night train from Venice to Naples/Sorrento

There is no night train from Venice to Naples to Sorrento. The section of train from Naples to Sorrento is a little local commuter train (Circumvesuviana) that shuts down late and opens back up early. There are no facilities on the Circumvesuviana.

Hi Bridget,

The train could even be more expensive than the flight. Check with Air One (flyairone.it) and check flights from Venice to Naples. Then form Naples you can take the bus to Sorrento.

Remembmer that Venice-Naples by train is federal train system and Naples to Sorrento is a regional one (Circumvesuviana).

Take Care,
Cinthya

I have taken MANY nighht trains in my life...love 'em :-)

that said...it's been a few years (we always rent a car now that I have a family)

there is a new "Excelsior" night train from Venice-Naples...looks REALLY nice (cabin with your own bathroom and shower, etc.) it's fairly expensive, but I was going to try it out anyway (maybe spring) beacue kids sleep free on a cot...so...makes it very affordable for our family of three.

I think it's more fun than a plane ;-) and easier to/from Venice anyway since it takes a while to get out to the airport.

You can get all prices and info. (in English too) on www.trenitalia.it do Venezia-Napoli (not Sorrento - other posters are right - you will need to change in the am for the very last bit of the trip to get from Naples-Sorrento)

Bridget, there are several threads on this site about traveling on night trains. Many don't like it and can't sleep; others rave that it's the greatest. Tim from Minot, N.D. is the best person on this site regarding night trains.

As for the night train from Venice to Sorrento, the farthest you can get is Naples. Tim's comment above is correct in that the night train terminates at Naples and that you need a separate system to get to Sorrento.

Next, there is only one night train from Venice to Naples with no train changes. It leaves Venice at 4 minutes after midnight and arrives in Naples 10hrs later. There are a few other choices that leave earlier but you will need to change trains once and sometimes twice during the run. These are 12hr journeys. You may not get as much sleep as you think. Also, changing trains in the middle of the night and waiting 30-45 minutes for the next train is not enjoyable. I can link to a schedule if you wish.

Thanks everyone for the night train info. The more I think about it the less apealing it sounds. I would only consider the direct Venice to Naples.
My problem is that we want to see Venice and the Amalfi coast, plus Tuscany and Rome and we only have 10 days on the ground.
We will probally end up training Venice to Florence, spend 1 night , then train to Sienna and rent a car for the rest of the trip.

Bridget, a nice Eurostar ride from Venice to Florence will take about 2hrs 40min to 3hrs. Not bad. For the Florence to Siena, consider a SITA bus as Siena does not have a train station close into the town. The bus is faster and takes you right to the entrance to the town. When you depart, you can take a quick bus to Poggibonsi to pick up the train for the remainder of your journey.

Bridget,

Some people like the train and the night train, unless you do not mind to sleep on the chair, you can reserve a couchette (2nd class to share) or 1st class (single or double). The trip is long and if you compare prices it is a lot more expensive than a flight+transfering to the airport by bus.
This is a choice of priority in this case.

When you arrive in Naples, you must change railway systems as sorrento is part of the regional system (Circumvesuviana) and you will be traveling from the Federal system.

I have travelled to Venice by train (night train - couchette shared by 4) and returned by plane....
I would not do it again. I arrived tired and crancky as it was not a relaxed sleep. (The train was nice, but I was always concerned of sleeping and my bag and etc....)
My personal opinion. I love trains, think That I have traveled from Delhi to Akkra in India on a much more rustic train, but there the train was the event....participating on people's lives.
Cinthya

Count me among those who like night trains. But I can sleep anywhere.

You can get a reclining seat for Venice-Naples, but don't do it. It's false economy and not secure. Couchettes and compartments lock from the inside. A bunk in a four-person couchette is 64.90€ (standard fare) or 51.90€ (Amica fare). A bed in a three-person compartment is 78.90€ (standard fare) or 63.10€ (Amica fare). A bed in a two-person compartment is 88.90€ (standard fare) or 71.10€ (Amica fare).

If discount seats are still available, you can get Amica fares up to 24 hours before departure. You can book in advance at www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html, but you have to register first--and the registration process can be very frustrating. Try registering (booking not required). If it works, go ahead and book. For domestic routes you can book up to 60 days in advance.

When you arrive at Napoli Centrale, go to the lower level to catch the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento. Trains are frequent and cheap.

Naples is about 100 miles from Rome, and Sorrento is about another hour by train. The total span you're covering (Venice to Sorrento) is over 400 miles. IMHO for a 10-day trip you're trying to see too much. I think you're better off going to the Cinque Terra this trip instead of the Amalfi coast, saving that for another visit.

Also a city often overlooked by tourists is Bologna, but it is the food capital of Italy and quite charming. Its a short hop from Venice by train. Why not Venice (2d) to Bologna (1d), then on to Florence (1d), then Cinque Terra (2d)(all of this by train). Return to Florence or other city near Tuscany, pick up a car, visit Tuscany and Umbria (2d), then drop the car off and take the train into Rome (2d)?