Planning a vacation does not end with choosing a place to stay and booking your accommodation. This is a somewhat more complex process, so it is worth giving it as much attention as possible so that you can fully enjoy your vacation on the spot. If you find out before you leave how the local health service works, which restaurants to avoid and how much the entrance fees to the most interesting museums cost, you will encounter far fewer unpleasant surprises. Another aspect worth looking into in advance is the public transportation. After all, Naples is not one of the cities where you should get around in your own car - you risk losing a lot of time, as well as your nerves, Italian drivers are famous for their... peculiar driving style. So how to get around Naples to avoid unnecessary stress and not spending the whole vacation in traffic jams? Here are a couple of suggestions!
The subway in Naples - getting to your destination quickly
Public transportation in Naples is mainly handled by Azienda Napoletana Mobilità, or ANM. It manages buses, streetcars, special funiculars, as well as two subway lines, 1 and 6. The second of these is due to open in 2024. Naples' first subway line opened to travelers more than half a century ago, but the network has grown since then. Today, the metro is one of the best-performing types of public transportation in Naples. It will get you from place to place quickly and comfortably.
Subway line 1 - more than convenient public transportation in Naples
The Naples metro is, of course, a fast way to get around the city, but it is also famous for something else. The Line 1 (and partially Line 6) stations are distinguished by their... unusual appearance. Thanks to the "Art Stations" project, some of them have been transformed into true masterpieces. The most famous of these is the Toledo station. It is about 50 meters deep, and the most important element is the famous color-changing tunnel, topped with a glass ceiling. Throughout the city, the subway stations display the works of more than 100 artists! With the recent renovations, the stations have also been upgraded to make it easier for passengers to get around Naples.
Line 1 stops at many key points in the city - including the Garibaldi train station (Garibaldi station), the National Archaeological Museum (Museo station) and the Duomo di Napoli Cathedral (Duomo station). Ultimately, when the renovation work is completed in 2024, it will also commute to the airport.
A single ride ticket costs €1.20. You can find more detailed information about the tickets, their prices and rules at the end of the article.
Line 2 - what is it and where does it go?
Line 2 is not a traditional subway. It operates more like a standard commuter rail. It connects Naples with another town: Pozzuoli. It also passes through Bagnoli, so we recommend this means of public transportation if you want to get from Naples to one of these towns. Near Pozzuoli there are the Phlegrean Fields (Campi Flegrei), which are vast depressions left over from a violent eruption of a supervolcano. Beneath it is a gigantic lake of liquid magma. If you're planning an outing and exploring of the whole area, catch the so-called Line 7 (Cumana) train from Montesanto station. It will take you all the way to Lake Fusaro.
Line 2 is not operated by ANM, but by the Italian national carrier Trenitalia, so fares are slightly different. You will pay €1.40 for a single ride.
Naples funicular cable cars
One of the means of public transportation in Naples are the funiculars, or funicolare. They travel mostly over the hilly terrain. There are currently four single-track routes operating in the city. They connect the center of Naples with such neighborhoods as Vomero, Chiaia and Posillipo. The entire cable car network consists of a total of 16 stations, but the Funicolare di Chiaia line is currently closed due to renovations that are expected to last until October 2024.
The cable-car trip to Vomero Hill, home to the Carthusia of St. Martin and Sant'Elmo Castle is a pleasure itself. The route climbs steeply upward, giving you breathtaking views from the carriage windows.
You can ride the funicolare as part of your ANM all-day city ticket - the same you use for Metro Line 1.
Public transportation in Naples - buses and streetcars
As for buses and streetcars, they are also managed by ANM. However, we do not recommend taking buses around the city. Of all the means of public transportation in Naples, the subway works best, as well as the funicolare trains if you want to get to higher places. Why shouldn't you travel by bus? In Naples, the streets are often jammed - especially during rush hour. This causes buses to almost never arrive at the bus stop according to schedule, and they often have their routes changed. To avoid unnecessary annoyance, choose another means of public transportation.
Naples also has three streetcar lines: 1, 2, and 4. They take you from Emiciclo di Poggioreale to Piazza Vittoria (line 1), from Piazza Nazionale to San Giovanni (line 2), and from Piazza Vittoria to San Giovanni (line 4). For bus and streetcar rides, the ANM price list applies, the same as for metro line 1.
Naples and the surrounding area - regional railroads
To reach Pompeii or Herculaneum (Ercolano), which are some distance from Naples, it is worth catching a train in the direction of Salerno. The aforementioned Trenitalia company is responsible for this service, offering travelers favorable ticket fares.
You can also reach Sorrento by train from the Circumvesuviana network, operated by the EAV company, or by bus departing from the main station.
Public transport tickets in Naples - prices and key information
How much do public transport tickets cost in Naples? As for the ANM company, which operates metro lines 1 and 6, cable cars, buses and streetcars, prices are as follows:
- You will pay €1.20 for a single ride ticket. Remember that the ticket is valid only from the moment you validate it until you pass through the turnstile - even if your trip lasted only a few minutes. You also can't exceed the time limit stated on the ticket during a single trip.
- An all-day ANM ticket, allowing any number of transfers, costs €4.20. It's worth buying if you plan to move between several sights in different parts of the city. It is also valid for rides on the cable cars.
- If you're staying in Naples for a longer period of time, you might consider buying an ANM weekly ticket, available for €12.50.
- There are no discounted metro tickets in Naples. Children under the age of 6 can travel for free if they are accompanied by a guardian (a one free ticket is valid for one child per parent).
There are also integrated TIC (Ticket Integrato Campania) tickets, which allow you to use all of ANM's transportation, plus Metro Line 2 and regional trains - within Naples' borders. Unlike the ANM single-ride ticket, a single TIC ticket is valid for 90 minutes and allows transfers.
Where to buy tickets for transportation in Naples? You can find them at:
- vending machines at metro stations,
- ticket machines at cable car stops,
- kiosks and other points of sale marked with the letter T
If you don't want to buy paper tickets, you can use the convenient Tap&Go system instead. All you have to do is use your contactless payment card at the beginning and end of your trip. This system is available for Metro Line 1, EAV trains, the Funicolare Centrale train and Alibus airport buses.
