After my basic preparation I was ready to travel. The airline had decided to bring my flight forwards by 2 hours due to an air traffic controller strike in Italy so that it could land early (and presumably other flights were too). It was a 1am start for my drive from Bournemouth (South of England) to London Gatwick airport [9] (which is not near London) for my flight to Naples and then onto Rome by train. I’d checked online there were trains to Rome (Roma) from Naples (Napoli) and there were train companies available, all seemed very possible and Plan B was to stay in Naples and travel to Rome the next day. I calculated I could take a taxi from Naples airport (Aeroporto Internazionale di Napoli) to Naples train station (Napoli Centrale) and buy a train ticket to travel to Rome (Roma Termini)
The taxi was eventful, the driver suggested I use his services from Naples and drive to Rome as there were train strikes as well as air traffic control strikes. That’s a 222 mile journey, 2 hours 20 minutes, a price of €400 was offered, which I declined. He dropped his price to €300 as I kept insisting on being taken to the train station! We were going the right way and he dropped me at the back of the station. I wasn’t impressed and found my way in.
I had practiced my very basic Italian and had my phone screen ready with my journey info once I had walked into the station. The ticket kiosk was obvious and in the middle of the concourse. Fortunately, the attendant spoke very good English and I quickly had my premium single ticket for €58 and directions to the train. I then headed to the platform and boarded my waiting train. This went incredibly well, and I highly recommend taking the train – quite a shock for a UK citizen! They were frequent, clean, spacious, and comfortable – and fast.
Amazingly, I had an Espresso outside Napoli airport at 09:07 and my next one at my hotel in Rome at 11:21… that’s 2h 14m coffee to coffee! I took photos for my kids which is how I’m precise on the times. So, I had finished my espresso, picked up a taxi outside the airport, argued about driving to Rome, purchased my train ticket, found and boarded my train, located my reserved seat, travelled to Roma (222 miles), walked to my hotel [7] with my luggage and ordered, served and sat with my second Espresso. I found that incredible! (For context, I live near Bournemouth, 100 miles from London Waterloo station, an unreliable, frequently delayed and disrupted, 2h direct train journey).
So here I was sipping my Espresso and hoping the rest of my trip would go as smoothly… I had arrived in Rome!
I finished my coffee and had plenty of time before check-in so walked from my hotel to the Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi). My first tourist sight. It was as busy as expected but worth the walk. It had been a 2am start so that evening I went to the nearby restaurant, Centro [8] and had a very delicious Italian dinner with Italian wine, I always try to choose as local as possible whenever I can. It had been a long day and was getting late so I headed back to the hotel.
So, had I learnt anything? Yes, the most impressive thing was that Italian trains are excellent and I haven’t stopped telling people. Also, flights change and taxi drivers need to be questioned – who knew!
Thanks for reading.
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Notes & References:
[7] Hotel, Golden Tulip Rome Piram, Via Giovanni Amendola, 7, 00185 Roma RM, Italy
[8] Restaurant, Centro, Via Cavour, 61, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
[9] London Gatwick airport (LGW), is 28 miles from central London, a 1h30m drive