Public Bus lines on the Amalfi Coast and timetables
Welcome to your guide for navigating the Amalfi Coast using public buses!
This post includes all the necessary information you need to know before your holiday. Most of this information will be very helpful to know if you plan to reach the Amalfi Coast by public transport. I also provide useful tips for day trips between Ravello, Positano, and Amalfi. I will include all the main and smaller bus routes too in detail.
The primary company operating on the Amalfi coast is the SITA Sud. These buses are the most important connections by road around Amalfi.
Other local companies are operating too, between some of the villages and hamlets (Like in Vietri Sul Mare and Positano to Montepertuso). I will cover all, later in this post.
Jump to:
- Salerno Amalfi (SITA Sud 5120)
- Napoli – Amalfi (SITA Sud 5020 and 5080)
- Sorrento Positano Amalfi (SITA Sud 5070)
- Amalfi Ravello (SITA Sud 5110)
- Tickets and where to buy them
- Luggage on the bus
- Other important information
- Sorrento Nerano and Termini
But let’s start simple and familiarise ourselves with the main bus lines.
To get to the Amalfi Coast, you have to reach Sorrento or Salerno first.
While technically not part of the coast, these two cities serve as gateways. Most bus routes and ferries start from either Sorrento or Salerno. Since they’re at opposite ends of the coastline, your choice depends on where you want to go on the Amalfi Coast:
- The Sorrento route:
- would be recommended if you wish to get to Positano directly.
- Sorrento offers direct buses to Praiano and Amalfi. However, I recommend reaching Amalfi from Salerno, as it is easier and quicker.
- The Salerno Route:
- Reaching the coast through Salerno is recommended for Amalfi, Ravello, and most of the other villages: Vietri sul Mare, Minori, and Maiori.
From Salerno To Amalfi:
The bus to reach the town of Amalfi, and other coastal towns along the way, like Cetara, Minori, and Maiori.
Once you arrive in Salerno by train, you can easily change for this bus. The bus stops at the front of the Station building. The journey to Amalfi takes around 1 hour. The bus stops in several places between Salerno and Amalfi along the way. Not only in the villages but there are also bus stops near some of the big hotels (Like Voce del Mare or Hotel Cetus).
The bus when is full often doesn’t stop. So best to board at the first stop, directly at the Salerno Central station.
Although you can board this bus also from Vietri sul Mare, it is not recommended in high season or on weekends. We stayed in the town of Vietri Sul Mare for about 3 months, and often when waiting to take this bus, arrived already full. The buses don’t stop when full, so you don’t even get the opportunity to try to squeeze yourself in. You may need to wait for the next bus, and they are not super frequent.
From April you can take the ferry from Salerno or Vietri, although it’s more expensive, well worth the extra money, instead of the crowded buses, which are also often stuck in heavy traffic.
Click here for the timetable and schedule for the bus between Salerno and Amalfi.
Pro tip: If you can, sit on the driver’s side when boarding the bus. this is the side best to enjoy the sea view on the winning road. But sit on the opposite side if you are prone to vertigo. Please note, If you are sensible, this bus road can easily cause you nausea.
Extra buses are operating between Salerno and Maiori during high season. The bus follows the same route but stops in Maiori. You can use this line instead of the crowded Amalfi bus if your final destination is Vietri, Cetara, or Maiori. In Maiori, you can also change for the Amalfi-Tramonti line. This is the bus route you need if staying in the Tramonti area.
Amalfi Ravello Bus Line
No direct connections between Salerno and Ravello, or Napoli and Ravello exist. To reach Ravello by public transport you must change in the town of Amalfi.
Best to take a bus or ferry to Amalfi from Salerno. Once you reach Amalfi you can change here to the bus going up to Ravello.
In the town of Amalfi is easy to change buses as they all stop on the piazza (square) at the seaside. Ferry Station is also here. The bus stop is only a short 300-meter walk from the docks.
