Rail holiday travelling to the Amalfi Coast by train
Experience the romance of rail travel as you journey through Europe by train, spending a couple of nights in historic Rome before travelling on to Naples and your final destination, the spectacular Amalfi Coast.
The Amalfi coast is best known for its dramatic coastal scenery, with rocky coves and tiny fishing villages hugging the cliffs. Luxuriant vegetation thrives in the favourable climate and the regional cuisine is light and simple, based on local fish and shellfish, lemons and oranges, mozzarella and fresh herbs. There are numerous excursion and sightseeing possibilities for your holiday including the islands of Procida, Capri and Ischia, the city of Naples, the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the romantic Ravello and the bustling Sorrento.
For this itinerary by train we have selected the perfect combination of the Hotel Mascagni in Rome and the Hotel Poseidon in Positano. There are plenty of other delightful hotels in Rome and along the Amalfi Coast, so please ask us for alternative suggestions.
We suggest that you travel to the Amalfi Coast by taking the Eurostar to Paris, followed by a sleeper train to Milan and then continuing on to Rome. Spend two nights here before travelling by fast train to Naples. There are range of alternative rail journeys are available, including a combination of overnight and daytime travel options.
For the outbound journey, it is possible to take a daytime trains from the UK instead of the sleeper service and break your journey in Paris or Turin. For the return rail journey, a fabulous alternative is to take daytime trains from Naples to Paris via the Alps, with overnight hotel stops in Milan and Zurich. This allows you to take in the spectacular scenery during your train journey rather than sleep through it on the overnight train. Alternatively, you can fly back from Naples Capodichino Airport in order to save time.
Click here to download a pdf with full details of some of our rail holidays to Italy.
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
Day one
Begin your rail holiday by leaving London early afternoon on the Eurostar, travelling to Paris where you change to an overnight Thello Service to Milan. We recommend a private double sleeper cabin for your comfort.
Day two
Your train arrives in Milan at 6am, and you then change to the Frecciarossa train to Rome where you arrive at 10am. A private car will transfer you to the Hotel Mascagni, located a few minutes from the train station, where you stay for 2 nights.
Day three
Spend the day at leisure wandering around the Italian capital, discovering the wealth of cultural monuments and sights on offer. With such a diverse heritage of Classical antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches, you could spend weeks exploring Rome and never see it all. However, we recommend a visit to the Roman Forum and Colosseum as part of your essential Rome experience.
Day four
Leave Rome on one of the frequent trains to Naples, arriving just over one hour later. Transfer to your hotel in Positano where you spend 7 nights.
Days five to ten
You have the next 6 days to explore Positano and the stunning Amalfi Coast. The picturesque town of Positano is like something out of a fairy tale. The colourful houses, all built into the steep rock, seem to be stacked on top of each other reaching up the cliff from the sea. When the seas are calm, small boats ferry visitors from Positano’s port to the neighbouring town of Amalfi and to the islands of Procida, Capri and Ischia. From your base in Positano it is also possible to travel up further into the mountains to Ravello, and drop down the other side to explore the sights of Sorrento, Pompeii and Herculaneum.
RETURN OPTION 1: SLEEPER SERVICE
Day eleven
You are collected from Positano by a private car that takes you back to Naples train station. From here you take an early evening train to Milan, and connect with the overnight sleeper service to Paris. We again include a double sleeper compartment for added privacy and comfort.
Day twelve
Your sleeper train arrives in Paris at about 10am, and you finish your rail holiday by boarding a late morning Eurostar back to London.
RETURN OPTION 2: VIA MILAN AND ZURICH
Day eleven
Leave Positano behind and transfer to Naples where you catch one of the regular services to Milan, arriving just over two and a half hours later. You check into the Hotel Carlton Baglioni - a centrally located luxury hotel perfectly positioned to explore the famous shopping streets of Milan. Spend one night here.
Day twelve
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast in your Milan hotel before boarding a late morning train to Zurich. This part of the journey is stunning as the train takes you northwards along the shore of Lake Como, across the Swiss border at Chiasso and continues to Zurich passing through the famous Gotthard Pass. The train gains and loses height rapidly by means of several tight spirals and reaches its highest point at Oberalpass, a lofty 2044m above sea level. You arrive into Zurich in the early afternoon and have the rest of the day to explore the city. Stay one night in the Hotel Ambassador a l'Opera.
Day thirteen
You have time for a late start and a leisurely breakfast before catching a high speed train from Zurich to Paris around 11.30am. In Paris you change stations and finish your rail journey by catching a late-afternoon Eurostar to London, where you arrive around 6.30pm
PRICES
From £2,730 per person for first class rail travel.
From £2,540 per person for second class rail travel.
Prices based on two sharing a double or twin room.
What’s included?
First or second class travel on all trains (as above) including Eurostar
Double sleeper compartment on Thello sleeper train
At the hotels:
2 nights’ bed and breakfast in a Classic Room at Hotel Mascagni in Rome
7 nights’ bed and breakfast in a Side Sea View Room at the Hotel Poseidon in Positano
Transfers in Rome and Naples
What’s not included?
Meals other than breakfast at the hotels
Supplements for alternative routes
Any services not mentioned above
Dates
This holiday can be arranged throughout the year. Timings can vary depending on the month and day of the week.
For more information regarding rail services to and within Italy, view our train guide.