Bay of Naples Ferries: Capri, Ischia, Procida and the Amalfi Coast

The Bay of Naples is one of Europe's most spectacular ferry landscapes. From the city's central waterfront you can reach three islands, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast by boat, most of them in about an hour or less. This guide explains which Naples pier to use, which companies sail where, which islands reward an overnight stay and how the Amalfi Coast boats fit in.

Molo Beverello and Calata Porta di Massa

Naples has two ferry piers for the bay, about 500 metres apart on the waterfront below Piazza Municipio and Castel Nuovo.

Molo Beverello is the high speed ferry pier. It is a five-minute walk from Municipio station on Metro Line 1. From here NLG and SNAV sail to Capri; Alilauro, SNAV and Caremar's fast boats to Ischia; SNAV and Caremar to Procida; Alilauro and NLG to Sorrento; and NLG, Positano Jet and Alilauro to Positano and Amalfi in season.

Calata Porta di Massa, a short walk east, is the ferry pier. Caremar's fast ferry and conventional ferry to Capri leave from here, as do the Caremar and Medmar car ferries to Ischia and Procida. If you are travelling with a vehicle, or on a Caremar ticket to Capri, this is your pier.

Arrive at least 30 minutes before departure. In summer the quays are extremely busy, especially for Capri sailings in the morning and the weekend returns.

Capri

Capri ferries from Naples arrive at Marina Grande, the island's main harbour on the north coast. From there, a funicular climbs to Capri town; buses and open-top taxis serve Anacapri.

The Naples to Capri ferry is run by NLG and SNAV (high speed ferries from Molo Beverello, about 50 minutes) and by Caremar (from Porta di Massa, about 1 hour on the fast ferry and 1 hour 25 minutes on the conventional ferry). Visitors cannot bring a car: non-resident vehicles, including hire cars and foreign-registered cars, are banned from 30 March to 2 November 2026 and from 28 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. Every ticket to Capri includes a landing fee, €5 per person from April to October.

The Sorrento alternative: the Sorrento to Capri ferry takes only 20–30 minutes, with more than 30 boats a day in summer from Alilauro Gruson, NLG, SNAV, Caremar and smaller companies. If you are basing yourself in Sorrento, this is usually the more convenient approach.

Day trip vs overnight on Capri

Capri receives an enormous volume of day trippers in summer, and the island can feel overwhelmed between late morning and late afternoon in July and August. If you are visiting as a day trip, take the earliest departure and accept that the main sights will be busy. Blue Grotto and round-the-island boat tours leave from Marina Grande, weather permitting.

Staying overnight is worth the cost if you can manage it. By early evening the day trippers have gone, the Piazzetta in Capri town becomes a very different place, and the coastal paths, the Gardens of Augustus and the views from Monte Solaro are best in morning light before the crowds arrive.

Ischia

The Naples to Ischia ferry comes in two kinds. High speed ferries run by Alilauro, SNAV and Caremar leave Molo Beverello and take about 1 hour. Car ferries run by Caremar and Medmar leave Calata Porta di Massa and take about 1 hour 30 minutes. Pozzuoli, west of Naples, has a shorter car ferry crossing.

Ischia is the largest island in the bay and is famous for its thermal baths, volcanic landscape and spa hotels. It receives a largely Italian clientele and has a different character to Capri: more local, less fashionable and generally better value.

Ischia has three ferry ports: Ischia Porto, a round harbour formed in an old volcanic crater, gets most boats; SNAV and some Caremar and Medmar ferries use Casamicciola Terme; and Alilauro serves Forio on the west coast. Book the port nearest your hotel. Buses circle the island from Ischia Porto.

If you plan to drive: from 3 April to 31 October 2026, cars registered in the Campania region cannot land on Ischia. Foreign-registered cars are exempt, so check where a Naples hire car is registered.

Ischia rewards at least two to three nights. The island is big enough to explore over several days, and the spa hotels are the entire point for many visitors.

Procida

The Naples to Procida ferry is the shortest of the island crossings: about 40 minutes on the SNAV and Caremar high speed ferries from Molo Beverello, or about an hour on the Caremar ferry from Porta di Massa. Procida is also linked to Pozzuoli and to Ischia.