Click here for the timetable and schedule for the bus line SITA Sud 5110 AMALFI-SCALA-RAVELLO
From Napoli to the Amalfi Coast
There are some buses operated by SITA SUD direct from Napoli to Amalfi. It’s only 1 or 2 lines in the day. Usually one in the morning and 1 in the early afternoon. The bus stops are not always well marked so can be tricky to find. Also, the service is rarely on time, so often there is little information, when if even the bus will come.
As of 2024, this bus operates from Monday to Friday every morning. Departs at 9:00 AM from Napoli ( Varco Immacolatella). Click here for the timetable and schedule.
To reach Amalfi directly from Napoli is better to use the shuttle bus from the airport instead.
The shuttle bus from the Airport to Amalfi:
A comfortable alternative directly from the airport. This minibus service goes directly from Napoli Capodichino Airport (NAP) to Vietri Sul Mare, Cetara, Minori, and Maiori, ending in the town of Amalfi. The shuttle also stops in Pompeii. Operated by a different company (Pintour). You can buy the tickets directly on their website.
The direct Shuttle service between Napoli Airport and the Amalfi Coast only operates from spring to autumn. The shuttle has 6 daily connections from early morning to afternoon.
Useful Informations on tickets, luggage on the bus, and other notes on how to find the bus right for you:
Bus Tickets
Where to buy the tickets?
Online:
Use the application “Unicocampania” to buy your tickets.
In the Tabacchi shops, Newspaper stands, and in some bars:
There are no designated ticket offices in most of the villages.
Tickets are usually sold in various TABACCHIES (Tobacco shops and newspaper stands or shops.) Look for the big “T” sign above the entrance.
Please note: most of these shops close in the afternoon. And it’s entirely possible that during the afternoon closure or later in the night there are no possibilities to buy tickets, especially in the villages. If you don’t want to stockpile tickets or don’t know how many you need, the easiest is to use the application and buy your tickets online.
For the monthly pass: You can buy your monthly pass and have some information regarding it at the ticket office in Salerno, at the Central station. Ask for the Busitalia / ANM Office to get the exact directions of the office.
The Tabacchi shop here also sells monthly passes. You can buy monthly pass specially for the SITA bus, or combined UnicoCampania passes too.
Can you buy the tickets on the bus?
The short answer is No. Although on some buses there are ticket officers, usually they are sitting in the front row. If you are lucky, they can sell you a ticket, but having exact change is recommended. it’s not a rule though, and the bus driver does not sell tickets. So the best is to procure the tickets before the arrival of the bus. Some bars also sell tickets.
How to know which ticket to buy?
Different buses are operated by different companies. If you know you are taking a Sita bus, you can buy a Sita ticket. Unicocampania tickets are the most useful as they are valid for (almost) all bus companies and on trains too. In most “tabacchi” shops when you say your destination, the vendor will know which ticket to give you, so you should not worry too much about it. On the app choose SITA Sud in the menu, and type in your destination for the correct fare.
Luggage on the bus:
There is no designed luggage space on most of the SITA buses, so try to pack lightly. A big trolley will be uncomfortable to keep in place sliding and slitting in the sharp turns.
Officially SITA bus can charge you 1 extra ticket for luggage bigger than 50 x 30 x 25. But I never see this Policy enforced by the drivers.
Important:
Numbers aren’t shown on the bus display; instead, you’ll see the name of the final destination. For instance, don’t search for “Sita Line 5000,” but rather look for the bus displaying “AMALFI.” Similarly, the bus from Sorrento to Positano usually shows “Amalfi (via Positano)” instead of a line number.
Knowing the line number is mainly useful for checking timetables online. When you’re asking about the bus, it’s easier to just ask if it goes to Amalfi, Positano, or wherever you’re headed. Most people won’t recognize the line numbers like 5020.
Are the buses on time?
Usually, the buses depart on time, for example, if you board them in Salerno or Sorrento, most of the time they are punctual, or with minimal delays. But later in the journey, they can have heavy delays, depending on the traffic. The roads are narrow on the Amalfi Coast, and the big buses often get “stuck” in the hairpin curves, adding delays to the travel time.
It’s easy to navigate the Coast with the busses but it’s not possible or advisable if you have a tight schedule. The biggest issue when deciding to reach and explore the Amalfi Coast by public transport, would be not being able to board the bus as it is often full.
