Mount Vesuvius Tickets

A timed entry ticket is your basic pass for the final hike to the crater of Mount Vesuvius.

This ticket lets you enter Vesuvius National Park for a specific, pre-booked time slot. There’s no onsite ticket office, so securing your digital ticket in advance is the only way to go.

Best for: Independent travelers who have their own car or have pre-planned their use of public transport and local shuttles

Key benefits

• The most affordable option, offering flexibility for those who have arranged their own transportation
• Get guaranteed entry for your preferred date and time
• Included volcanologist guide service that highlight different features at specific points along the hike

A Mount Vesuvius guided tour ticket provides you with a dedicated, professional guide (often a volcanologist or certified alpine guide) who accompanies you for the entire duration of the hike to the crater rim.

The experience is typically for a small group, allowing for a more personal and interactive tour.

Best for: Curious travelers and geology enthusiasts who want more than just a walk

Key benefits:

• Continuous expert narration providing in-depth commentary during your hike
• Personalized interaction in a small group
• Hassle-free entry with included Mount Vesuvius National Park admission

Day trips are the most popular and hassle-free way to visit Mount Vesuvius.

A comfortable, air-conditioned coach picks you up from a central point in a nearby city, handles the drive up the volcano, includes your Mount Vesuvius entry ticket, and returns you to the starting point at the end of the day.

Best for: First-time visitors, families, and anyone without a rental car who wants a seamless experience

Key benefits:

• Eliminates biggest challenge of transportation from the city to Mount Vesuvius National Park
• Benefit from a professional tour guide throughout the journey
• Combine your Vesuvius visit with a tour of Pompeii or Herculaneum for a historically-relevant experience

This is a ticket for a specific transport service to Mount Vesuvius, and usually doesn’t include entry to the national park.

The Vesuvius Express Shuttle runs from a nearby town (like Ercolano or Pompeii) up the winding road to the main Vesuvius National Park entrance.

Best for: Independent travelers using the train system who need a reliable way to get up the mountain

Key benefits:

• Solves the "last mile" problem for those using public trains to get to the area

Combo tickets and passes are some of the most popular packages, bundling a visit to Mount Vesuvius with a ticket to the archaeological sites it famously destroyed in Pompeii or Herculaneum.

These packages often include transportation between the sites.

Best for: Tourists on a multi-day trip exploring Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the wider Campania region.

Key benefits:

• The most thematically complete and historically resonant day trip. Excellent value and convenience
• Great value for money if you plan on visiting many sites across the Campania region

As you head up Mount Vesuvius, the lower slopes contain vineyards and citrus groves, signatures of the Amalfi Coast. These crops flourish in the volcanic soil, which gives the area its green, fertile look.

Higher up, the lush scenery gives way to old lava flows. The soil turns dark and rocky, almost lunar. You will notice few signs of life, and the terrain becomes rough and open.

The road climbs through a series of hairpin turns. Around each bend, you can spot views of the Bay of Naples. The higher you go, the more you see of the coast and the city far below.

Start the Gran Cono trail with a wide path ahead. The ground is covered in volcanic ash and rough pumice stone. The incline is constant but not too steep. In about 20 to 30 minutes, you reach the top.

In the summer, make sure you bring a hat and sunscreen for your hike. In winter, you’ll need a windproof or waterproof layer.

For all seasons, wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water. There are some benches for resting on your way to the top, as well as a few shops that sell snacks or drinks.

The path brings you right to the edge of the crater rim. Before you, a massive bowl stretches out and drops hundreds of meters straight down in sharp lines and deep shadows.

From the depths below, thin columns of steam drift up from fumaroles, twisting and fading as they reach the sky. The air smells faintly of sulfur, reminding you that the volcano stays quietly active.

When you reach the crater rim, this is your grand prize. Look out in every direction and see the city of Naples, and the historic site of Pompeii, frozen in time.

Look for the green Sorrento Peninsula stretching along the coast, the Bay of Naples, and spot the islands of Capri and Ischia.

