Quick summary
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Airport → city | ~15–25 min. Alibus shuttle ~€5, taxi flat rate ~€20–35 by zone, private car more (check current rates) |
| Airport → Sorrento | ~60–90 min. Scheduled coach or private transfer; no direct train |
| Airport → Positano/Amalfi | ~1.5–2 h by private transfer, or via ferry from Molo Beverello (seasonal) |
| Book ahead? | Not needed for the city; strongly recommended for the coast and night arrivals |
| Night arrivals | Taxi rank or pre-booked private car; Alibus stops around midnight |
Naples airport transfers start with one piece of good news: Naples International Airport (Capodichino) is about 6–7 km from the city center. There is no airport train and you won't miss it — with normal traffic you're at Napoli Centrale or the seafront in under half an hour. The decisions that actually matter are which of three tools to use (shuttle bus, flat-rate taxi, private car) and how to handle the longer hauls to Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi, where getting it wrong costs real time and money.
Airport to Naples city center: Alibus vs taxi vs private car
| Option | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Alibus shuttle | The official ANM airport bus. Two key stops: Napoli Centrale (Piazza Garibaldi) and the port area by Molo Beverello. Every 20–30 minutes, around €5 (confirm the current fare on the ANM site), tickets on board, at kiosks or by app. | Solo travelers and couples with manageable luggage. Unbeatable value; it can be standing-room-full at peak times. |
| Official taxi, flat rate | White taxis from the rank outside arrivals. Naples uses fixed tariffe predeterminate to defined city zones — roughly €20–35 depending on the area, per the municipal tariff card displayed in the cab. Say "tariffa fissa" and confirm the figure before moving. | Groups of 2–4, anyone with real luggage, hotel doorstep delivery. Split four ways it often beats the bus. |
| Pre-booked private transfer | Driver meets you in arrivals with a name board, tracks your flight, fixed price agreed at booking. Compare airport transfer options for vehicles from sedans to vans. | Night arrivals, families with car seats, groups of 5+, first-timers who don't want to negotiate anything after a flight. |
Landing at Capodichino: the first 20 minutes
Capodichino is a single-terminal airport, which keeps arrivals simple: passport control, one baggage hall, one exit into a compact arrivals area. Before you leave the building, three quick errands are worth the minutes. Grab a SIM or eSIM top-up if you need one — the kiosks inside beat the tourist-street prices in town. Pull cash from the bank-branded ATMs in the terminal rather than the fee-heavy exchange machines. And if you're taking the Alibus, buy the ticket at the kiosk or in the ANM app before walking out, so you're not fumbling coins at the bus door. The Alibus stop and the official taxi rank are both immediately outside arrivals, clearly signed; anyone who approaches you inside the terminal offering a ride is not your driver. Pre-booked transfer drivers wait in the arrivals hall itself with a name board — if you don't see yours, call the number on the booking voucher before accepting any substitute.
Airport to Molo Beverello: connecting to a ferry
Flying in and sailing straight out to Capri or Ischia? The Alibus port stop drops you a short walk from the Molo Beverello ticket windows — allow 30–45 minutes airport-to-pier including the ride and shuffle. A flat-rate taxi does the same door-to-gangway in about 20 minutes outside rush hour. Two rules for this connection: don't book the first ferry that theoretically fits — leave at least 90 minutes between scheduled landing and departure — and check our Naples ferries guide so you walk to the correct pier (fast boats at Beverello, slow ferries at Calata Porta di Massa).
Airport to Sorrento
There's no direct rail link, so pick one of three routes:
- Private transfer (~1 hour door to door). The comfortable default with luggage. A private airport-to-Sorrento transfer includes flight tracking and a meet-and-greet in arrivals — the driver waits if you're delayed.
- Scheduled coach (~75–90 minutes). Direct buses link Capodichino and Sorrento several times a day at a fraction of the private price. Fixed timetable, so pair it with a realistic landing buffer.
- The budget chain: Alibus + Circumvesuviana. Bus to Napoli Centrale, then the commuter train from Garibaldi to Sorrento (~70 minutes). Cheapest by far, but crowded, stair-heavy and a known pickpocket route — do it with a backpack, not two suitcases.
Airport to Positano and Amalfi
No public bus or train goes direct, so this is a two-strategy problem:
- By road, private transfer (~1.5–2 hours). The only door-to-door option. Summer traffic on the coast road is legendary, so morning arrivals travel much faster than afternoon ones. Fixed-price cars and vans are bookable in advance — compare the transfer listings by vehicle size.
- By sea, roughly April–October. Alibus or taxi to Molo Beverello, then the seasonal high-speed boat to Positano or Amalfi. Slower overall but scenic, immune to road traffic, and often cheaper than a private car for one or two people. Route details are in the ferries guide and our Amalfi Coast day trip page.
