How to get from Naples to Herculaneum
Twenty minutes on the Circumvesuviana and a five-hundred-metre walk: the Herculaneum ruins are the easiest archaeological trip from Naples — and the base for climbing Vesuvius.
The picture in 30 seconds
Herculaneum is smaller, closer and often better preserved than Pompeii — and it's only twenty minutes away by train. The right stop is Ercolano Scavi on the Circumvesuviana: from there walk straight down via IV Novembre (500 metres) to the entrance of the archaeological park. Your starting point in Naples is again the Central Station area: metro stations Garibaldi (Line 1) and Piazza Garibaldi (Line 2).
The options
Circumvesuviana (EAV)
Nearly every train towards Sorrento/Poggiomarino stops at Ercolano Scavi: in practice there's a train every 15–20 minutes.
Campania Express
First stop after Naples: very handy, especially on the way back when ordinary trains arrive already full from Sorrento.
Trenitalia regional
A backup if the Circumvesuviana is on strike: the FS station is further from the entrance.
Recommended route
Step by step: from Naples to the Herculaneum ruins
- Reach the Central Station by metro (Garibaldi L1 or Piazza Garibaldi L2).
- Go down to level -1 (Circumvesuviana) and buy a ticket to «Ercolano Scavi» (~€2.60).
- Board any train towards Sorrento or Poggiomarino: Ercolano is the fifth stop (~20 min).
- Leaving the station, walk straight down via IV Novembre: the park entrance is 6–7 minutes away.
- For Vesuvius: the crater shuttles leave right from the Ercolano Scavi station square.
The route on the map
The arrival point: from Ercolano Scavi station walk down via IV Novembre (500 m) to the entrance of the archaeological park. · Map: © OpenStreetMap
The buttons open Google Maps with live directions (times and connections included).
Good to know
2–3 hours is enough
The site is compact: 2–3 hours cover it well. Perfect to combine with Pompeii or Vesuvius on the same day.
Train + shuttle
Ercolano Scavi is the classic starting point for the crater: shuttles from the station square (separate ticket, ~1 hour of driving there and back plus the stop).
Outside the urban area
As with Pompeii, the ANM/TIC urban ticket is not valid: you need the extra-urban EAV ticket (~€2.60).
Herculaneum + Pompeii
Morning in Herculaneum, a 20-minute train ride, afternoon in Pompeii (same line, towards Sorrento). Pompeii guide →
Frequently asked questions
About 12 km: ~20 minutes on the Circumvesuviana to the Ercolano Scavi stop, then a 500-metre downhill walk to the entrance of the ruins.
The EAV single costs ~€2.60. The tourist Campania Express (March–October) costs €4 with a guaranteed seat. The Naples urban ticket (ANM/TIC) is not valid.
They’re different: Pompeii is vast and monumental, Herculaneum is compact and preserves upper floors and carbonised wood. With a full day you can visit both — they’re on the same railway line.
Shuttles leave from the Ercolano Scavi station square up to the car park at 1,000 m, from where you walk to the crater (~25–30 minutes). Buy the Vesuvius park entrance online.