Best Way to Get Around the Amalfi Coast: Car, Bus, Boat, or Tour

The answer to this question depends on what time of the year you will be here, what do you plan to do on the Amalfi Coast, and how much money you have to spend.

We have visited the Amalfi Coast twice: July 2014 and October 2022. Between both of these visits, we have used the ferry, ridden the public buses, hired drivers, hired a private boat, and driven the entire length of the Amalfi Coast, from Salerno to Sorrento.

We learned A LOT and have lots of valuable tips, which we share in this guide. And if you have any questions or if you have information to share that would help future readers, let us know in the comment section at the end of this article.

Overview of the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is a stretch of coastline that runs along the Sorrentine peninsula. There are 13 towns along this coastline plus Salerno and Sorrento, which sit at either end. Some of these towns are located right on the water, like Amalfi and Positano, and others are located higher up on the hills, like Ravello and Praiano.

Amalfi Drive is the main road that travels along the Amalfi Coast. It is 50 km long and runs through most of these towns. There are a few Amalfi Coast towns that are located higher in the mountains, on side roads off of Amalfi Drive, such as Ravello and Tramonti.

At first glance, it may seem that renting a car and driving from town to town is the best way to get around the Amalfi Coast. But unfortunately, that’s not the case. From June through September, the Amalfi Coast is filled with visitors from around the world. These small towns have very limited parking, and the increase in summer traffic creates long traffic jams along Amalfi Drive. You may have better luck winning the lottery than getting a parking space in Amalfi or Positano.

There is now an alternating license plate system for the summer months. We’ll go more into detail about this later in this guide.

To get around the Amalfi Coast, you have a lot of options…car, bus, ferry, small boat tour, private boat, taxi, private driver, and tour. We dive deeper into each of these next.

Amalfi, Italy 

How to Get Around the Amalfi Coast

By Rental Car: Driving the Amalfi Coast

If you will be road tripping through Italy, it would only make sense to use your car and drive to the towns you want to visit along the Amalfi Coast. And for those who love scenic drives, you could rent a car just for your time on the Amalfi Coast and use that to get around.

But is it a good idea?

We drove the entire length of Amalfi Drive in October 2022. In our article Driving the Amalfi Coast, we write about our experience and important things to know, before committing yourself to this mode of transportation.

Amalfi Coast Drive

Long sections of the roads are lined with parked cars and scooters, which makes this narrow road even narrower. 

May through September

If you have plans to visit the Amalfi Coast from May through September, getting around by rental car could be a nightmare. On weekends and the entire month of August, those with rental cars can only drive Amalfi Drive on odd or even days, depending on their license plate number.

In the summer, it’s also not unusual to have backups stretching several kilometers. Parking is almost nonexistent, so once you get to where you want to be, you could spend a huge amount of time circling for a parking space. Or, you could end up parking several kilometers outside of town, and have a long walk along Amalfi Drive to get into town.

October through April

This is the low season, so if driving the Amalfi Coast is on your bucket list, this is the best time to do it. Even in mid to late October, there was still a fair amount of traffic and we had trouble finding parking. For the best experience (taking weather into account), plan your trip for late October into November or sometime in April. Learn more in our article October on the Amalfi Coast.

Towns You Can Get to By Car

All of the towns on the Amalfi Coast are accessible by car. The trick is finding a parking space once here, even in the off season.

Alternating License Plate System

In 2022, an alternating license plate system was instituted on Amalfi Drive.

Here are the rules:

• These rules apply to rental cars. Cars belonging to locals, taxis, and buses are exempt.
• Rental cars with a license plate ending in an odd number cannot drive Amalfi Drive on odd numbered days. Rental cars with a license plate ending in an even number cannot drive Amalfi Drive on even numbered days.
• The rule is in effect for the entire month of August and from June 15 to September 30 (I have read conflicting information that it is only weekends from June 15 to September 30 and every day from this time period). Some holidays, such as Easter, are also included. I recommend reading this for updated hours and restrictions before you decide to rent a car.
• The alternating license plate system is in effect for the 22 km stretch of road between Positano and Vietri sul Mare.
• In addition to the license plate system, any vehicle that is longer than 10.36 meters (34 feet), including vehicles pulling trailers, are banned from 6:30 am to midnight all year.

From what I have read online, if you will be staying in a hotel on the Amalfi Coast, you can arrive to your hotel on your planned date, even if your license plate does not align with the dates. Let’s face it, you won’t know the number of your license plate until you pick up your rental car, so it’s impossible to plan in advance which days to drive the Amalfi Coast. I recommend confirming this rule with your hotel before your visit.

By Private Driver

If you hire a private driver, you can still travel on your own schedule, but eliminate some of the hassles of a rental car, such as parking. Plus, if you plan to tour Italy by train, a private driver allows you to explore the Amalfi Coast by road, rather than renting a car for a few days.

Hiring a private driver can be expensive. Prices range from €100 to €400, depending on how long you plan to use the driver that day.

We hired our private drivers through our hotel, with the company Positano Limo Service.

