How to get from Naples to Paestum
How to get there, what to see, how the ticket works and what to check.
Paestum is an archaeological park with Doric temples and a national archaeological museum. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula", inscribed in 1998. It can be reached from Naples by train, without a car.
Train
Take a Trenitalia train from Napoli Centrale to Paestum. Timetable listings give a journey of roughly 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, depending on the train, with several direct trains a day, so check the times and the last train back.
On foot
According to the museum's website, it is about a 15-minute walk from the station to the museum and archaeological area, so you don't need other transport. The main gate, with a ticket office, is by the Temple of Neptune.
Organised tour
Organised tours from Naples handle the transport for you. Check what is included before you book.
What to see
The archaeological park and the museum are a short walk apart.
- The temples of the southern sanctuary: the Temple of Neptune and the so-called Basilica. According to the museum's website, visitors can go inside both, and the names are traditional labels.
- The temple often called the Temple of Ceres, which is dedicated to Athena. It cannot be entered.
- The Greek agora, with the ekklesiasterion and the heroon, which the Romans later adapted into their forum.
- The National Archaeological Museum, which shows the Tomb of the Diver (dated to about 480-470 BC and named after the young man diving on its lid), the archaic metopes from the sanctuary of Hera on the river Sele, and painted slabs from Lucanian tombs.
Tickets
- The park ticket covers the archaeological areas of Paestum and Velia and the National Archaeological Museum of Paestum, and is valid for three consecutive days.
- It allows one entry to the museum and the Paestum area, and one entry to Velia.
- Tickets can be bought online or at the ticket offices. According to the park's website, booking is not mandatory.
- Check the official website for current prices, reductions and opening times.
Before you go
- Plan a few hours to see both the archaeological park and the museum.
- Backpacks and bulky bags are restricted in the park, and the park's pages say the cloakroom is suspended or not available, so travel light and check at the gate.
- Wear comfortable shoes, and bring water and sun protection: much of the visit is outdoors.
- Check the time of the last train back to Naples before you set off.
- Timetables, tickets and opening hours change: check Trenitalia and the park's official website before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest way to get from Naples to Paestum?
By Trenitalia train from Napoli Centrale to Paestum, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes depending on the train. From the station it is about a 15-minute walk to the museum and archaeological area.
Do I need to book Paestum in advance?
Not necessarily. According to the park's website, booking is not mandatory for the standard ticket, and tickets can be bought online or at the ticket offices. Check the official site for the current rules.
Is the museum included in the ticket?
Yes. The park ticket covers the Paestum archaeological area, the National Archaeological Museum of Paestum and the Velia area, and is valid for three consecutive days.
How long do I need at Paestum?
Plan a few hours to see both the archaeological park and the museum.
What is the Tomb of the Diver?
A painted Greek-era tomb, dated to about 480-470 BC and named after the scene on its lid of a young man diving into water. It is displayed in the National Archaeological Museum of Paestum.
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