Yes — the two sites are only 15 minutes apart by Circumvesuviana train. Allow 3–4 hours at Pompeii and 2 hours at Herculaneum. A full-day guided combo tour is the most efficient approach — it covers both sites with an expert archaeologist who explains the key differences between two cities destroyed by the same eruption but preserved in completely different ways.
Pompeii and Herculaneum were buried by the same eruption on the same day in 79 AD — but they could not be more different. Pompeii is the large commercial city preserved at ground-floor level with the full street plan intact. Herculaneum is the smaller coastal resort, buried in minutes by pyroclastic surges, with buildings standing 2–3 storeys tall and organic materials — wood, food, fabric, papyrus — surviving in conditions Pompeii’s burial never achieved. Seeing both in one day with a single expert guide who draws out these contrasts is an exceptional experience.
Top Tickets
# Pompeii & Herculaneum Small Group Tour
# Pompeii & Herculaneum with Archaeologist from Naples
# Pompeii & Herculaneum from Sorrento
Table of Contents
Tour 1: Pompeii & Herculaneum Small Group Tour
What does the Pompeii and Herculaneum small group tour include? Inclusions: skip-the-line entry to both Pompeii and Herculaneum; expert English-speaking archaeologist guide at both sites; Circumvesuviana train transfer between the two sites (20 minutes, train ticket included); earpieces for the guide audio. Group maximum: 20 people. Meeting point: Porta Marina Inferiore (left side of entrance), Pompeii. Duration: 5.5 hours.
The go-to tour for visiting both Vesuvian sites in one day. Your archaeologist guide meets you at Porta Marina Inferiore, Pompeii (the guide holds an Askos Tours sign). The tour walks you through Pompeii’s main highlights, then takes the Circumvesuviana train together to Ercolano for the afternoon Herculaneum visit.
- At Pompeii — Forum, Basilica, Thermal Baths, Lupanar, main residential streets, and key houses; the guide draws out the social history and eruption story
- Lunch break — free time between sites to grab lunch or browse the souvenir area near Pompeii entrance
- Train to Ercolano — approximately 20-minute Circumvesuviana journey; train tickets included
- At Herculaneum — the boat sheds (skeletal remains on the ancient shore), House of the Wooden Partition (carbonised wooden screen still standing), House of Neptune and Amphitrite (vivid mosaic), Thermopolium (original wooden wine rack intact), Suburban Baths
- Languages: English only; earpieces provided for groups
- Note: In the event of train disruption, the tour operator has used private minibuses to manage the transfer — well-reviewed for this flexibility
Pompeii & Herculaneum with Archaeologist from Naples
Inclusions: transport by modern minibus from Naples (Starhotels Terminus); skip-the-line entry at both Pompeii and Herculaneum; professional archaeologist guide at both sites. Also available departing from Sorrento (Piazza Angelina Lauro) or starting at Pompeii itself with train transfer to Herculaneum. Duration: full day (8–9 hours including transport from Naples or Sorrento).
The same expert archaeologist format as the above, but departing from Naples or Sorrento with transport included. Ideal for visitors who do not want to independently navigate to Pompeii first. Meeting points:
- From Naples: Starhotels Terminus, Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi 91
- From Sorrento: Piazza Angelina Lauro
- From Pompeii: Porta Marina Superiore (with train transfer to Herculaneum included)
Pompeii & Herculaneum from Sorrento
Inclusions: round-trip transport in air-conditioned minivan from Sorrento (max 8 passengers; minibus up to 16 on some departures); archaeologist guide at both Pompeii and Herculaneum; skip-the-line Pompeii entry; Herculaneum entry €16 (adult, paid at booking). Lunch break at Maximall Pompeii with personalised discount card. Total group maximum: 20 participants.
A small-group tour departing Sorrento — popular among Amalfi Coast visitors who want both sites in a single well-paced day.
Book This TourDoing It Independently: Train Between the Two Sites
From Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri station, take the Circumvesuviana toward Naples and alight at Ercolano Scavi — approximately 15 minutes, approximately €1.30 one way. From Ercolano Scavi station, it is a 5-minute walk down the hill to the Herculaneum entrance. Trains run every 30 minutes throughout the day.
The train runs every 30 minutes and the journey is simple. The only complexity is not confusing Ercolano Scavi with ‘Ercolano’ town station — always aim for Ercolano Scavi which is the one for the archaeological site. From there it is a 5-minute walk down Via IV Novembre to the entrance.
Tickets for Both Sites
Pompeii: €20 (Express) or €36 (Plus, includes the Suburban Villas). Herculaneum: €13 standalone. Buying separately for both sites costs roughly €33. A 3-day combined ticket covering Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, Boscoreale, and Stabiae is available at a reduced combined rate from the official ticket offices — better value if you’re staying in the area for more than a day.
Both sites require separate entry tickets unless you book a guided combo tour, which bundles both entries into a single price:
- Pompeii entry: €20 (Express) / €36 (Plus, includes Villa of the Mysteries and the Suburban Villas route)
- Herculaneum entry: €13 standalone, or from approximately €16 when added to a combo tour booking
- EU citizens 18–24: reduced rate at both sites; EU citizens under 18: free
- First Sunday of every month: free entry at both sites
- Guided combo tours (above): entry to both sites included in the tour price — no separate ticket purchase needed
- 3-day combined ticket: covers Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, Boscoreale, and Stabiae — the best-value option if you have more than a day in the area
For a full price breakdown by ticket type and age group, see our Pompeii ticket prices guide. For Herculaneum tickets and tours standalone, see our Herculaneum tickets guide. For the full sites comparison, see Pompeii vs Herculaneum.
Recommended Itinerary: Both Sites in One Day
Visit Pompeii first — it opens at 9:00 am, morning light is best for photos, and crowds build from 10:30 am. Spend 3–4 hours at Pompeii, take a lunch break, then take the 15-minute train to Herculaneum for the afternoon (2–2.5 hours). Herculaneum is significantly quieter than Pompeii even in peak season.
- 9:00 am: Enter Pompeii at opening via Porta Marina
- 9:00 am – 1:00 pm: 4 hours at Pompeii — Forum, Temple of Apollo, House of the Faun, House of the Vettii, Lupanar, Via dell’Abbondanza, Thermopolium, Amphitheatre
- 1:00 – 1:30 pm: Lunch at CHORA café or in Pompeii town near the station
- 1:30 pm: Circumvesuviana from Pompei Scavi → Ercolano Scavi — 15 minutes
- 2:00 – 4:00 pm: 2 hours at Herculaneum — Boat Sheds, House of the Wooden Partition, House of Neptune and Amphitrite, Thermopolium, Suburban Baths
- 4:30 pm: Return by Circumvesuviana to Naples or Sorrento
See our 2-day Pompeii itinerary for a more relaxed version with an overnight stay.
