Ferry services run from Naples to local (and more distant) island destinations, as well as to other ports around the Bay of Naples and the Sorrento peninsula. Major destinations are Ischia, Procida, Capri and Sorrento.
You can generally obtain ferry timetables in advance from the various companies’ websites, but services – especially in the summer months – to Ischia and Capri are frequent and you can simply turn up at Molo Beverello in Naples, buy your ticket and take the next service. Services range from speedy hydrofoils to slow car ferries, with prices that range correspondingly.
Ferries depart from two ports in Naples: Molo Beverello and Mergellina. If you are travelling to Ischia by public transport from the direction of Rome, it may be quicker overall to take a train which stops at Mergellina. You can walk to the port (around 200m) and take a hydrofoil there.
Beverello is the principal port for ferries, and it is fairly straightforward to reach from the main Naples train station, Stazione Centrale and from Naples Airport.
Get from Stazione Centrale to Molo Beverello
To reach the port at Molo Beverello from Stazione Centrale, you should first buy bus tickets from a news-stand in the station. The R2 bus departs from the far end of Piazza Garibaldi, in the centre of the traffic (past the rows of other buses). The journey takes about 10-15 minutes, depending on traffic. You should alight by Piazza Municipio – just ask the driver or fellow passengers for Molo Beverello; there will probably be plenty of other travellers with suitcases taking the same trip. The ferry terminal is located at the bottom end of the square (on your left). Returning from the ferry to the station, you can take tram number 1, which stops in the middle of the road by the port, or you can head uphill over the grassy area by the castle towards a row of pines to reach the R2 stop. An alternative is to take to the Alibus service (see below).
Alternatively you can brave the breakneck driving of a Naples taxi driver; there is a rank outside the station and another by the ferry terminal.
From the airport
From Naples Capodichino Airport simply catch the Alibus service outside the airport (roughly every twenty minutes), buy a 3 ticket from the driver and you’ll be at Piazza Municipio, the bus stop for the Molo Beverello port, in around twenty minutes, transport permitting. This direct bus service has one intermediate stop, at the railway station. Alight at the end of the route, by the fortress known as the Maschio Angioino, and walk down towards the port, taking a path just to the left of the castle. The port is just a couple of minutes’ walk downhill. Cross the big road, walk a short distance to your right and you’ll be alongside the ticket offices for ferries.
Ferry companies
Listed below are the websites for Naples ferry services. Unfortunately they are not all well-designed and maintained – it can be much easier to obtain information on your arrival in Naples, as the companies produce up-to-date leaflets with timetables. The following vocabulary may be helpful: orari – timetables, destinazioni – destinations, collegamenti – connections, tariffe – fares. Check which Naples port you want – most ferry companies use both. Some services only run in summer months.
Alilauro – travel between Naples, Ischia, Capri, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Salerno.
Caremar – Pozzuoli – Procida – Ischia; Naples – Procida – Ischia; Naples – Ischia (direct); Naples – Capri; Capri – Sorrento. They operate slow and fast ferries (traghetto and traghetto veloce) as well as a faster hydrofoil service (unità Veloce).
SNAV – Naples – Procida – Ischia; Naples – Capri.
MedMar – longer distance ferries from Naples; to Sicily, Sardinia, the Aeolian Islands and Ponza as well as Ischia.
On this site
Useful links