Planning to go to from Naples to Herculaneum?

We've shared all the essential information on your transport options from the city to the lesser-known Roman ruins at the foot of Mount Vesuvius.

It's actually quite straightforward and affordable to get to Herculaneum from Naples with public transport, but the main decision to make before you travel is whether you're only going to the ruins, or pairing it with Pompeii or Vesuvius.

In this short 'routes' post, we've shared advice to help you work out which is best for your budget, travel style, and Italy itinerary, as well as the step-by-step details you need on transport connections and options.

This is how to get from Naples to Herculaneum.

The herculaneum essentials

/ The archaeological park is in a town called Ercolano
/ Train from Naples costs €2.70, takes 20 minutes
/ Best to take the regular EAV Torre Annunziata line
/ Less frequent Campania Express train is €15 one-way
/ Several Herculaneum tours from Naples include transport
/ Give yourself 2-3 hours in Herculaneum
/ You can combine with Vesuvius or Pompeii
/ Plan with our guide to visiting Herculaneum

HOW TO GET FROM NAPLES TO HERCULANEUM

TRAIN FROM NAPLES TO ERCOLANO SCAVI

The most accessible, convenient, and quickest way to travel to Herculaneum from Naples is via one of two train services, which depart daily from the same station and take less than 20 minutes - one of which is significantly cheaper and more frequent than the other.

Ercolano is both the name of the town you need to head to, as well as the Italian name for Herculaneum. It has two train stations, but the one you will travel toward and disembark at is written as 'Ercolano' or 'Ecolano Scavi' (maps)

It's a small, quite rundown station that’s a 10-minute walk from the ticket office + entrance to the Archaeological Park of Herculaneum (maps)

The EAV Circumvesuviana Train to Ercolano

This reliable public train connects locals with towns and suburbs along the Gulf of Naples, and brings thousands of visitors each day to Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, and Sorrento.

In our experiences of riding the Circumvesuviana, it's a relatively small, surprisingly tired, and worn down service in comparison to some of the excellent Regionale trains you'll find across Italy. It's more like an old, crap commuter train in London than a sparkly tourist shuttle service, but that's no big issue.

It can become frightfully hot and crowded in summer though.

The Circumvesuviana runs two services that bring travellers from Naples to Herculaneum:

· The Napoli - Sorrento line | Frequent departures but only 3-4 stop at ‘Eroclano’, 13 minutes travel time

· The Napoli - Torre Annunziata line | Stops at 'Ercolano Scavi', 2-4 departures an hour, 20 minutes travel time

Both depart from the same two stations in Naples, cost €2.70 per person one-way, and reach Ercolano in under 20 minutes. The main difference is that the ‘Napoli - Sorrento line’ has fewer stops and is a few minutes quicker, but it’s usually much more crowded with tourists and suitcases as it continues on to Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast.

More importantly however, the ‘Napoli - Sorrento line’ has far fewer departures that call at Ercolano station than the Torre Annunziata line, so it is much more likely that you’ll take the latter to Herculaneum.

Journeys start from the Porta Nolana Station (maps), but the easiest access point for you to board will be at the next stop in Napoli Piazza Garibaldi (maps), which is a separate station within the same building as Napoli Centrale Train Station (the city's main one).

That may sound complicated, but it's nothing to worry about.

Simply make your way to Napoli Centrale (maps) and, once inside the station, follow the blue + white signs for the Linee Vesuviane / Campania Express / Circumvesuviana.

This will take you downstairs to the lower floor and along a covered walkway toward the staffed and clear to identify red ticket offices (bigletteria) of Napoli Piazza Garibaldi on the right hand side.

From the main entrance of Napoli Centrale to Piazza Garibaldi station, it's about a 5-minute walk

Alternatively, some of you may arrive by metro, taking Line 1 to the Garibaldi stop. If that’s the case, simply go up the three escalators after you disembark, exit into the modern shopping centre, then follow the brown + orange signs for Circumvesuviana. It’s also straightforward, and you’ll arrive at the ticket desks in under five minutes.

There are five tickets kiosks, a dedicated information point, and a real-time digital departures board in addition to the plethora of taped-up timetables. However, as this is also the departure point for trains to Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, Mount Vesuvius, and Sorrento as well as Herculaneum, it can become quite crowded and chaotic with lots of confused tourists.

