Day trip from Rome Amalfi Coast
A stretch of cliffside towns south of Naples, reached from Rome by high-speed train to Salerno and then a 35-minute ferry to Amalfi.
Is Amalfi Coast worth a day trip from Rome?
Sleep there. Or take the tour.
Not as a relaxed day trip. The fastest route is the 07:29 Frecciarossa to Salerno and the 09:40 ferry, which puts you in Amalfi at 10:15, almost 3 hours after leaving Termini. You then get about 6 hours split between two towns before the boat back. It can be done, and the ferry ride is half the point, but one night in Amalfi or Salerno turns a rushed day into a good one. If you only have the day, the tours follow the same route with the tickets handled. Rough seas cancel the boats.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- 2 h 46Train 1 h 36 + ferry 35 min, connection included · one way · Trenitalia journey planner
- Transport
- High-speed train + ferry
- Self-guided cost
- € 73.80–167Frecciarossa return to Salerno (€ 24.90-64 each way) + Travelmar ferries (Amalfi return € 24, or Salerno-Positano-Amalfi-Salerno € 39) · Travelmar 2026 fares
- Tour price
- From € 115Civitatis catalogue
- Time needed
- 5–7 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- None; ferries are cancelled in rough seas
- Best time
- May-Jun and Sep-early OctDaytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Better to sleep thereDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Amalfi Coast
- 01
Amalfi cathedral
A striped facade at the top of 62 steps above the main square. The cloister and crypt take about 40 minutes and are the one indoor visit worth paying for in town.
- 02
The ferry ride
The boat from Salerno passes Cetara, Maiori and Minori before Amalfi. Sit on the right-hand side going out for 35 minutes of cliffs, towers and terraced lemon groves.
- 03
Positano's lanes and beach
A town stacked up a cliff, with stepped lanes leading down to the Spiaggia Grande. Give it 2 hours and expect to climb several hundred steps.
- 04
Valle delle Ferriere path
A shaded walk from the top of Amalfi's main street past old paper mills towards a waterfall. About 1 hour out and back for the lower section.
How to spend the day
Take the 07:29 Frecciarossa from Roma Termini, arriving in Salerno at 09:05. The Piazza Concordia pier is beside the station. Catch the 09:40 ferry and step off in Amalfi at 10:15. See the cathedral and have lunch, then take the 12:30 boat to Positano, 25 minutes. Leave Positano on the 15:30 or 17:00 ferry to Salerno, 70 minutes. The 18:43 train is in Rome at 20:16. The last fast train leaves Salerno at 19:49.
Amalfi Coast in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustJune to August is hot, crowded and at its most expensive. Ferries sell out, so buy tickets online the day before, and the beaches are mostly paid sunbed rows with a small free strip. Go on a weekday, swim before lunch in Amalfi and reach Positano after 15:00, when the day groups start leaving.
Winter
December to FebruaryFrom November to March the day trip stops making sense. Ferries from Salerno run rarely or not at all, which leaves a slow coast bus on a winding road, and many restaurants, hotels and beach clubs are shut. Days end before 17:00. Go to Naples or Florence instead and save the coast for spring.
How crowded it gets
Very busy- Busiest
- Jun-Sep, weekends, 11:00-16:00
- Quietest
- Weekdays in May and early October
The squeeze is on the boats and in Positano's single main lane. Take the first ferry of the day, do Amalfi before 11:00 and keep clear of Sundays, when Italian day visitors add to the tour groups.
How do you get to Amalfi Coast from Rome?
Train + ferry
- Travel time
- 1 h 36 min + 35 min ferry
- Frequency
- Fast trains every 1-2 hours; 10 ferries a day to Amalfi
- Cost
- € 24.90-64 each way by train; ferry € 12 each way
- Departs from
- Roma Termini
Frecciarossa to Salerno, then walk to the Piazza Concordia pier next to the station. Travelmar ferries run to Amalfi in 35 minutes (€ 12) and Positano in 70 minutes (€ 17). Buy ferry tickets online in high season and check the sea forecast the evening before.
Organized tour by coach
- Travel time
- 15.5 hours door to door
- Cost
- From € 115
- Departs from
- Piazza del Popolo
Coach to Salerno in about 3 hours, then a boat to Amalfi (2 hours free) and Positano (1 hour free). The cheapest way to do it in a day and the longest. If the sea is too rough to sail, the group goes to Sorrento instead.
Organized tour by train
- Travel time
- 12.5 hours door to door
- Cost
- From € 230
- Departs from
- Roma Termini
Same idea with the high-speed train to Salerno in place of the coach, which makes the day 3 hours shorter. Train and boat tickets are included, food and entries are not. It costs about € 230 against € 74 to € 167 for the same route on your own.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
Sandals or trainers that can handle steps, plus swimwear and a small towel from May to October. Shoulders must be covered inside the cathedral. Bring a windproof layer for the ferry deck, even in summer.
What to eat
Lemons run through the menu: lemon granita, delizia al limone cake and limoncello. For lunch look for scialatielli pasta with seafood or a paper cone of fried fish near the harbour. Prices drop once you walk a few streets uphill from the waterfront.
What you will spend
Train to Salerno, € 24.90-64 each way, then ferries: € 12 to Amalfi, € 17 to Positano, or € 39 for the Salerno-Positano-Amalfi-Salerno loop. After that the cost is lunch and optional sunbeds. The coach tour from € 115 undercuts a late-booked train.
How to get the most out of the day
- If you get seasick, take the earliest ferry. The sea is usually calmest in the morning and choppier by mid-afternoon.
- Public toilets are few and usually charge a small fee. Use the ones at Salerno station or in a bar where you order.
- Keep a fallback for a cancelled boat: spend the day in Salerno's old town and seafront, a 10-minute walk from the station.
- Queue at the pier 20 minutes before departure in summer. Boarding is by order of arrival and the deck seats go first.
How long do you need in Amalfi Coast?
Plan 5–7 h on site, plus 2 h 46 of travel each way from Rome.
When is Amalfi Coast closed?
None; ferries are cancelled in rough seas. Best time: May-Jun and Sep-early Oct.