If you have a tight schedule it’s better to consider arranging a private transfer for yourself. Private transfers arranged in time are more convenient than last-minute taxi rides. (Taxi drivers would usually quote you 150 euro from Salerno to Amalfi, maybe even more during the evening or night).
Buses are convenient and cheap, but you must have plenty of time on hand, if you want to rely on them.
Click here for a private transfer from Napoli to Amalfi
Click here for a private transfer from Napoli to Positano
Click here for a private transfer from Sorrento to Positano
Click here for a private transfer from Salerno to Amalfi. This one also allows you to select other destinations, like Atrani or Furore. Price start from 96 euro for 2 person between Salerno and Amalfi.
From Sorrento to Positano and Amalfi
If you get to Sorrento with the train line Circumvesuviana, you can exchange for this bus at the station entrance.
If you are staying in Sorrento, the bus stops in several places in the city.
Please note, during peak holiday time, is always best to board this bus from the first stops, as they tend to get crowded.
On the Display it would be written Amalfi ( via Positano) the colors of the bus vary, usually the grey ones but can be anything from blue to red.
The journey to Positano takes around 1 hour then the bus continues toward Amalfi.
The most notable stops between Positano and Amalfi are the Furore Fiord and the town of Praiano.
Click here to for timetable for connections between Sorrento and Positano / Amalfi
If this is your first time in Sorrento check out my Sorrento travel guide too.
For Praiano and Furore
there are direct buses from Sorrento. But it’s a long journey, so you can also reach them from Salerno and change buses in Amalfi. If you pack lightly, it could be a good opportunity for a sightseeing stop in the Town of Amalfi.
How to reach Furore?
To reach the town of Furore there are some buses from Napoli to Amalfi via Gragnano (SITA Sud 5080). This line actually connects Agerola with Napoli, where you have to change to continue to Furore. Alternatively, you can reach Amalfi from Salerno (Sita Sud 5120, and change for the bus towards Agerola).
Click here for the timetable for connections to Furore and Agerola from Amalfi and Napoli
Please note, that the bus stop “Fiordo di Furore” on the Sorrento – Amalfi line, is for the beachside, and the actual village is way higher up. So if your accommodation is in the town of Furore, you have to take a bus going up towards Agerola.
The easiest way to reach Furore is by private transport from Salerno.
How to reach Praiano?
You can reach Praiano From Positano with a frequent minibus service (Offered by Mobility Amalfi Coast).
From Sorrento, there is the above mentioned direct bus.(Sorrento Amalfi line SITA SUD)
Unfortunately, Praiano doesn’t have a harbuor so you can not get here directly by ferry.
And in Positano, from the ferry, you must walk up to the main road to change for the bus. So keep that in mind as it’s not comfortable to do so with huge luggage. Better take the longer, but direct bus ride.
Click her to book a Private Transfer from Salerno to Praiano
Other Buses in the area:
In Vietri Sul Mare
The town of Vietri Sul Mare is the lucky one, as you can reach it in multiple ways. Vietri is connected by train, and served by different bus companies, not only by SITA. There are also ferries from April to October. There are several less crowded alternatives to the SITA buses.
Busitalia line 4 directing to Pompeii, will stop in Vietri.
Busitalia line 1 goes to the satellite villages of Vietri like Dragonea and Raito. And stops at 2 points in Vietri. Near the ceramic shop of Solimene, and at the piazza (main square). Some lines during peak time, go inside the village instead and have multiple stops inside the town.
In Minori
Minori operates a minibus service from Minori to the locality of Torre to facilitate the movement of elderly citizens. Timetable can be found at the commune (municipality office).
If you want to visit Minori, read my dedicated post for tips and recommendations.
Positano local buses:
Small buses are operating between Positano and Montepertuso and also reach the small village of Nocelle.
If Positano is in your itinerary, check out my dedicated post. It contains itinerary ideas that are suitable for 1, 2 and 3 day stays. Also here is all you need to know before visiting Positano.
Other Bus Lines from Sorrento:
Massa Lubrense and toward Nerano, Termini, Marina di Cantone.
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