Getting around the Amalfi Coast is its own small puzzle, and most first-timers solve it the expensive way — by renting a car. The SS163 coast road is one of Italy’s most scenic drives and one of its most miserable to actually navigate in summer. Thirteen kilometers from Positano to Amalfi can take 30–60 minutes by car in peak season, with tour buses and delivery trucks meeting at blind corners above several hundred meters of open air. There’s parking at almost none of the places you actually want to stop, and the road’s passing places require a level of confidence most people driving a rented automatic hatchback haven’t developed.
Amalfi Coast transportation works better when you use what the coast was actually built around: buses and boats. Once you understand how the system works, it becomes genuinely simple.
Amalfi Coast Transportation Options at a Glance
| Option | Cost | Speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| SITA bus | €2.40–4 per ride, or €10/day pass | Slow in peak traffic | Budget travel between all towns |
| Ferry | €10–30 depending on route | Fast, no traffic | Comfort and views, April–October only |
| Water taxi | €25–60 | On-demand | Beaches with no road access |
| Taxi | €25–130 depending on route | Fast, direct | Early departures, groups, luggage |
| Rental car | Variable + €20–30/day parking | Slowest, most stressful | Only if continuing beyond the coast |
The rest of this guide breaks each of these down in practice.
SITA Buses: The Backbone of Amalfi Coast Transportation
The SITA SUD bus network covers the entire Amalfi Coast, connecting all the main towns plus the hilltop villages (Ravello, Bomerano, Scala) and extending to Sorrento and Salerno at each end. For visitors without a car, SITA is the primary way to move between towns.
How to buy tickets: You cannot buy SITA tickets on the bus. This is the single most important thing to know. Buy tickets in advance at a tabaccheria (tobacco shop, identifiable by a large black-and-white T sign), a bar, or a newsstand displaying the SITA SUD logo. Ticket machines are available at some stops. The Unico Campania app lets you buy digitally if you have a European payment card.
Validate the ticket immediately when you board using the yellow machine near the driver. Ticket inspectors operate on the coast routes; an unvalidated ticket earns the same fine as no ticket at all — roughly €40.
Ticket prices: Single tickets cost around €2.40–4 depending on route length. A COSTIERA SITA 24-hour pass costs €10 and covers unlimited SITA SUD bus travel — worth buying if you’re making three or more bus journeys in a single day.
Key routes:
- Line 5070: Sorrento to Amalfi via Positano and Praiano — the main coastal route
- Line 5120: Amalfi to Salerno via Maiori, Minori, and Cetara
- Line 5110: Amalfi to Ravello via Scala — about 25–30 minutes, runs throughout the day
- Line 5080: Amalfi to Bomerano (Agerola) — used for the Path of the Gods trailhead
The most important bus stop tip: In Positano, the SITA bus has two stops: Sponda (lower, closer to the beach) and Chiesa Nuova (upper, near the main road junction). If you board at Sponda going toward Amalfi, you get on earlier and have a better chance of a seat. The same logic applies at Chiesa Nuova going toward Sorrento. On a crowded summer morning, boarding at the first stop in your direction of travel can mean the difference between sitting and standing the whole journey.
Buses run approximately every 30–60 minutes in peak season, and run late in summer due to traffic. Check schedules on positano.com or ravello.com, which publish the current year’s timetables in English.
Motion sickness: The SS163 coast road is winding — this isn’t a joke warning. If you’re prone to motion sickness, take medication before boarding, sit near the front, and keep your eyes on the road rather than your phone. Several people per summer discover this too late.
Ferries: The Fastest Amalfi Coast Transportation Option
Ferries run between the main Amalfi Coast towns from approximately April through October. They’re faster than the SITA bus between coastal towns (no traffic, direct sea route), considerably more comfortable, and the approach to each town from the water is one of the best experiences the coast offers.