Our main advice is not to panic or rush around like a headless chicken, even if everyone else is - not all departures will stop at Herculaneum and the majority of tourists rushing for the next train will likely be travelling to Pompeii or Sorrento on an EAV Circumvesuivana service which will NOT include a stop at Ercolano!

For Herculaneum, you want purchase a ticket from the kiosk for ‘Ercolano Scavi’ or 'Ercolano' (as we’ve mentioned, these are the same station, but confusingly it is referred to by different names depending which service you take). A one-way ticket is fine and it costs €2.70 per person (let us know if it increases!).

Note that for this EAV train you can currently only buy tickets in person at either Porta Nolana or Napoli Piazza Garibaldi station. Cash is definitely preferred by the staff, but you can pay by card (don't bank on this working though). As this is not a TrenItalia train service, you will not find tickets online or on their website. There is a new GoEav app to buy tickets, but it’s less fuss just to buy at the station.

There are no seat reservations, and be aware of people trying to up sell or put you on the more expensive Campania Express train (more info on that below)

Once tickets are purchased, pass through the barriers and go downstairs to the platforms. There are screens with departures + arrivals information, and the Ercolano train is most likely to depart from platform / binario 1, but just make certain that you get on the right EAV train (indicated by its final destination), as those other Circumvesuviana lines which don't stop at Ercolano will also be passing through.

The current Circumvesuviana timetable has a first departure at 05:40 from Porta Nolana / 05:43 from Garibaldi, and then 2-3 departures every hour. We recommend planning ahead though, and you can see the latest 2024 schedule on the official EAV website here, then clicking on the ‘Napoli - Torre Annunziata line’ or 'Napoli-Sorrento' line.

From Ercolano Scavi station, it’s a 7-10 minute walk to the entrance. Simply go down the stairs, go right then left past the scammy cat-call restaurants, continue to the roundabout, crossover (following a brown Herculaneum sign), and continue straight down the road to the entrance.

Unlike Pompeii, there’s not such a pressing need to buy your tickets in advance for Herculanuem. However, if you know your dates and would prefer to have everything sorted ahead of arrival, you can buy them on the official website.

We've shared a few 'travel better' tips for the Naples train stations and smoother overall journey at the end of the post.

Plan // 11 Things To Know Before You Visit Herculaneum

The Campania Express

If comfort is more important than cost, then consider the Campania Express.

Part of the EAV network, this is a fancier train specifically for tourists heading to Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Sorrento. It’s got air-con, reserved seats, fewer stops, luggage storage, and far less risk of a pickpocket presence.

You can also buy tickets in advance online.

However, this train costs quite a bit more and only has four departures from Naples a day, with the first leaving Porta Nolana at 8.22am.

As with the options above, it leaves from both Porta Nolana and Piazza Garibaldi stations - for disabled access, you should opt for Porta Nolana - and the first stop is Ercolano Scavi, just 13 minutes after you leave Naples.

Campania Express tickets to Ercolano cost €15 one-way or €25 round-trip, and you can find more information, check timetables* and buy them online on the official website. It’s also possible to buy non-allocated seat tickets up to 20 minutes before departure at the station, from the same ticket kiosks as the trains we discussed above.

They usually leave from platform / binario 3.

We think the Campania Express is a better value option if you are planning to independently visit Herculaneum & Pompeii on the same day, or for standalone journeys from Naples to Pompeii, and you’d be better saving your money to put toward lunch or a guided tour of the ruins instead.

* Do be aware that if looking at the timetables via the official website, that at the time of writing it still only has the 2021 schedule up, whilst the EAV website schedule shows different times for 2024 (they’re in the red ‘EXP’ column).

The Metropolitano to Portici-Ercolano

A lesser-known third option is also worth mentioning, just in case it works better for your plans.

The Metropolitano train departs from Napoli Piazza Garibaldi station, with Portici-Ercolano its fourth stop. This is Ercolano's train station by the sea (here on Google Maps), and it takes about half an hour to walk from there to the Herculaneum entrance.

Travel time station to station is 20 minutes, and there are 2-3 departures an hour. It costs €1.80 for a one-way ticket.

As this is a TrenItalia train, so you can view schedules and purchase advance tickets on their official website. Alternatively, you can buy them at the kiosks and machines at the station.

