Getting around Naples: public transport, passes and taxis

Naples is compact but steep: the historic centre and the waterfront are flat and walkable, while Vomero and the hill districts sit above them. Match the mode to the trip rather than buying the biggest pass.

ANM runs the metro, funiculars, buses and trams, and one ticket covers all of them within its validity. A single ticket is valid for about 90 minutes and allows one metro entry; you can change buses and funiculars inside that window. Buy from machines in stations, tabacchi shops or the ANM app rather than from anyone on the street.

If you will make more than three journeys in a day, the day pass usually wins. The 3-day pass suits a long weekend that includes Vomero, the museum district and a couple of bus hops. Validate paper tickets in the machine before boarding; inspectors do fine passengers, and the fine is far more than the fare.

The Campania regional ticket (UnicoCampania) extends coverage to Pompeii, Herculaneum and the Circumvesuviana network. It costs more than the city ticket but can be cheaper than buying separate legs. The Circumvesuviana itself is a separate operator and is crowded and pickpocket-prone, so keep bags in front of you.

Linea 1 is the workhorse: it links the centre, the Museo and Vanvitelli, from where you can walk down to Vomero and the Certosa di San Martino. Linea 1 stations are among the more striking in Europe, which makes a rainy hour underground less of a waste. Linea 6 serves the western waterfront and is useful for Mergellina and the port area.

The three funiculars do the vertical work: Centrale from Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Chiaia from the Chiaia district, and Montesanto from near Piazza Dante. They use the same ANM ticket and save a long climb. They are short rides, so treat them as lifts rather than sightseeing.

Buses fill the gaps, but Naples traffic is heavy and timetables slip. Use them for a specific link, not as a general plan. Trams along the waterfront are more predictable. At night, services thin out sharply; plan a taxi rather than waiting at an empty stop.

Official Naples taxis are white and metered. Take them from a rank at Piazza Garibaldi, Piazza Municipio, the port or the airport, or book by phone or app. Confirm the meter is running at the start; for airport runs there is a fixed fare to the city centre, and you should ask for it rather than accept a quoted price. Keep the receipt, which helps if there is a dispute.

Ride-hailing exists but is thinner than in London or New York, and you may wait longer than a taxi from a rank. For short hops in the centre, walking is often faster than either. At night, use a rank or a booked car rather than an unmarked one.

The centro storico is one of the best walking districts in Italy: Spaccanapoli, the Duomo, the Cappella Sansevero and the Quartieri Spagnoli sit within about 25 minutes of each other. The waterfront and Castel dell'Ovo are another easy walk. Wear shoes with grip, since the basalt paving is polished and slick when wet, and watch for scooters in narrow lanes.

For Capri, Ischia, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, ferries and hydrofoils leave from Molo Beverello beside the port and from Mergellina. Buy at the ticket offices at the port, arrive early in summer, and expect cancellations in rough seas. Services thin out outside April–October.

Naples is one of the cheaper big Italian cities for transport. A single ANM ticket, a day pass and a 3-day pass cover most visitors, and the airport bus is a small extra. Taxis cost more but are still reasonable for short night trips; the fixed airport fare is the one to know before you land.

Keep your ticket until you leave the last vehicle, and validate paper tickets before boarding. Pickpocketing is a real risk on the Circumvesuviana and on crowded buses; keep bags zipped and in front of you. At night, use taxis or stay in lit, busy streets.

If you are heading to the airport, allow more time than the map suggests: traffic on the Tangenziale can double the journey. For day trips, the Circumvesuviana is cheap but slow and packed; the ferry is faster and calmer for Sorrento and the islands.