Circumvesuviana

Map of the Circumvesuviana lines.

Pompei Scavi services the main entrance to Pompeii.

A train arrives at Pompei Scavi station.

Circumvesuviana (acronym: SFSM, Strade Ferrate Secondarie Meridionali) is a group of narrow-gauge railways connecting towns to the south-east of Naples, Italy. Its tracks run around the base of Mount Vesuvius, and (using a combination of lines), they completely encircle it, as well as running on down the Sorrento peninsula. There are 96 stations in total on the network, and 138 km of track. The line uses the 950 mm gauge, and the maximum speed is 90 km/h. Some trains stop at all stations on a particular route, others are 'fast' trains and stop only at the main stations.

The Circumvesuviana network is managed by a private company and does not accept Eurail passes for fares.

The lines all start from the terminus in Naples, and then branch off in several places to towns on the Sorrentine peninsula, for which it forms an important commercial artery. The complete journey from Sorrento to Naples takes about one hour. Half-way along the line is the station at Pompeii Scavi, situated about 100 metres from the entrance to the excavations. There are also stops within reasonable walking distance - less than one kilometre - from the Roman city of Herculaneum and the Villa Poppaea (nearest station Torre Annunziata). Parts of the line are very scenic, particularly on the Sorrento peninsula, where the line passes through several tunnels and bridges. There is also a tunnel in Naples to allow the lines to pass under the mainline train station, Napoli Centrale railway station.

Lines

There are six lines. These can be summarized as:

• Napoli Porta Nolana - Barra - Torre del Greco - Torre Annunziata - Castellammare di Stabia - Sorrento
• Napoli Porta Nolana - Barra - Vesuvio/De Meis - Ottaviano - Poggiomarino - Sarno
• Napoli Porta Nolana - Pomigliano d'Arco - Nola - Baiano
• Napoli Porta Nolana - Pomigliano d'Arco - Acerra
• Napoli Porta Nolana - Barra - Torre del Greco - Torre Annunziata - Pompeii -Poggiomarino
• Napoli Porta Nolana - Vesuvio/De Meis - San Georgio a Cremano

Circumvesuviana route diagram

Legend Napoli Porta Nolana (Corso Garibaldi) Napoli Piazza Garibaldi (Stazione Centrale F.S.) Napoli Gianturco Napoli Centro Direzionale Napoli San Giovanni Napoli Poggioreale Napoli Barra Napoli Botteghelle Napoli Madonnelle Napoli Ponticelli Napoli Argine Palasport Napoli Villa Visconti Napoli Santa Maria Del Pozzo Volla Napoli Vesuvio/De Meis Napoli Bartolo Longo Volla-Salice San Giorgio a Cremano Casalnuovo Casalnuovo La Pigna San Giorgio Cavalli Di Bronzo Cercola Casalnuovo-Talona Portici Bellavista Pollena-Trocchia Pomigliano Parco Piemonte Portici Via Libertà Guindazzi Pomigliano Pratola Ponte Ercolano Scavi Sant'Anastasia-Madonna Dell'Arco Ercolano Miglio D'Oro Sant'Anastasia Pomigliano d'Arco Torre del Greco Somma Vesuviana-Mercato Vecchio Pomigliano Alfa Lancia 2 Pomigliano Alfa Lancia 4 Torre Del Greco Via Sant'Antonio Somma Vesuviana Acerra Torre Del Greco Via Monte Rione Trieste Castelcisterna Torre Del Greco Via Monaci Ottaviano Torre Del Greco Villa Ginestre Brusciano Leopardi Brusciano De Ruggiero Trecase Via Viuli Mariglianella (Via Vittorio Veneto) Trecase Marigliano Torre Annunziata Oplonti San Vitaliano Scisciano Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri Laviano-San Leonardo Boscotrecase Saviano Pompei-Moregine San Giuseppe Vesuviano Nola Castellammare Ponte Persica San Giuseppe-Casilli Boscoreale Cimitile Castellammare Pioppaino Terzigno Pompei Valle Camposano Castellammare Via Nocera Pompei Santuario Cicciano Castellammare Di Stabia Poggiomarino-Flocco Scafati Roccarainola Castellammare Pozzano Scafati-San Pietro Avella Scrajo Poggiomarino-Cangiani Baiano Vico Equense Seiano Poggiomarino Meta Striano Piano di Sorrento San Valentino Torio Sant'Agnello Sarno Sorrento

Rolling stock

The network uses FE220 electric cars, usually coupled together to form a two- or three-car multiple units. These are painted white with red doors and ends. Power is supplied by overhead catenery and the train motors can generate up to 500 kilowatts of power.

Additionally, twenty-six new "Metrostar" three-car articulated units arrived between November 2008 and September 2009, manufactured by a consortium of Firema and AnsaldoBreda. These trains are capable of carrying 450 passengers and are styled by Pininfarina. As well as being more powerful, these also have computer driving aids, self-levelling suspension and onboard toilets.

External links

• Official Circumvesuviana site (Italian)
• Unofficial site (mostly in (Italian) with summary in (English)