Procida is the smallest and least-visited of the three islands. Its pastel-coloured harbour at Marina Corricella was a backdrop for the 1994 film Il Postino, and the island was Italy's Capital of Culture in 2022. It has excellent seafood, less tourism infrastructure than Capri and a slower pace of life.

It works as a day trip or a one-night stay; most visitors do not need more than two days.

Sorrento

The Naples to Sorrento ferry is run by Alilauro and NLG from Molo Beverello. The crossing takes about 40 minutes, with six to eight boats a day in summer and only a thin winter service. The Circumvesuviana train (about 70–75 minutes) is the year-round alternative.

Sorrento sits on a clifftop above the water on the southern side of the bay. It is well placed as a base for day trips to Capri (by the Sorrento to Capri ferry), Pompeii (by the Circumvesuviana) and Positano and Amalfi (by boat in season).

The town itself is pleasant but oriented heavily towards tourism; its main value is as a transport hub and base.

The Amalfi Coast by ferry

The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in Europe, and one of the most awkward to travel by road, especially in summer when the narrow coast road is congested. From spring to autumn the boat is often the better way to move between Positano, Amalfi and Salerno.

Naples to Positano and Amalfi

Direct boats from Molo Beverello are run by NLG and Positano Jet, with some Alilauro sailings via Sorrento. The Naples to Positano ferry takes about 1 hour 20 minutes, and the Naples to Amalfi ferry about 1 hour 50 minutes, calling at Positano on the way. Some departures change boats in Capri and take longer. All are passenger-only.

Important: these services are seasonal. NLG's 2026 timetable ran from 1 April to 3 November, with the fullest schedule from May. In winter there is at most one crossing a day, and on some days none. Confirm the current timetable before planning your Amalfi Coast days around these boats.

Salerno to Amalfi and Positano

The Salerno to Amalfi ferry takes about 35 minutes, and Salerno to Positano about 70 minutes. Travelmar runs the most departures, from Salerno's Piazza Concordia (by the train station) and Molo Manfredi, with some sailings calling at Vietri sul Mare, Cetara, Maiori and Minori. Alicost, NLG and smaller local companies also sail from Salerno.

If you are arriving at Salerno by train from Naples or Rome, this ferry provides a scenic entry to the Amalfi Coast that avoids the coast road entirely.

What the Amalfi ferry cannot do

Positano and Amalfi have small piers but no car ferry service, so vehicles must use the road. The boats are for foot passengers only.

Planning a Bay of Naples itinerary

A practical circuit from Naples might look like this:

• Day 1: Naples. City centre, find the two ferry piers, evening in the Spanish Quarters.
• Day 2: Capri. Naples to Capri ferry on an early boat; Blue Grotto, Capri town, stay overnight.
• Day 3: Capri to Sorrento. Morning in Anacapri, then the Sorrento to Capri ferry in reverse to Sorrento; afternoon in Sorrento.
• Day 4: Amalfi Coast. In season, a boat from Sorrento to Positano (about 40 minutes) and on to Amalfi, returning by boat or SITA bus.
• Day 5: Ischia. Back to Naples and the Naples to Ischia ferry; thermal baths, Forio.
• Day 6: Procida. A short hop from Ischia or the Naples to Procida ferry; Marina Corricella, lunch, return to Naples in the afternoon.

Seasonal and practical notes

Summer peak (July–August): Book Capri sailings, especially the returns, a few days ahead. Buy tickets online from the operators (Caremar, SNAV, NLG, Alilauro, Medmar or Travelmar) or through Ferryhopper and Direct Ferries. The Naples piers are chaotic on summer weekends.

Shoulder season (May–June, September–October): Most services run, the Amalfi Coast boats are at their best, and crowds are smaller. This is the recommended window if you can choose.

Winter (November–March): Naples–Capri, Sorrento–Capri, Naples–Ischia and Naples–Procida run all year with fewer departures. The direct Naples–Positano–Amalfi boats are rare or absent, and the Naples–Sorrento boat runs only a thin service, so have the train and bus as a fallback.

Weather cancellations: The Bay of Naples is relatively sheltered, but high speed ferries are cancelled first in rough weather. The larger conventional ferries to Capri, Ischia and Procida are more likely to sail. In autumn storms, allow contingency time.