Classic Italy October 2024
Our tour starts October 3 in Naples/Sorrento. Prior to that, we will be touring southern Italy and need to travel by bus or train from Trani on the east coast to mee the Tauck group in Naples. Does anyone on this board have advice or suggestions? TIA
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Hi Diana, my husband and I took the Puglia tour in 2022 which ended in Bari and then we went to Naples on our own for a few days before joining another tour in Tuscany. We had a travel agent help us with this part of the trip, but I just got lazy and could have done it on my own. We took the train (Trenitalia) from Bari to Caserta, then had a driver meet us in Caserta to take us to our hotel in Naples which was about an hour or slightly more. I just briefly looked at the train from Trani to Naples and it appears to be the Bari train which stops in Trani. You need to connect in Caserta. The only reason we did not take the train from Caserta to go on to Naples is that an Italian friend had told us to avoid the Caserta train station due to too much crime. But when we got there, no one was there and it was just a sleepy little station. Very funny in retrospect. I guess our friend had not actually been there in many years. In Caserta there are interesting things to see including a royal palace just across the street from the train station, should you decide to spend some time there.
There was a direct bus from Bari to Naples (Flixbus) which was very inexpensive. We opted for the train which seemed like it would be more comfortable. I use the website Rome2Rio to get transportation information and just scanning that there is a bus from Trani to Naples but it appears to go only once a week?
Good luck and have fun!
Hi Wan. Thank you very much for your detailed response! I’ll look into the train schedules. Since we’ll be pressed for time, I still think the bus will be our most direct option. But I’m open to other suggestions.
Do you actually meet/start your tour in Naples or Sorrento? If you need to get to Sorrento, which I suspect you do, avoid the train, especially the Circumvesuviana line. A couple of stations are known hangouts for touts and pickpockets which often work in teams, can even be an adult and child- one to distract you and one to snatch a purse or wallet.
It would be a good idea to check with Tauck to see if they can pick you up from either the Naples train station (which should be no problem) or the bus stop/station. I'm less sure about the latter, although one time we were at an Air BNB in central Florence and the Tuscany tour was starting in the countryside. They did send a driver to pick us up at the Air BNB. They have also reimbursed us for taxi rides to get to the starting hotels when we needed more flexibility.
On other tours they have picked us up at several different train stations including in Naples. Take the optional tour to Capri the day before the tour starts. You will love it.
Thanks, all, for the suggestions. Tauck has already confirmed that they can pick up at the Naples bus station. However now I’m also considering renting a car for the day to get us to Naples/Sorrento, which is where the tour starts. Further comments are welcome!
Why?
Have you been to that area before and seen the crazy roads?
And equally crazy drivers? I was never more scared than many years ago when I was traveling from one side of Naples to the other, and made a judgement error by telling the driver we were in a hurry- at times the driver literally drove in the oncoming lanes and even on sidewalks. I sat behind the driver with my feet against the back of his seat and hoped I would survive..
Nope I wouldn't make that drive. Very narrow. Very winding. You won't be able to enjoy the view. Let a professional driver take care of that job..
Ok! Great advice. I was looking for the most direct way to get from Trani to Naples and thought a rental car would work but scratch that. Hoping now to communicate with the hotel for their suggestions. Thanks again.
Hi Diana, unless you have some experience renting a car and driving in Italy, I wouldn't do it. It sounds like more of a hassle than you need if you are going for the most direct route. If I were you, I would explore your train options on Trenitalia and get yourself to the Naples train station where Tauck can pick you up. I just looked again on Trenitalia and found an early morning direct train route from Barletta to Naples. Barletta would be a 20 minute taxi ride from Trani, would that not work for you? Again, as far as the bus option, you'd have to see how reliable and frequent the bus service is, but your idea of speaking to the staff at your Trani lodging is a good one. Best of luck. PS don't forget that on a train you'd have to manage your own luggage up the steps to get in. Often there are kind folks that can help especially during busy times, but it's best not to count on it.
We are going on the 10/3 tour also. Neither of us have been to Italy before and can't wait. Looking forward to meeting those in our tour group, too!
We are going on the 10/15 tour or perhaps 16 when we arrive from here, Looking forward to it. not sure about weather.
I hope the Phlegraean Fields do not have a major eruption! There has been a lot of rumbling of late. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/08/24/italy-volcano-eruption-phlegraean-fields/
If you don’t have a subscription, you can’t read the article.
If you Google it you can sometimes get access (3 free accesses per month?) I can't test that because we have a subscription.