Herculaneum is home to the ancient Roman city founded by Hercules and destroyed, like Pompeii, by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D.. As well as the marvellous 18th-century villas built by the most important architects of the 18th century.
The archaeological site of Herculaneum is considerably smaller than that of Pompeii, but rich in history and perfectly preserved.
Herculaneum is located on the slopes of Vesuvius exactly halfway between Naples and Pompeii. To get to Herculaneum you can use various means of transport, the most convenient, however, being by car or train.
Here I will list in detail the means of transport and the route you will need to take to get to Herculaneum, depending on whether you are leaving from Naples or Pompeii.
How to get to Herculaneum from Pompeii
Herculaneum is about 17 km from Pompeii. You can get to Herculaneum from Pompeii either by car or by train. The two towns are well connected, so regardless of the means of transport you choose, you can get there comfortably and simply without a hitch, barring any unforeseen traffic or train delays.
How to get to Herculaneum from Pompeii by car
To get to Herculaneum from Pompeii by car, take the A3 highway towards Naples located near the archaeological site of Pompei. Then take the exit for Ercolano Scavi, it takes approximately 15 minutes to reach Herculaneum.
On leaving follow all the road signs along the way. That will take you directly either to Via Corso Resina, where there is an entrance to the site or to Via dei Papiri Ercolanesi, where there is municipal parking and another entrance to the Herculaneum Excavations.
The parking lot operated by the municipality charges an hourly rate of €2.00/hour for cars and motorcycles, €5.00/hour for camper and minivans up to 9 seats.
How to get to Herculaneum from Pompeii by train
An equally convenient way to reach Herculaneum from Pompeii is by circumvesuviana train.
There are two circumvesuviana train stations in Pompeii. The Villa dei Misteri station, located at the entrance to the Archaeological Park on Upper Porta Marina Street. And the Sanctuary station, which is located near the Piazza di Pompei, behind the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary.
You can take the train that runs the Naples-Sorrento route, and the departure and arrival times are as follows: TIMETABLES NAPOLI-SORRENTO.
Tickets can be purchased locally according to the fares in effect at that time.
It takes approximately 30 minutes to get to Herculaneum Ruins from Pompeii by train.
On arrival, take Via IV Novembre and in just over 6 minutes walk downhill you will reach the entrance to the Herculaneum Archaeological Park on Corso Resina.
How to get to Herculaneum from Naples
Herculaneum is located 11 km from Naples, again to get to Herculaneum from Naples I recommend you use either the circumvesuviana train or the car if you have one.
These are the most convenient and easiest ways to reach Herculaneum, you are not forced to take immense turns or risk getting lost, among the many roads that populate the city.
How to get to Herculaneum from Naples by train
To get to Herculaneum from Naples by train, I recommend using the circumvesuviana trains. Which provide a stop at Herculaneum excavation, located 700 meters from the main entrance to the archaeological site on Corso Resina.
Circumvesuviana train tracks are located on the lower level of the central station at Piazza Garibaldi in Naples.
The route that includes a stop at Herculaneum excavation is the Naples-Sorrento route and it takes approximately 15 minutes to get to Herculaneum from Naples. The circumvesuviana train schedule for this route is as follows: TIMETIBLES NAPOLI – SORRENTO.
Tickets can also be purchased on site, at the ticket office located inside the station.
How to get to Herculaneum from Naples by car
To get to Herculaneum from Naples by car, reach the nearest highway exit that leads onto the A3 Naples-Salerno highway, following the signs for Salerno.
Take the highway and you will reach Herculaneum in about 15 minutes. Follow all the signs along the way that will lead you both to the entrance of the Excavations on Via dei Papiri Ercolanesi where there is municipal parking and to the entrance of the site on Corso Resina.
The parking lot operated by the municipality charges an hourly rate of €2.00/hour for cars and motorcycles, €5.00/hour for campers and minivans up to 9 seats.
Altri informazioni utili
What to see at the Herculaneum excavations
La piccola città distrutta dall’eruzione del Vesuvio e ritrovata in perfetto stato di conservazione come 2000 anni fa
Scopri comeHerculaneum excavations: opening times, tickets, free Sundays
Tutte le informazioni sull’acquisto dei biglietti, le tariffe applicate e gli orari.
Scopri comeHerculaneum Archaeological Excavations: All Faq
Quanto dura la visita agli Scavi di Ercolano?
La visita agli Scavi di Ercolano dura circa 2 o 3 ore.
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