Day trip from Rome Capri
An island in the Bay of Naples, reached from Rome by high-speed train to Naples and then a 50-minute hydrofoil from Molo Beverello.
Is Capri worth a day trip from Rome?
Sleep in Naples or on the island.
Not as a relaxed day trip. The quickest chain is the 06:55 Frecciarossa to Naples, the metro to Molo Beverello and the 09:30 hydrofoil, which lands at Marina Grande around 10:20, almost 3.5 hours after leaving Termini. You get about 6 hours on the island before the 16:30 or 17:05 boat, and transport alone starts at about € 97. One night in Naples or on Capri fixes that. With only one day, the tour from € 149 handles the coach and ferry but runs 14 hours. Rough seas cancel the hydrofoils.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- 3 h 25Train 1 h 22 + 50 min hydrofoil, transfer and wait in Naples included · one way · Trenitalia journey planner
- Transport
- High-speed train + hydrofoil
- Self-guided cost
- € 96.80–171Frecciarossa return to Naples (€ 22.90-58 each way) + NLG hydrofoil return € 46-50 + € 5 Capri landing fee; no entry ticket added (Monte Solaro chairlift is € 15 return) · NLG, Napoli Beverello - Capri timetable and fares
- Tour price
- From € 149Civitatis catalogue
- Time needed
- 5–6 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- None; hydrofoils stop in rough seas. Monte Solaro chairlift: last ride up 17:00 Apr-Oct, 16:00 in Nov, Dec, Feb and Mar
- Best time
- May-Jun and Sep-Oct, calm daysDaytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Better to sleep thereDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Capri
- 01
Blue Grotto
A sea cave lit blue from below, entered lying flat in a rowing boat. You get about five minutes inside after a wait that can pass an hour. It closes in any swell.
- 02
Monte Solaro chairlift
A single-seat chairlift from Anacapri to the island's highest point at 589 metres, 13 minutes each way. Views reach the Bay of Naples and the Amalfi Coast.
- 03
Gardens of Augustus
Small terraced gardens a 10-minute walk from the Piazzetta, looking down on the Faraglioni rocks and the zigzag of Via Krupp. Twenty minutes is enough.
- 04
The Piazzetta and Capri town
The small main square at the top of the funicular from Marina Grande, with lanes of shops and whitewashed houses behind it. Walk east for quieter streets.
- 05
Villa San Michele
A doctor's villa in Anacapri with a pergola, Roman fragments and a sphinx looking over the harbour. The visit takes about 45 minutes.
How to spend the day
Leave Roma Termini at 06:55 and reach Napoli Centrale at 08:17. Take Metro Line 1 from Garibaldi to Municipio, beside Molo Beverello, and board the 09:30 hydrofoil. From Marina Grande ride the funicular up to the Piazzetta, then the bus to Anacapri for the Monte Solaro chairlift, last ride up 17:00. Sail back at 16:30 or 17:05 and take the 18:35 train, in Rome at 19:55, or the 19:30, in at 20:55. The last fast train leaves at 20:15.
Capri in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustJuly and August are hot and very crowded: full ferries, a long funicular queue at Marina Grande from 10:00 and a Blue Grotto wait measured in hours. Take the first boat from Naples, go straight to Anacapri by bus and do Capri town after 16:00. Swim from the rocks at Marina Piccola or the lighthouse.
Winter
December to FebruaryNot worth it as a day trip from November to early March. The Blue Grotto is shut on most days, the Monte Solaro chairlift closes in January and early February, and most restaurants and shops are shuttered. Ferries are fewer and rough seas cancel them, which could leave you stuck in Naples or on the island.
How crowded it gets
Very busy- Busiest
- Jun-Aug, 10:00-16:00, worst at the funicular and the Blue Grotto
- Quietest
- Late April, May and October on weekdays; after 16:30 once day boats leave
Day visitors all arrive between 9:30 and 11:00. Skip the funicular queue by taking the bus from the port to Anacapri first, and visit the grotto either at 9:00 or not at all.
How do you get to Capri from Rome?
Train + hydrofoil
- Travel time
- 1 h 22 min + 50 min hydrofoil
- Frequency
- Fast trains 2-3 an hour; 10 NLG hydrofoils a day until 3 November
- Cost
- € 22.90-58 each way by train; hydrofoil € 51-55 return with the landing fee
- Departs from
- Roma Termini
Frecciarossa to Napoli Centrale, then Metro Line 1 to Municipio for Molo Beverello. NLG hydrofoils cost € 23 or € 25 each way, plus a € 5 landing fee from April to October. SNAV sails from the same pier. This timetable runs until 3 November; check winter sailings before you book trains.
Organized tour
- Travel time
- 14 hours door to door
- Cost
- From € 149
- Departs from
- Viale Giorgio Washington (Metro A Flaminio)
Meets at 6:45. Coach to Naples, ferry to Marina Grande, then a guided walk in Capri town and the Blue Grotto, depending on the option you book. If the sea closes the grotto you get a boat trip to the Faraglioni rocks. A cheaper self-guided option covers transport only.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
Walking sandals or trainers, as the island is steep and paved in smooth stone. Bring swimwear, a hat and sunscreen in summer, and a windproof layer for the boat in spring and autumn.
What to eat
The island's own dishes are caprese salad, ravioli capresi filled with cheese and marjoram, and torta caprese, a flourless chocolate and almond cake. Tables around the Piazzetta carry a high markup. Anacapri's side streets are cheaper, and a bakery sandwich saves both time and money.
What you will spend
This is the costly trip from Rome. You pay for a high-speed train to Naples, a fast ferry each way and then island transport, with separate fees for the Blue Grotto boat and cave entry, the chairlift and the gardens. Walking and the views are free.
How to get the most out of the day
- Fast ferries leave from Molo Beverello in Naples, 15 minutes from Napoli Centrale by taxi or Metro Line 1 to Municipio. Allow 45 minutes.
- Buy your return ferry ticket when you arrive at Marina Grande. Late afternoon boats sell out in season and the ticket booths get long queues.
- Check the sea forecast the evening before. If the Blue Grotto is closed, staff at the port know by about 9:30.
- Island buses are small and fill fast. From Capri town to Anacapri, a shared open-top taxi split four ways is often quicker.
How long do you need in Capri?
Plan 5–6 h on site, plus 3 h 25 of travel each way from Rome.
When is Capri closed?
None; hydrofoils stop in rough seas. Monte Solaro chairlift: last ride up 17:00 Apr-Oct, 16:00 in Nov, Dec, Feb and Mar. Best time: May-Jun and Sep-Oct, calm days.