Night arrivals and early departures
- Alibus stops around midnight and restarts early morning (verify current first/last runs with ANM before relying on it).
- The taxi rank operates around the clock, but late-night queues after the last waves of low-cost arrivals can be slow.
- Pre-book with flight tracking for anything after 22:00. A confirmed driver holding your name beats gambling on the rank, especially heading beyond the city.
- For dawn departures, book the car the evening before and add 15 minutes of buffer — Naples traffic is calm at 5:00, security lines at Capodichino are not always.
Luggage logistics
Alibus has luggage space but no formal limits or handlers — you lift what you carry, and at rush hour big bags make you unpopular. Taxis take standard luggage in the boot at no legitimate extra charge within the flat rate (surcharges, where applied, must be on the tariff card). Private transfers ask for your bag count at booking, which is the point: a family with four large suitcases books a van once instead of discovering the problem at the curb. If you're day-tripping before check-in, the left-luggage office at Napoli Centrale (covered in our Rome to Naples guide) bridges the gap.
How to save on Naples airport transfers
- Under ~€10 total: Alibus covers both the station and the port — the whole city game for pocket change.
- Groups flip the math. Four people on a €30 flat-rate taxi pay less per head than four Alibus tickets, with zero waiting.
- Book coast transfers early. Private car prices to Positano rise as summer dates fill; the coach sells out on weekends.
- Don't pay for speed you can't use. If your hotel check-in is at 15:00 and you land at 10:00, the slow cheap route costs you nothing.
- Free cancellation is standard on most GetYourGuide transfer listings — book the plan, keep the flexibility.
Which transfer for which traveler
- Solo backpacker, city hostel: Alibus. Nothing else comes close on price.
- Couple with two suitcases, old-town hotel: flat-rate taxi — the alleys near Spaccanapoli confuse first-timers, and the driver drops you at the nearest reachable corner.
- Family of four heading to Sorrento: private transfer with car seats requested at booking. The Circumvesuviana with children and luggage is a memory you don't need.
- Group of six for a week in Positano: pre-booked van. Two taxis to the port plus six ferry tickets plus a Positano porter usually costs more and takes longer.
- Cruise passenger joining a ship: taxi or Alibus to the port — then our cruise port guide takes over from the terminal doors.
Coming from Rome instead?
If your flight lands at Rome Fiumicino rather than Naples, you don't need to backtrack through Rome's city center: a direct bus runs between Naples and Rome Fiumicino Airport in about three hours, and the high-speed train from Roma Termini does the city-to-city leg in around 70 minutes. The full comparison — train vs bus vs guided day tour — is in our Rome to Naples guide.
FAQ: Naples airport transfers
How far is Naples airport from the city center?
Capodichino sits only about 6–7 km northeast of central Naples. With normal traffic that's roughly 15–25 minutes by taxi or Alibus to Napoli Centrale or the port — one of the shortest airport-to-city runs of any major European city.
How much is a taxi from Naples airport to the city?
Official taxis apply fixed flat rates to defined zones of the city — roughly €20–35 depending on the destination area, according to the municipal tariff card. Ask for the tariffa fissa before setting off and confirm the price; the card must be displayed in the cab.
What is the Alibus and how much does it cost?
Alibus is the official airport shuttle run by ANM. It links Capodichino with Napoli Centrale station and the port area near Molo Beverello, running every 20–30 minutes for around €5 (check the ANM site for the current fare). Tickets are sold on board, at kiosks and via app.
How do I get from Naples airport to Sorrento?
Direct options are a scheduled coach (roughly 75–90 minutes) or a private transfer (about an hour door to door). The cheap route — Alibus to Napoli Centrale plus the Circumvesuviana train — works but is slow and luggage-hostile. Most visitors with bags book the private car or the coach.
How do I get from Naples airport to Positano or Amalfi?
There is no direct public transport. Either book a private transfer (roughly 1.5–2 hours by road), or connect via ferry: Alibus or taxi to Molo Beverello, then a seasonal boat to Positano or Amalfi. The ferry route only works from roughly April to October.
Is there public transport from Naples airport at night?
Alibus runs from early morning until around midnight (verify current times with ANM). For late-night arrivals your realistic options are the official taxi rank or a pre-booked private transfer with flight tracking — worth it, since drivers wait even when your flight is delayed.
Should I pre-book a Naples airport transfer?
For the city center, not necessarily — Alibus and the taxi rank handle arrivals fine. Pre-book when you land late at night, travel as a group of 3–4 with luggage, or head beyond the city to Sorrento, Positano or Amalfi, where walk-up options are poor.
Naples airport transfers come down to a simple sort: Alibus for the city on a budget, flat-rate taxi for groups and luggage, pre-booked private car for the coast, the night, or the nerves. Decide before you land, and Capodichino's great advantage — it's practically in town — works entirely in your favor.