Sorrento from Naples?

The train is cheaper, runs more often and doesn't depend on the sea; the hydrofoil is faster and easier with luggage, but in autumn and winter sailings are few and can be cancelled if the sea is rough.

Can you see Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast on the same day?

Yes, but time in the towns shrinks a lot, since most of the day goes into trains and buses. With only one day, it's easier to choose Sorrento or the Amalfi Coast, not both.

How much does the Circumvesuviana from Naples to Sorrento cost?

The fare follows UnicoCampania's zone-based pricing, and for the longest stretch of the network it runs around 4.60 euros: it's worth checking the current price at the station machines or on the GoEav app, since EAV fares change from time to time.

Anyone arriving in Sorrento by Circumvesuviana is on the same line as Pompeii and Herculaneum: the guides to Pompeii from Naples and Herculaneum from Naples cover stopping there too. Other day trips are gathered in the Outdoor section, and for the rest of the day in Naples there's things to do in Naples; starting points, from the station to the harbours, are on the map of Naples.

Information checked on 6 November 2026, on the EAV, Alilauro and NLG websites.