Key routes and approximate fares:
- Amalfi to Positano: ~20–25 minutes, around €10–12 one way
- Positano to Amalfi: same
- Amalfi to Capri: about 50–60 minutes, around €25–30
- Positano to Capri: about 40–50 minutes, around €22–25
- Amalfi to Salerno: about 35–40 minutes, around €10
- Maiori and Minori also connect to Amalfi and Salerno by ferry
Operators to know: The main ferry operators are Travelmar, NLG (Navigazione Libera del Golfo), and Alicost. Their schedules don’t always align, so check all three when planning a day involving multiple ferry hops. Buy tickets at the ferry dock — online booking is available for some routes.
Ferry service does not run November through March, with limited exceptions in shoulder weeks. Rough weather can cancel sailings on short notice — check conditions the evening before if you have time-sensitive plans.
Luggage on ferries: allowed, though large bags may attract a small surcharge (around €2 per bag with some operators) — fine for moving between accommodation if you’re changing base.
Water Taxis: Flexible Amalfi Coast Transportation, at a Price
Water taxis (barcaioli) operate from the main harbors in Positano and Amalfi. They offer on-demand transport to beaches otherwise inaccessible by land, short hops between towns, and private transfers.
Cost: €25–60 for a short transfer, depending on distance and how busy the operator is — significantly more than a ferry but available on-demand and without a fixed schedule.
Water taxis are useful for reaching places like Arienzo Beach (below Positano, only reachable by sea or 300 steps) or for private beach access in coves without roads. They’re not a cost-effective daily transport option.
Suggested topic — 3 Days in Amalfi Coast
Driving on the Amalfi Coast: The Case Against
Renting a car for the Amalfi Coast sounds appealing and makes planning feel easier. The reality:
Parking in Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello in peak season is either nonexistent or expensive (€20–30/day in the few official car parks). The SS163 coast road is frequently reduced to one lane and managed by locals with hand signals. Tour buses take the bends at speeds that require you to reverse on a cliff road when they appear. The road surface is uneven.
If you’re visiting the coast only, without plans for inland Tuscany or rural Cilento, there’s almost no case for a car. If you’re driving from Rome or Naples and plan to travel the coast as part of a broader road trip, park in a lot outside Positano or Amalfi (the Positano car parks near Chiesa Nuova, or the Amalfi seaside car park) and use the bus or ferry from there.
Driving tip if you must: navigate early morning (before 9am) or late afternoon (after 5pm) to avoid peak traffic. Don’t use a standard car navigation app without checking the road width for your vehicle — some rental vehicles are technically too wide for parts of the SS163.
Amalfi Coast Transportation from Naples
By train and ferry: Train from Naples Centrale to Sorrento on the Circumvesuviana line (about 70 minutes, runs frequently). Ferry from Sorrento to Positano (about 35–40 minutes, around €15) or to Amalfi (about 50–60 minutes, around €20). This is the most pleasant route in good weather.
By bus from Naples: SITA operates a direct line from Naples to Amalfi (approximately 2–2.5 hours). Slower than the train-and-ferry combination but a single ticket for the whole journey.
By car/taxi: About 1.5 hours from Naples in normal traffic, longer in summer. Taxis from Naples airport run €80–120 — comfortable but expensive.
Suggested topic — Best Time to Visit Amalfi Coast
Positano’s Local Transportation: The Orange Bus
One transport detail specific to Positano: the village operates its own small orange minibus that runs a loop from the main road (SITA bus stop at Sponda) down to the beach and back. Tickets cost €2.50 each way and can be bought from the driver — one of the very few cases on the coast where you actually pay on board.
This bus saves your legs on the 300-step descent and ascent between the road and the beach. It runs frequently in peak season (approximately every 10–15 minutes from 7am to midnight). In practice, the wait for the bus can be 10–15 minutes with a queue, versus a 7–10 minute walk down if you don’t mind the stairs. Neither option is obviously better; it depends on the heat and how many times you’re making the trip that day.
For going up, if your accommodation is high in the village and you’ve been on the beach all day, the bus is worth it. Absolutely worth it.