If you take this, please share your experience + tips in the comments so we can update the post for travellers like you.

Plan // 19 Wonderful Things To Do In Naples

Transfers & Tours from Naples to Herculaneum

The best tours of Herculaneum - such as this one with a local archaeologist - do not include transport from Naples; instead they meet you at the site.

This obviously keeps the costs down for everyone, so our main recommendation would be to do the journey in-out with public transport and simply meet your guide there. This also gives your more flexibility to spend longer within the archeological park or town after your tour ends.

However, we appreciate that for convenience, comfort, or time pressures, some travellers will prefer to have round-trip transport from Naples to Herculaneum taken care of.

There are not as many standalone Herculaneum tours from Naples as one may expect, primarily due to the fact that companies tend to focus on tours that combine Pompeii & Herculaneum on a single day trip from the city, or pair Herculaneum with Vesuvius.

However, we've done the hard work and found a few highly-rated options for you to check out:

· Herculaneum Transfer Service | Picks up on a schedule from various points in Naples, with flexible return times based on how long you want to explore the ruins.

· Herculaneum Group Tour from Naples | This includes hotel/port pickup and drop-off, and a guided group tour inside the archaeological park.

· Half-Day Guided Trip | This includes round-trip transportation from Naples, skip-the-line entry, and a guided walking tour of the ruins.

· Herculaneum Half-Day Group Tour | A slightly different spin, this includes pick-up from your accommodation in Naples to meet your guide at the city's train station. From there, the guide will take care of the trains as well as your time at the ruins.

· The Private Transfer | This company offers private door-to-door transfers from Naples to Herculaneum and return, giving your two hours at to explore the site.

Combine Herculaneum and Pompeii

In our main guide to Herculaneum, we’ve expanded on why we don’t recommend everyone trying to visit Herculaneum and Pompeii on the same day.

It is 100% possible - and many do it - but the the latter site has enough for at a visit of at least four hours and pairing it with transport + time in Herculaneum will result in either having to rush or limit time at one site. For travellers with a keen interest in the Romans or archaeology, it likely won’t provide enough time to dig into the history of either, whilst others run the risk of ‘ruin’ fatigue.

However, as they are just a 30-minute train ride from each other, you can definitely do it if you start early. If you’re going to visit both independently, then consider purchasing the Naples Pass. A government-run tourism card, it includes entry to both sites as well as several other unmissable places in Naples, and can save you a lot of money.

Alternatively, to remove some of the logistical concerns, you could opt to join a day trip (guided or transport only) which includes round-trip transport from Naples and between the two UNESCO sites. There are also small-group guided tours which meet you at the first site, and take care of going between the two.

The following are highly-rated:

· Pompeii & Herculaneum with Archaeologist | This includes round-trip coach transport from Naples to and between the sites, as well as back to the city. You’ll have a two-hour guided tour at each. You can also book this tour here, so make sure to compare prices.

· Pompeii and Herculaneum Private Tour | This is a private full-day tour, so more expensive, but includes skip-the-line-tickets for both sites and really knowledgable guides.

· Self-Guided Van Trip | An option for travellers who prefer more time at Pompeii and exploring the sites at their own pace, you’ll have two hours at Herculaneum and three at Pompeii. Round trip transportation from Naples is included.

· Pompeii and Herculaneum Tour with Lunch | A really popular option, with transfers and lunch included in the price - you can also book it on this website.

· Small-Group Tour of Pompeii and Herculaneum | The guide meets you at Pompeii for a two-hour tour, and the group takes the train for another two hours in Herculaneum. No Naples transport included though.

Combine Herculaneum and Vesuvius

If you’re saving Pompeii for a standalone day trip from Naples, then pairing Herculaneum with a walk up the volcano that started all this trouble is a really good idea.

As well as preventing ‘archaeology fatigue’, choosing to go up Vesuvius on the same morning or afternoon is a practical way to manage your time. Mount Vesuvius doesn’t require specialist kit and isn’t too strenuous, so you also don’t have to be concerned about bringing two sets of clothing.

From Ercolano, it’s just a 30-minute bus ride up to the Vesuvius entrance.

· The Vesuvio Express bus departs right next to Ercolano Scavi train station, so you can opt to do it before or after the ruins, and then make your way back to Naples independently. The bus departs every 40 minutes from 9:30am - just make sure you buy your Vesuvius entry ticket separately before to guarantee entry.

