Naples, Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast - Italy - page 511

cruisers that are driven with the same reckless abandon as a Neapolitan taxi.
Others are large, no-nonsense hydrofoils that are basically aqua buses. These
things matter if you have luggage or children, as many of the boats are jammed
with little or no room for luggage. See below for ferry information.
For info on local SITA (blue) buses, call % 081-6106711, or check out sched-
ules at www.sita-on-line.it. Buy your tickets at tobacco shops before boarding. For
train information from Naples to Sorrento or Salerno, use the Circumvesuviana
line ( % 081-8780862; www.vesuviana.it).
THE ISLANDS
In what should be considered nothing short of miraculous, the tiny islands of
Capri ( cap -ree), Ischia ( isk -ee-ah), and Procida ( pro -she-da) manage to remain
enticing in spite of the hordes of summer invaders who storm the shores every day
from about April through October. Overcrowded boats stream from the mainland
to these islands like ants to cupcakes, but the masses are absorbed and the islands
rarely seem crowded, except in town centers.
From Naples to the Amalfi coast
Deciding between boat or bus to reach the Amalfi Coast from Naples is a
matter of taste and budget. Trains go to Salerno for € 10 by way of
Sorrento, but you'll have to take a bus or boat from there to the smaller
villages. I do not recommend renting a car because traffic has gotten out
of hand in recent years and the roads can be harrowing. Anyway, rental
cars are so expensive in Italy that boats are a much more economical
option.
By Bus The most economical option is the bus, but it's also the most
time-consuming. The SITA bus leaves hourly ( € 3.20) but takes a solid 2 1 ⁄ 2
hours, longer when traffic is bad at the height of the summer. Weekday
tickets for travel between Naples and Amalfi are € 6.40, € 5.40 on the
weekends. With these tickets you can get off at any of the stops along the
way. You can purchase tickets at the kiosks in the bus terminus at the
Central Station in Piazza Garibaldi or at any tabacchi along the perimeter
of the square. Bus tickets for return trips from Sorrento, Positano, and
Amalfi are also available at self-service kiosks or at the tabacchi at each
terminus.
By Boat The average cost of a straight 85-minute run between Naples
and Amalfi by boat is € 10 one-way. This is the best option for scenery and
ease—the boats are generally covered and you usually have concessions
on board. The seas in the summer are rarely choppy, but in winter the
timetables can be iffy owing to rough seas.