When Amalfi Coast Buses Are Full
In July and August, the SITA bus from Sorrento to Amalfi fills up — sometimes completely. Passengers board at Sorrento station, and by the time the bus reaches Positano’s Sponda stop, there can be a queue of people who can’t board because there’s no room.
Options when this happens:
- Wait for the next bus (30–60 minutes in peak season)
- Take the ferry if you’re near a ferry dock (Positano and Amalfi both have them)
- Pay for a taxi (expensive but immediate — roughly €80–100 Positano to Amalfi)
- Walk (not realistic for the whole coast, but the trail between Praiano and Positano is doable)
The real solution is timing. Buses are most overcrowded between 9am and 1pm, when everyone is moving toward the western coast. Morning departures before 8:30am are significantly less crowded, and late afternoon (after 4pm), when the day-trippers are heading home, is another quieter window.
Boarding at the very first stop in your direction gives you the highest odds of a seat. From Amalfi going west, that means boarding at Amalfi’s piazza, not flagging the bus down somewhere in Praiano.
Taxis and Private Transfers
Taxis on the Amalfi Coast are metered but expensive by Italian standards. The narrow roads mean drivers command a premium.
Approximate taxi fares:
- Amalfi to Positano: €70–100
- Sorrento to Positano: €50–80
- Positano to Ravello: €90–130
- Amalfi to Ravello: €25–40
Private transfers (pre-booked minibuses or sedans) are competitive with taxis for groups of three or four and worth exploring if you’re moving with luggage. Book these through your accommodation or a local operator.
One practical use of taxis: early morning departures from the coast, particularly for airport connections. If you need to be at Naples airport by 9am and are staying in Positano, a pre-booked private transfer is the only reliable option — the SITA bus schedule doesn’t align well with early morning airport departures, and ferries don’t run at that hour.
Transportation Apps for the Amalfi Coast
Google Maps covers the SITA bus network accurately enough for basic routing and shows real-time departure information for some stops.
Moovit works well across Italy and has the Amalfi Coast transit network covered in useful detail.
Positano.com and Ravello.com publish the current-year SITA timetables in English. When schedules change seasonally, these sites update faster than the apps.
For ferry information, go directly to the Travelmar, NLG, and Alicost websites — the apps don’t consistently show all ferry operators.
One more tip: download the official SITA SUD app (iOS and Android) for real-time bus location tracking. When a bus is running 15 minutes late on the coast road and you’re standing at a stop wondering whether to wait or walk to a ferry dock, real-time tracking makes that decision significantly easier.
FAQ
What is the best way to get around the Amalfi Coast? A mix of SITA buses and ferries. Buses cover every town and cost the least; ferries are faster and more comfortable between coastal towns but only run April through October. Most visitors use both depending on the day.
Can you visit the Amalfi Coast without a car? Yes. Ferries and SITA buses cover all the main towns — the coast was built around sea access, and its transportation system reflects that. A car creates more problems than it solves in peak season.
Where do you buy SITA bus tickets on the Amalfi Coast? At tabaccherie (tobacco shops), bars, and newsstands displaying the SITA SUD logo — not on the bus. Buy before you board and validate immediately.
How much does transportation cost on the Amalfi Coast? SITA bus tickets run €2.40–4 per ride, or €10 for a 24-hour pass. Ferries run €10–30 depending on route. Taxis run €25–130 depending on distance. A car adds €20–30/day in parking on top of the rental itself.
How long does the ferry take from Amalfi to Positano? Around 20–25 minutes depending on the operator and number of stops. Some services are direct; others stop at Praiano, adding a few minutes. Faster and more comfortable than the bus, which takes 40–60 minutes in summer traffic.
When do ferries stop running on the Amalfi Coast? Most ferry services end in October and resume in late March or April. Exact dates vary by operator and year — check the current season schedule on the operators’ websites before planning.
Is the SITA 24-hour pass worth buying? Yes, if you’re making three or more bus journeys in a single day. At €10 for unlimited rides it saves money quickly on heavy travel days. Single tickets at €2.40–4 each work out cheaper for light travel days.
