Naples Bus Tours and Public Buses Explained

Your first bus in Naples is probably the one from the airport, and it sets the tone: cheap, direct and a little chaotic. Sightseeing buses and coach tours sit on top of a public network that already reaches most places a visitor wants to go. The questions below are the ones first-timers ask most, answered in the order you will need them.

Which bus do I take from the airport?

The ANM Alibus. It runs direct from Naples Airport to Napoli Centrale and continues to Molo Beverello, where the hydrofoils for Capri and Ischia leave. A one-way ticket costs EUR5, and you can pay by contactless card using Tap&Go or in the Unico Campania app. Airport transport strikes do happen, so check the strike calendar a few days before you fly.

Is the hop-on hop-off bus worth it?

On a first afternoon, often yes. An open-top loop strings together the big set pieces of the centre and the waterfront with no route planning on your part, and you can check hop-on hop-off tickets on GetYourGuide . After that, the loop adds little. The old centre around Spaccanapoli and Via dei Tribunali is a maze of narrow lanes that no tour bus enters, and you will see it properly only on foot.

How do the city tickets work?

On ANM, one ride is EUR1.30 by bus, tram or funicular, or EUR1.50 on Metro Lines 1 and 6. The UnicoCampania 90-minute integrated ticket, valid across all of them, was about EUR1.80 until fares changed on 1 October 2026, so confirm the new price at unicocampania.it before you rely on it. The funiculars are worth riding for their own sake: the Montesanto line climbs to Vomero, where Castel Sant’Elmo looks over the whole bay.

If you plan several museums, the Artecard Naples 3-day pass is listed at EUR27 and bundles three admissions with Unico transport in the city. Prices on the Artecard site date from late 2023, so check them first.

Can I take a coach tour to Pompeii?

Yes, but think about what you are paying for. Pompeii is 25 km from Naples, and a Sorrento-bound Circumvesuviana train from Napoli Garibaldi gets you to Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri in roughly 35 minutes, for about EUR3.30. A coach adds a guide and door-to-door pickup, not access. Either way, entry is a named ticket from EUR20, sold through official channels listed on pompeiisites.org . Ignore the touts outside Pompei Scavi station who sell priced-up skip-the-line vouchers.

The Campania Express tourist train has been off the timetable since 1 October 2026 with no restart date, according to EAV , so the regular Circumvesuviana is the train to use.

What about the Amalfi Coast?

This is where a coach day earns its fare. Doing it yourself means the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento, then a SITA Sud bus along the coast: about EUR2.40 to Positano and EUR3.40 to Amalfi, or about EUR10 for a 24-hour COSTIERASITA ticket. Timetables are on the SITA Sud site . A guided day removes the change in Sorrento, and you can compare Amalfi Coast coach days on Viator . Ferries along the coast start around mid-May; in winter the bus is the way.

Does a bus go to Vesuvius or Pozzuoli?

The usual route to the crater is a train plus a shuttle, about an hour each way. Buy the timed crater ticket online before you leave. For Pozzuoli, Metro Line 2 between Campi Flegrei and Pozzuoli has been closed since 21 June 2026; substitute buses cover the gap roughly every 15 minutes, and the Cumana railway from Montesanto keeps running. The area is recovering from a strong earthquake in July 2026, so keep a Pozzuoli trip short or leave it out.

Safety and driving

  • Pickpockets target the Circumvesuviana and Piazza Garibaldi. Wear your bag on your front.
  • Do not rent a car for the centre. Traffic-zone cameras run on different hours at each gate, and a fine is roughly EUR80 to EUR335, plus fees.

Read more: Naples day trips ranked by journey time , and the four-day Naples itinerary for a full plan.

Verdict: use public buses for everything except the Amalfi Coast, where a coach is worth the money on a short trip. Stay on the Alibus to Molo Beverello if your first morning is an island; it saves a second ticket.