You can find out more and buy the Vesuvius roundtrip transfers from Ercolono here, whilst they also have an office next to the station for last-minute or spontaneous journeys.

One point that’s super important to mention here is that entry tickets to Vesuvius can and do sell out; even outside of the busy season, you’re unlikely to be able to secure tickets for the following couple of days via the official website.

If you’re currently reading this and thinking ‘bugger, I wanted to go tomorrow’, all is not entirely lost - you can by a combined Vesuvio Express / entry ticket here, and they often have availability relatively last minute.

Another alternative, brought in very recently by the official site, is that in the hour before each slot, they sell 10 last minute tickets for that particular entry time. These tend to sell out very quickly, but if you’re organised you may be able to secure one this way (the only problem with this option is that you won’t know whether you can actually visit Vesuvius until the very last minute which can make planning your day tricky).

Alternatively, you can opt to join a tour from Naples which combines the ruins and the volcano with round-trip transport - this Herculaneum and Vesuvius Day Trip is highly-rated.

Lastly, your final option to visit Herculaneum from Naples is to join a tour which combines ALL THREE SITES into a single day trip. Having visited all of them, this really isn’t an option we would recommend for the majority of travellers - it will be a long day, your enthusiasm will inevitably wane for the third site, and it’s always best to go deeper than spread yourself too thin.

However, we do appreciate that for some visitors it may be their only opportunity to be in this part of the world. If that’s the case, the two below tours from Naples have very good reviews + ratings from previous guests, so may give you the experience you’re hoping to have:

· From Naples: Herculaneum, Mount Vesuvius & Pompeii Day Trip

· Private Day Tour to Vesuvius, Herculaneum & Pompeii with Pick Up

Travel Better Tips

We have shared all the essential context + advice for visiting the site in our main Herculaneum guide. However, for those of you taking the train from Naples, there are a few useful things to know for a smoother journey.

// This EAV Naples-Sorrento train line is notorious for pickpockets, so keep your daypack on your person and don't leave your phone or wallet temptingly positioned in a back pocket. Also, note that both city stations are in an area which may feel a little rough around the edges at times, so be aware of this if returning back late to Napoli.

// We didn’t mind the Circumvesuviana trains at all, but some tourists or first-timers in Italy hate it. Aside from the above, it’s because of the crowding, no guarantee you’ll get a seat, and lack of AC. However, thankfully this doesn’t apply so much to the far less crowded line to Torre Anunziata, which is why you should catch that one!

// If you are only visiting Herculaneum that day, you can choose to head out in the morning or afternoon. The site is nowhere near as large, popular or crowded as Pompeii, so avoiding peak time and heat is less of a priority.

// If arriving for an early train and you've got time to spare, you can buy your ticket first and then grab a quick stand-up coffee and surprisingly decent pastry to the left of the ticket booths or at the small kiosk you’ll find after the barriers. Alternatively, you'll find a few options on the walk to the Herculaneum entrance - but you are best to avoid the ones that shout at you to eat/drink at them and continue a for a few minutes down the road from the station.

// This Napoli-Sorrento line will always be busiest in the morning hours and ticket queues from other visitors are likely throughout the day - it's best to arrive to Napoli Centrale with 15-20 minutes to spare before the next departure.

// It can get a little wild in peak season if there are loads of groups with suitcases waiting to go to Sorrento as well as day-trippers to Pompeii, and a departure is just about to go in five minutes. Thankfully, as you’re doing your research, you’re ahead of the game and will hopefully just be taking that last sip of espresso with your ticket already in hand…

// If travelling in peak summer season at peak times, then boarding at Porta Nolana station (one stop before Napoli Piazza Garibaldi) is the best way to guarantee a seat for the journey. The vast majority of people board at Garibaldi as it’s easier to reach, but anyone boarding in Nolana will have empty carriages. Again, this is more important if you’re on the Sorrento line.

// We don't recommend staying in and around Napoli Central Station unless you really have to - find out more in '23 Things to Know Before You Visit Naples' (published soon) and our Naples travel guide

// Stops are announced in advance and there's also a little route map above the doors in each carriage for you to keep track.

// If you'd like to have a guide in Herculaneum, then this tour with an archaeologist is highly-rated and will meet you at the site or station.