How to Get from Rome to Naples

The total distance from Rome to Naples is about 142 miles (230 km). The trip should take between one and four hours, depending on your mode of transportation and traffic conditions. Whether you're making the trip as part of a relaxed journey to Naples and the Amalfi Coast or using Naples as your starting point for an exploration of southern Italy, you have several transport options. Most people take the train, but you can also fly, take a bus, hire a taxi or private driver, or rent a car and head south on your own.

If you travel by regional train or bus, validate your ticket before you board. Look for green or yellow validation machines at the train station or on the bus. Driving in the historic centers of Rome and Naples is challenging. Both cities restrict driving in their Zona a Traffico Limitato (limited traffic zone), or ZTL. If you drive into the ZTL, even by mistake, you will get a ticket unless your license plate has been pre-approved by the city.

By Train

Duration: 2-3 hours

Taking take the train from Rome to Naples is usually the best transportation option. Trenitalia and Italo trains run regularly between Rome and Naples. High-speed trains make the trip in one hour and ten minutes. InterCity trains get you from Rome to Naples in two hours, while slower regionale (regional) trains take as long as three hours.

Tickets for high-speed trains between Rome and Naples (Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, Frecciabianco, and InterCity Trenitalia trains, and all Italo trains) include seat reservations. Regional train tickets do not. On busy travel days, you might have to stand for all or part of your trip from Rome to Naples if you travel by regional train.

By Car

Duration: 2.5 hours, plus stops

The fastest way to drive from Rome to Naples is to take Via Casilina to the Grande Raccordo Anulare (A90/E80) to the A1/E45 toll highway. The A1/E45 ends near the Napoli Centrale (central Naples) train station. This trip will take about two hours and 30 minutes, depending on traffic. This journey offers a perfect opportunity to stop at Montecassino to see the restored Benedictine Monastery and the nearby World War II cemeteries.

If time permits, consider exploring a lovely stretch of coastline by taking the Via Appia Nuova, Strada Statale 7 (State Road 7), the Via Flacca through Gaeta, and the SS7VAR and SS7 Quater/Via Domiziana through Formia and Mondragone. SS7 Quarter eventually turns into the A56, or Naples Tangenziale. This toll road will take you to the A1/E45 toll highway, the main route to the port of Naples.

Sightseeing stops along the Via Flacca include the Pope's residence at Castel Gandolfo; Sperlonga, a hilltop town overlooking a lovely beach; the Archaeological Museum of Sperlonga and Villa of Tiberius; and the beautiful beaches and churches of Gaeta. The SS7 Quater/Via Domiziana is a beach road; expect heavy traffic during the summer months. If you time your drive so that you are on the Via Domiziana between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm, you should be able to drive from Rome to Naples in five and a half hours.

Fixed and mobile speed cameras abound on state and regional roads. On the A1/E45, the Tutor average speed camera system tracks your travel time. If you exceed the speed limit, you will be ticketed. Be sure to choose a parking spot with 24/7 surveillance and take everything out of your car.

By Bus

Duration: 2.5-4 hours

Rome and Naples have different public bus systems, so the easiest way to take the bus is with a private bus company from Tiburtina station in Rome to downtown Naples. 

By Taxi or Private Transfer

Duration: 2.5 hours

Taking a taxi or hiring a private driver to get you from Rome to Naples is definitely possible. You will be subject to the same traffic conditions you face if you travel by bus or rental car.

By Air

Duration: Multiple hours, depening on route

Flights between the two cities are available, although not all of them are direct. It is usually easier to take the train from Rome to Naples than to fly between the two cities.