Amalfi Drive

By Bus

Traveling by bus is the most economical way to get around the Amalfi Coast. For just €10 per day, you can travel up and down Amalfi Drive.

To travel by bus, you will need some patience. In the summer, lines at the bus stops can be long. And once on the bus, you will be sitting in the same backups as everyone else.

We traveled by bus in 2014 and had a terrible experience. Hopefully things have improved since then, and based on the number of buses we saw on Amalfi Drive, it looks like it has.

In 2014, we started in Sorrento and road the SITA bus to Positano. Once finished in Positano, we waited and waited at the bus stop, and scheduled bus after bus failed to arrive. Eventually, a hop-on hop-off bus arrived, and we bought a ticket, just to get to the next town on our list, Amalfi.

Once finished in Amalfi, the same scenario repeated itself. Several scheduled buses failed to show up. By the time the next bus arrived, there were so many people in line that only a small fraction made it onto the bus.

So, if you plan to travel by bus, have some patience and be prepared for delays. And if you have done this and would like to share your experience to help out future readers, you can do so in the comment section below.

For more information on how to use the bus, click here.

For the SITA bus timetable, click here.

By Ferry

To avoid the traffic jams on Amalfi Drive and for stunning views of the Amalfi Coast, consider taking the ferry. During the summer months, we highly recommend getting around by ferry, or some sort of boat, to avoid the traffic delays on Amalfi Drive.

It is important to know that not all of the towns on the Amalfi Coast are accessible by boat. If you take the ferry, you will only be able to visit the coastal towns, which includes Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Salerno, Minori, Maiori, Cetara, and Vietri sul Mare.

There are several companies that operate ferries on the Amalfi Coast. They each have different schedules and ports. Here are the links to the companies:

• Travelmar
• Alilaura Gruson
• NLG (Navigazione Libera del Golfo)

You can also search for ferry routes on FerryHopper.com or TraghettiUp.com, which gives the schedules for the three companies listed above. We are big fans of FerryHopper.com, and use it frequently, not only to book ferries on the Amalfi Coast, but also in Greece and Croatia. This website is very user friendly and will list all of the available ferries for the dates you are looking at, so you don’t have to check multiple websites.

Ferries typically operate from April through October. If you will be traveling outside of this period, look into taking the bus, hiring a driver, or renting a car.

Ticket booths for the ferries in Positano.

Ferries in Positano | Best way to get around the Amalfi Coast

NLG is one of the most popular ferry companies on the Amalfi Coast. 

By Private Boat

Traveling by private boat is one of the best ways to get around the Amalfi Coast. Having done everything listed above, I have to say that this is our favorite mode of transportation on the Amalfi Coast. It can be expensive, but it comes with some huge advantages that make it worth it, especially if you are traveling as a small group.

If you are going to splurge on one thing during your trip to Italy, this gets our vote. Relax on a private boat, sip on prosecco, visit small coves and caves that are inaccessible by ferry and difficult or impossible to get to by car or bus, and zip up and down the coastline faster than any car or ferry out there.

Plus, the views are simply amazing.

Atrani

By boat, you can visit places like Fiordo di Furore (the photo above) and sea caves along the coast.

We took a private 8-hour boat cruise from Positano, visiting the Smeraldo Grotto, Fiordo di Furore, Amalfi, Maiori, Minori, Atrani, and Nerano. This 8-hour boat tour with Luxury Boats Positano was one of our most memorable experiences in Italy.

Prices for a full day cruise range from €800 to as high as €3000, depending on the boat and company you choose. If you are traveling as a group of four to six people, splitting the cost of a €800 or €13000 boat is not as crazy as it first seems, especially given the advantages that come with having a private boat.

And if you want the private boat experience, without spending a crazy amount of money, Luxury Boats Positano and other companies have shorter tours. How about a 2-hour sunset cruise along the Amalfi Coast?

Other companies to consider are Lucibello Positano, Sorrento Dream Charter, and Mar Amar.

By Small Group Boat Tour

By joining a small boat tour, you get to cruise along the coast without the big price tag that you get with a private boat. There is a long list of boat tours to choose from, some starting in Sorrento, some starting in Positano, and some starting in Amalfi.

When choosing your tour, pay attention to the number of people in the group, the starting point of the tour, and the price. Some group tours can cost several hundred dollars per person, and if you are a group of 4 to 6 people, it might not cost much more to hire a private boat.

Positano

By Small Group Tour (On Land)

There are also many small group tours of the Amalfi Coast, where you travel by van, car, or bus, visiting the highlights of the coast. These group tours range from just a few people to larger groups, so pay attention to group size while booking your tour.

A group tour is a good option for those who only have one day on the Amalfi Coast and don’t want the hassle of working out transportation, what to see, and where to go. Many of these tours start and end in Sorrento.

This highly rated group tour starts in either Naples or Sorrento and includes both a land tour and short boat cruise on the Amalfi Coast, where you will visit Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. It’s a great option for those with one day on the Amalfi Coast since it covers the main highlights.

