Private Car Service vs. Train & Ferry from Naples to Positano
Updated October 2026
How you arrive on the Amalfi Coast sets the tone for your whole holiday. Public transport is cheap and has beautiful views, but changing trains, buses and ferries with suitcases can be tiring. Here is how a private car service compares with the train and ferry, so you can choose what suits you.
| Option | Travel time | Changes | Luggage | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private car service | 1.5–2 hours | None (door to door) | Easy (the driver handles your bags) | €200 per vehicle, up to 7 people |
| Train + ferry | 2.5–3 hours | 2 (train to Salerno + ferry) | Hard (carrying bags on the docks) | About €25–€30 per person |
| Train + public bus | 3–3.5 hours | 2 (train to Sorrento + SITA bus) | Very hard (crowded buses) | About €10–€15 per person |
Option 1: Private car service (the direct route)
A private transfer from Naples to Positano picks you up at Naples Airport (NAP), Napoli Centrale station or your hotel in Naples and takes you straight to your hotel or villa in Positano. It is the fastest and least stressful option.
- How it works: your driver meets you in the arrivals hall with a name sign, loads your luggage into a Mercedes and drives you to the door of your hotel or villa.
- Price: €200 per vehicle by day for 1–7 passengers (Mercedes E-Class or V-Class), €220–€230 at night (00:00–06:00), and €280 with a Mercedes Sprinter for 8–16 passengers. Tolls, fuel and parking are included.
- Stop on the way: you can add a 2-hour stop in Pompeii, plus 30 minutes free, for €320 per vehicle in total. See the transfer with a stop in Pompeii.
- Pros: no stress, flight monitoring, no crowded stations, a fixed price and a departure time that suits you.
- Cons: it costs more than public transport for a solo traveller.
Option 2: Train + ferry or bus (public transport)
There is no train to Positano: the village is built on a cliff. Public transport means several connections and planning around timetables.
- Circumvesuviana train + bus: take the local train from Naples to Sorrento (about 1 hour, often crowded), then queue for the SITA bus from Sorrento to Positano (45–60 minutes on winding roads).
- High-speed train + ferry: take a train to Salerno, walk to the port and take the ferry to Positano. Ferries depend on sea conditions and run mainly in the high season.
- Pros: low cost for solo travellers with light luggage.
- Cons: several changes, long waits, little space for suitcases and steep steps in Positano with your bags.
The verdict
If you are travelling as a family or a group, or simply with suitcases, a private car service is the safest, fastest and most comfortable way to get from Naples to Positano. Public transport makes sense mainly for solo travellers with a light backpack and time to spare.
Book your transfer to Positano