Travel Guide
Pompeii Tickets, Entrances & Transport: Day Trip Planning Guide 2026
You want to visit Pompeii from Naples, Sorrento, or the Amalfi Coast, and you need to decide which ticket to buy, which entrance to use, and how to get there before you go.
ByMomentBook EditorialPublishedUpdated
You want to visit Pompeii from Naples, Sorrento, or the Amalfi Coast, and you need to decide which ticket to buy, which entrance to use, and how to get there before you go. The site introduced nominative tickets and a 20,000-visitor daily cap, so showing up without a plan can mean a wasted trip.
This guide covers the three main ticket options, the three official entrances, the train and bus routes from Naples, Sorrento, and Salerno, and the bag, ID, and group rules that change how you visit. All prices and times are current as of June 2026 and sourced from the official Archaeological Park of Pompeii portal.
What to know first
- Pompeii tickets are personal and nominative. You must provide the ticket holder's name at purchase, and staff may check your ID at the entrance. If the name does not match, you will be turned away with no refund.
- The daily cap is 20,000 visitors. In summer (16 March to 14 October), the day is split into two time slots: 9:00-13:00 (max 15,000) and 13:00-17:30 (max 5,000). Book online in advance during peak months.
- The €20 Pompeii Express ticket covers the ancient city without the suburban villas (Villa of the Mysteries, Villa of Diomedes). For those, buy Pompeii+ (€25) or add €8 at the Porta Ercolano entrance -- card payment only.
- There are three entrances: Porta Marina (main, near Pompei Villa dei Misteri station), Piazza Esedra (near the Antiquarium), and Piazza Anfiteatro (accessible route, near Pompei Santuario station).
- You cannot exit and re-enter on a single-entry ticket. Plan your route before you go in.
- Baggage is limited to 30 x 30 x 15 cm. Suitcases and large backpacks are not allowed past the turnstiles. Use the left-luggage facility.
- Satellite sites -- Oplontis, Stabiae villas and museum, Boscoreale -- close on Tuesdays. Pompeii main site is open daily except 25 December and 1 January.
Source: Wikimedia Commons / Parco Archeologico di Pompei.
Choose the right ticket
Pompeii sells three main ticket types for individual visitors. Choose based on how much time you have and whether you want the suburban villas.
| Ticket | Regular price | Reduced (EU 18-25) | What is included | Validity | |---|---|---|---|---| | Pompeii Express | €20.00 | €2.00 | Ancient city only; suburban villas not included | Single entry | | Pompeii+ | €25.00 | €2.00 | Ancient city + suburban villas + Boscoreale Antiquarium + Artebus shuttle | Single entry | | Pompeii Plus (3 days) | €30.00 | €2.00 | All sites: Pompeii, Oplontis, Stabiae, Boscoreale + shuttle | 3 days, one entry per site |
If you visit several times a year, the MyPompeii annual card (€45.00, or €10.00 for under 25s) gives unlimited entry to all sites for 12 months plus access to temporary exhibitions.
Pompeii Express ticket holders can add the suburban villas route for €8.00 extra at the Porta Ercolano (Street of the Tombs) entrance -- card payment only.
Individual satellite sites -- Boscoreale, Oplontis, Stabiae Museum -- sell single-entry tickets for €8.00 each. Villa Arianna and Villa San Marco in Stabiae are free.
Reduced tickets at €2.00 apply to EU citizens aged 18 to under 25. You must show a valid ID proving both age and EU citizenship.
Pick the right entrance
Your choice of entrance affects which part of the site you see first and which train station to use.
- Porta Marina (via Villa dei Misteri): The main entrance. Nearest to the Circumvesuviana stop *Pompei Villa dei Misteri* (Napoli-Sorrento line). Best for first-time visitors following the Forum-to-amphitheatre route.
- Piazza Esedra (piazza Porta Marina Inferiore): Near the Antiquarium museum. Same Circumvesuviana stop as Porta Marina. Often less crowded.
- Piazza Anfiteatro (piazza Immacolata): Nearest to the Circumvesuviana stop *Pompei Santuario* (Napoli-Poggiomarino line). This is the entrance for the Pompeii for All accessible route, with a lift at the Antiquarium for exit toward Piazza Esedra.
If you take a Trenitalia FS train on the Napoli-Salerno line, you arrive at *Pompei* main station. From there, the Pompei Link combined train + bus service reaches the park in about 15 minutes.
All three entrances have official ticket offices, but buying online in advance at pompeii.vivaticket.it is strongly recommended. You get a PDF ticket for your phone and go straight to the turnstiles.
How to get there from Naples, Sorrento, and Salerno
The three main starting points each have a direct rail option.
