New high-speed train to connect Rome to Pompeii
- Featured Travel & Hospitality
Arushi Sakhuja- 5 minutes read
Arushi Sakhuja
While summer travel may have come to a close for the year, there is always a new reason to visit the European hotspot Italy. And if a visit to the historical cities of Rome and Pompeii is on your list, then this new high speed train may save you some travel time.
As per an announcement in the last week of July, it’s now easier to visit the historic town of Pompeii, Italy, thanks to a new high-speed train route. The Italian government recently announced that it is beginning construction of a new and direct high-speed route connecting Rome to the magnificent archaeological site of Pompei.
This news is particularly thrilling because there are no direct rail routes connecting the two famous tourist destinations. To reach Pompeii from Rome, one must first take a train to Naples, just over an hour away. Then, travellers must navigate the crowds at Napoli Centrale train station to transfer to a regional train called the Circumvesuviana, which is bound for Pompeii. This train is known for being old and slow, with stops in several small towns along the way. The entire journey takes approximately two hours.
A new train stop near the Pompeii archaeological site has been added to an existing route between Naples and Salerno. The project costs $38 million (€35 million) and includes a new train station and transit hub. The official opening of the new service took place on Sunday, July 16. Dignitaries, including Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano, CEO of FS Italiane Group Luigi Ferraris, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, boarded the train for its first journey from Rome’s Termini Station.
On Sundays, the train from Roma Termini departs at 8:53 am and arrives at Pompeii at 10:40 pm. While on board, passengers can watch a video clip about the history of the ancient city of Pompeii on the monitors. After arriving, a Pompeii Link shuttle bus will be available to transport passengers to the archaeological site.
The 06:40 pm return journey arrives at Roma Termini at 08:55 pm, and it’s a new addition to the 50 daily return services that operate between Rome and Pompeii. Passengers will take the high-speed train to Napoli Centrale station and switch to a Trenitalia regional train from the Piazza Garibaldi station. As stated by Italy’s cultural ministry, this route will be incorporated into the existing train line that links Rome to Naples and Salerno. According to the Pompeii Archaeological Park’s website, the park welcomed over 2.9 million visitors in 2022, with a peak of 3.8 million in 2019. The park will reopen at the beginning of 2024, according to the cultural ministry of Italy.