• Last entry is one hour before closing
• Open daily, even on weekends and public holidays, but hours vary by season
• Mount Vesuvius National Park may close without prior notice due to bad weather conditions (high winds, heavy rain or snow), or increase volcanic activity

January - February & November - December

• Open daily from 09:00 until 15:00

March & October

• Open daily from 09:00 until 16:00

April - May, June & September

• Open daily from 09:00 until 17:00

July & August

• Open daily from 09:00 until 18:00

By car:

• Visitors cannot drive to the top in their own car
• Please park at a designated car park at the base of the volcano
• Then, take a paid shuttle bus to the Mount Vesuvius National Park entrance, where you’ll scan your admission ticket

By public transport:

• From Naples or Sorrento, take the Circumvesuviana train toward "Ercolano Scavi" station
• Then, purchase a ticket for the "Vesuvius Express" shuttle bus service to take you to the national park

• Footwear: Sturdy, closed-toe shoes like trainers, sneakers or hiking boots are essential. You will be walking on loose gravel on an incline. No sandals, flip-flops, or heels
• Layers: It is always significantly cooler and windier at the summit than at sea level. Bring a jacket or sweater, even on a warm day. Elevation at the summit is 1,281 meters (4,203 ft).
• Water: Bring plenty of water. There are very limited (and expensive) options to buy drinks on the trail
• Sun protection: There are no trees or shelters on the trail. A hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen are crucial
• Fitness level: A moderate level of physical fitness is required to complete the uphill walk; the trail may be difficult or inaccessible for those in wheelchairs or reduced mobility.

Mount Vesiuvius tickets are only sold online using the official website or a reputable 3rd party seller; you cannot buy a ticket onsite when you enter the national park.

All Mount Vesuvius tickets have timed entry and need to be purchased online in advance. There is no ticket office within Mount Vesuvius National Park.

While guests can enter Mount Vesuvius National Park for free and can walk or hike several trails at the base of the volcano, you’ll need a timed entry ticket to access the crater along the Gran Cono Trail.

Parking at the base of the volcano is free, but limited. As you climb up the road to the national park entrance, there are shuttles that will take you to the ticket entry area for a fee.

Yes, all guests must have a Mount Vesuvius entry ticket before hiking the Gran Cono Trail to the crater. Tickets operate on a timed entry system so it is important to arrive at the entrance at your chosen timeslot 20-30 minutes in advance.

To access other trails at the base of the volcano or in the surrounding national park, you do not need a ticket and entry is free.

Yes, Mount Vesuvius is definitely worth visiting. Mount Vesuvius is one of the only active volcanoes where guests can climb all the way to the rim of the crater. Look down into its depths and watch evaporation escape from the volcano.

Guests can walk most of the circumference of the crater rim and take in views of the surrounding national park, as well as Naples, the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as the Bay of Naples below.

For those that love history, you can see the ancient site of Pompeii from above, connecting the volcano to the catastrophic eruption that occurred there in 79 A.D.

Visiting both Pompeii and Vesuvius in one day is a popular choice among many visitors. Book a guided tour with included transport between the sites, or coordinate your own transport with a car or bus.

The distance between the ancient city of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius is about 23 km (14 mi). Visitors can easily travel to and from these two sites in about 30 minutes by bus, car or taxi.

While in Pompeii, you can imagine what it was like to live in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano. Then, from the volcano’s crater, see Pompeii below, the city and its victims forever preserved in volcanic ash.

From start to finish, most visitors complete the Gran Cono loop (4 km) in about 2-3 hours.

The trail is steep during the first 800 meters, but soon becomes more gradual. The trail is made from volcanic rock (loose gravel) and contains many switchbacks on the ascent to the crater.

After about 20-30 minutes, you can stop to rest at picnic benches along the trail, as well as small shops selling souvenirs, snacks and drinks. At the summit, you'll sit at 1,281 meters (4,203 ft) above sea level.

Before you start the hike, make sure you bring plenty of water, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Also, wear comfortable shoes designed for loose gravel and steep inclines.

The ancient city of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius are about 23 km (14 mi) apart, and can easily be connected by car, bus, or taxi in 30 minutes.

Yes, Mount Vesuvius is still an active volcano. Volcanologists constantly monitor the conditions of the volcano and will alert staff at the national park about dangerous conditions.

For increased volcanic activity, Mount Vesuvius may close unexpectedly, and may close due to inclement weather conditions like high winds, snow or heavy rain.

No, the Gran Cono Trail to the summit of Mount Vesuvius is not suitable for people using wheelchairs or those with reduced mobility due to its rocky and uneven terrain and the presence of some stairs.

As you ascend to the base of the volcano, there are shuttles available for a small fee that will take you up to the ticket station where the Gran Cono Trail begins.

There are nearby trails in Mount Vesuvius National Park that are more accessible, like Terzigno Pinewood Trail (Path 11), a flat, 1.5 km loop on a boardwalk.