It’s also possible to day trip to the Amalfi Coast from Rome, but this is a long day and we don’t recommend it (we think Pompeii and Vesuvius is a better option from Rome). But this tour gets rave reviews and is worth considering, if you really want to see the Amalfi Coast and have limited time.

Ravello

By Scooter

Scooters, with their small size, can zip around the traffic jams and it’s a lot easier to find a parking space than it would be if you are traveling by car. However, we only recommend getting around by scooter for those with lots of prior experience. Amalfi Drive is crowded and chaotic, even in the off season, and this is not a good road for newbie drivers.

Amalfi Coast

Best Way to Get Around the Amalfi Coast: Our Recommendations

To summarize all of the information above, here are our recommendations for the best way to get around the Amalfi Coast.

For the best overall experience, hire a private boat. It is the most expensive option, but the views are unbeatable, you can explore nooks and crannies that are difficult to get to by other modes of transportation, and this is the fastest way to travel from town to town, so if you want to see and do a lot, a private boat is the way to go.

If you are traveling on a budget, the ferry is our first choice (great views and to avoid the traffic on Amalfi Drive) followed by the public bus.

During the summer months, from June through September, avoid traveling on Amalfi Drive if possible. If you want to visit Ravello or Tramonti, you will have to take the bus, drive, or hire a private driver, but to get everywhere else, take a boat of some sort (ferry, small group boat tour, or private boat).

If you really want to drive the Amalfi Coast, the best time to do it is from mid-October through April.

Tours of the Amalfi Coast

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to get around the Amalfi Coast?

During the summer months, the best way to get around the Amalfi Coast is by boat (ferry, small boat tour, or private boat). The views are beautiful and you can avoid the traffic jams on Amalfi Drive. If you are traveling on a budget, travel by ferry or by bus. From June through September, avoid driving the Amalfi Coast if possible, since traffic jams are frequent, parking is a nightmare, and rental car traffic is limited by the new alternating license plate system.

Is it worth driving the Amalfi Coast?

If you plan to visit Italy between May and September, Amalfi Drive can be a crowded, chaotic road with long backups and major challenges finding a parking space. During this time, it is not worth driving the Amalfi Coast and it is best to get around by ferry or boat. However, if you have long dreamed of making this drive, the best time to do it is from mid-October through the end of April, which is low season on the Amalfi Coast.

How difficult is it to drive the Amalfi Coast?

It doesn’t take any special skills to drive Amalfi Drive. You need a good deal of patience and you need to stay alert, since it is a chaotic drive. If this is something you plan to do, rent a smaller vehicle, which makes it a lot easier to navigate the turns and the tight spaces as you squeeze past buses and other vehicles.

More Information for Your Trip to the Amalfi Coast

AMALFI COAST TOWNS: For an overview of where to go, check out our article 17 Beautiful Towns to Visit on the Amalfi Coast. We also have detailed guides about the Best Things to Do on the Amalfi Coast and how to visit Positano and Ravello. Learn how to plan your time with our Amalfi Coast Itinerary.

GETTING AROUND: Learn how to travel from Rome to Sorrento, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast and how to visit Pompeii when traveling between Rome and Sorrento. We also have a guide to what it is like to drive the Amalfi Coast.

PATH OF THE GODS: The Path of the Gods is a gorgeous hike on the Amalfi Coast.

SORRENTO & CAPRI: Learn about the best things to do in Sorrento, how to spend 3 days in Sorrento, learn how to plan your day trip to Capri, and find out whether or not the Blue Grotto is worth it.

ITALY ITINERARY: On this 10 day southern Italy itinerary, visit the Amalfi Coast, Castelmezzano, Matera, Alberobello, and more towns in Puglia.

WHERE TO STAY: For recommendations of where to stay, including Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello, take a look at our Amalfi Coast Hotel Guide.

If you have any questions about the best way to get around the Amalfi Coast, or if you want to share your experience, you can do so in the comment section below.

More Information for Your Trip to Italy

ITALY ITINERARY: If you are just beginning to plan your Italy itinerary, take a look at our 10 Days in Italy Itinerary for five different ways to spend 10 days in Italy.

VENICE ITINERARY: If you need suggestions on how to plan your time, take a look at our One Day in Venice Itinerary and Two Days in Venice Itinerary.

FLORENCE & TUSCANY: If this is your first visit to Florence, read our guide to the Best Things to Do in Florence and the best rooftop bars in Florence. If you plan to visit Tuscany, learn how to spend one day in Siena, things to do in Montepulciano, and the best things to do in San Gimignano.

PUGLIA: Read about 15 beautiful places to visit in Puglia and the best things to do in Alberobello. We also have a guide to the best things to do on the Gargano Peninsula and how to spend one day in Vieste.

MILAN & LAKE COMO: Learn how to visit Milan on a day trip or while traveling between the Cinque Terre, Florence and Venice. Lake Como and Bellagio are two more beautiful places in Italy that are great day trip destinations.

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