From Naples
Take the Circumvesuviana (EAV) Napoli-Sorrento line. Get off at *Pompei Villa dei Misteri* for Porta Marina or Piazza Esedra (about 35-40 minutes). For Piazza Anfiteatro, take the Napoli-Poggiomarino line to *Pompei Santuario*. Trains run roughly every 30 minutes. The Circumvesuviana is a local commuter train -- expect crowds during morning rush, no air conditioning, and keep valuables secure.
The Trenitalia FS Napoli-Salerno regional train stops at *Pompei* station. From there, the Pompei Link bus connects to the site in about 15 minutes. Trenitalia tickets are available on the app or at station machines.
From Sorrento
The Circumvesuviana Sorrento-Napoli line stops at *Pompei Villa dei Misteri* (about 25-30 minutes).
From Salerno
Take a Trenitalia regional train to *Pompei* station (about 30 minutes), then the Pompei Link bus. Alternatively, SITA buses and BUSITALIA Campania coaches (lines 4 and 50) run from Salerno.
By bus
- SITA buses connect Naples and Salerno to Pompeii.
- BUSITALIA Campania line 4 and line 50 (express, via motorway) serve the Salerno route.
By car
A3 Napoli-Salerno motorway, exit *Pompeii Scavi*. Parking is available near the entrances but fills early in peak season. The park does not operate its own parking -- use commercial lots around the site.
Rules that change your visit
Several rules surprise visitors. Know them before you travel.
- Bag size limit: 30 x 30 x 15 cm. Suitcases and large backpacks are not permitted. A left-luggage facility is available. Pack a small day bag.
- Dogs: Only small dogs (under 10 kg, under 40 cm height) are allowed. They must stay on a lead and be carried inside buildings.
- No professional camera or video equipment without written authorization from the Park. Phones and personal cameras for non-commercial use are fine.
- No drones without formal authorization.
- No eating outside designated areas. There are picnic spots and cafes near the entrances and inside the site.
- Audio guides: Only devices from official Park concessionaires may be brought in. Third-party audio guide apps on your own phone with headphones are fine.
- Group rules: Groups over 15 people must use whisper/earphone systems. Groups over 35 people are not admitted. Minimum organized group size is 5.
- Terrain: Pompeii's streets are ancient basalt cobblestones -- uneven, with steps, curbs, and gaps. Wear sturdy shoes. The site describes stumbling and sprain risk as visitor responsibility.
- Stray dogs: The Park notes that stray dogs sometimes enter through the fencing. Do not approach or feed them.
- Smoking: Permitted only in designated areas.
Common mistakes that cost you time or entry
- Buying the €20 Express ticket expecting the Villa of the Mysteries: The villa is in the suburban zone. You need Pompeii+ or the €8 add-on at Porta Ercolano.
- Arriving at the wrong entrance for your train: If you take the Trenitalia FS line, you land at Pompei main station, not at the Circumvesuviana stops. You need the Pompei Link bus from there.
- Bringing a large backpack: The 30 x 30 x 15 cm limit is enforced. Leave large luggage at your accommodation or the left-luggage desk.
- Planning satellite sites on a Tuesday: Oplontis, Stabiae sites, and Boscoreale are closed on Tuesdays. Pompeii main site stays open.
- Forgetting your ID: Staff can and do check that the name on your ticket matches your passport or ID card.
- Assuming you can leave and come back: Single-entry tickets do not allow re-entry. The only exception is Pompeii Plus (3-day), which grants one entry per site per day.
- Skipping the time-slot check in summer: From 16 March to 14 October, tickets are tied to the morning slot (9:00-13:00) or afternoon slot (13:00-17:30). If the morning sells out, you may not enter until afternoon -- or at all.
What to check before you go
- [ ] Buy tickets on the official portal: pompeii.vivaticket.it. Third-party sellers often add fees.
- [ ] Make sure your ticket type covers the sites you want: Express does not include the suburban villas.
- [ ] Check the open buildings list on pompeiisites.org -- individual houses rotate closed for conservation.
- [ ] If visiting on a Sunday, confirm whether it is the first Sunday of the month (free entry, special measures, no reservation -- expect large crowds).
- [ ] Check the day: avoid Tuesdays if your plan includes Oplontis, Stabiae, or Boscoreale.
- [ ] Check the Circumvesuviana timetable at eavsrl.it, especially on Sundays and public holidays when service thins out.
- [ ] Pack water, sun protection, and comfortable walking shoes. Shade is limited inside the ancient city.
- [ ] Download a site map from pompeiisites.org or pick up a paper map at the entrance.