Amalfi Coast / The verdict
Amalfi Coast: ferry or bus?
Take the ferry for Positano, Amalfi and Salerno when it runs: Travelmar lists 25 minutes from Amalfi to Positano, and travelers describe it as calmer than the crowded summer buses. Use the SITA bus for Ravello, for days when the sea cancels sailings, and when the budget is tight.
By The Real Traveler Experiences team.
The Amalfi Coast story
Fifty kilometres of cliffs between Sorrento and Salerno make this Italy's most famous shoreline: pastel towns stacked vertically above the water, a corniche road travelers call equal parts spectacular and terrifying, and the anchor trio of Positano, Amalfi and hilltop Ravello, with Sorrento just off the coast as the practical mainland base.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Our pick: Ferry (runner-up: SITA bus)
Take the ferry for Positano, Amalfi and Salerno when it runs: Travelmar lists 25 minutes from Amalfi to Positano, and travelers describe it as calmer than the crowded summer buses. Use the SITA bus for Ravello, for days when the sea cancels sailings, and when the budget is tight.
Go if
- You are moving between Positano, Amalfi, Minori, Maiori or Salerno between spring and autumn
- You get motion sick on winding roads
- You are traveling in July or August, when travelers report full buses passing intermediate stops
Skip if
- Your destination is inland, such as Ravello or Agerola, which only the bus reaches
- The sea is rough or a storm is forecast, since sailings to Positano are the first to stop
- You are counting every euro: a SITA single from Positano to Amalfi is 2.40 EUR against 10 EUR by ferry
The options
Ferry Go
Travelers moving between Positano, Amalfi and Salerno in calm weather who want the faster, calmer ride.
Good
- Travelmar lists 25 minutes from Amalfi to Positano and 35 minutes from Salerno to Amalfi.
- It skips the coast road, and travelers describe the view of the towns from the sea as a highlight.
- Travelmar and Positano Jet sell tickets online, so you are not left at a full stop.
- One carry-on-size bag per passenger rides free on Travelmar.
Watch out
- It costs about four times the bus: 10 EUR from Amalfi to Positano against 2.40 EUR.
- Rough seas and storms stop sailings, and Positano's small pier is the first affected, per reports.
- Ferries do not reach Ravello or other inland villages.
- Last sailings leave in the early evening on the current timetables.
Travelmar ferry timetableTravelmar 2026 fares (PDF)Positano Jet timetables and fares
SITA bus It depends
Budget travelers, trips to Ravello or Agerola, off-season days and days when the sea cancels ferries.
Good
- Singles cost 1.50 to 3.40 EUR on the main coast routes, and the COSTIERASITA pass is 10 EUR for 24 hours.
- It runs all year and reaches inland towns such as Ravello and Scala.
- Buses leave Amalfi for Salerno and for Sorrento about every 30 to 60 minutes through the day on the current timetable.
- Riders who get a seat describe the cliff-road views as a highlight.
Watch out
- Travelers and local news report full summer buses passing people at intermediate stops, including Positano.
- Traffic on the single coast road makes journey times unpredictable in summer, per reports.
- The hairpin bends leave some riders motion sick.
- Tickets must be bought before boarding at a ticket office or authorized seller.
SITA Sud tickets and COSTIERASITA passSITA Sud timetablesUnico Campania fare finder
| Criterion | Ferry | SITA bus |
|---|---|---|
| Amalfi to Positano fare | 10 EUR one way | 2.40 EUR single |
| Amalfi to Positano time | 25 minutes (Travelmar timetable) | About 40 minutes to Positano Sponda (SITA timetable) |
| Day pass | None; each leg bought separately | COSTIERASITA, 10 EUR for 24 hours |
| Reaches Ravello | No | Yes, 1.50 EUR from Amalfi |
| Weather risk | Sailings stop in rough seas | Runs in bad weather |
| Crowding travelers report | Busy piers in peak season | Full buses passing intermediate stops in summer |
What it costs
- Travelmar ferry Amalfi to Positano, one way (adult): €10 (children's fare 8 EUR; the timetable lists 25 minutes). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
- Travelmar ferry Salerno to Amalfi, one way (adult): €12 (35 minutes direct per the timetable from 7 September 2026; Salerno departure tax included). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
- Travelmar ferry Salerno to Positano, one way (adult): €17 (70 minutes per the timetable). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
- Travelmar extra luggage, per item: €3 (one bag of 45 x 35 x 20 cm per passenger travels free under Travelmar's conditions of transport). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
- Positano Jet ferry Positano to Sorrento, one way (adult): €20.50 (schedule valid 1 September to 31 October 2026; children 3 to 12 pay 13.50 EUR). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
- SITA bus single, Positano to Amalfi or Sorrento to Positano: €2.40 (Unico Campania band AC2, one ride on one company's bus; Sorrento to Amalfi is 3.40 EUR). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
- SITA bus single, Salerno to Amalfi: €2.80 (Unico Campania band AC3). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
- SITA bus single, Amalfi to Ravello: €1.50 (Unico Campania band AC1). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
- COSTIERASITA 24-hour bus ticket: €10 (unlimited SITA Sud rides in 20 municipalities, including Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello and Salerno, for 24 hours from first validation; personal, with name and birth date written on it). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 13 traveler reports (Feb 2026 to Sep 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 4 were negative.
What people like
- Travelers call the ferry the calmer and more scenic way between towns, with Positano seen from the sea.
- The SITA bus is cheap, runs all year and reaches Ravello and other inland stops.
- The cliff-road views from the bus impress riders who get a seat.
- Riders who boarded at a terminus such as Salerno report getting a seat before the bus filled.
What people complain about
- Summer buses fill up, and full buses pass travelers waiting at intermediate stops.
- Weather and rough seas cancel ferries, sometimes for days in late autumn.
- The winding bus ride makes some riders motion sick.
- Piers and ferries get crowded in peak season, and the last sailings leave early.
How to do it right
- Use the ferry for the Positano, Amalfi, Minori, Maiori and Salerno legs, bought online or at the pier kiosk; Travelmar sells on the day up to 20 minutes before departure.
- Buy SITA bus tickets before you board, from the Salerno ticket office or an authorized Unico Campania seller, and validate them on the bus.
- Board the bus at a terminus such as Sorrento, Amalfi or Salerno when you can, since travelers report full buses passing intermediate stops in summer.
- Check the last ferry of the day before you set out, and keep the bus timetable as your fallback.
- Buy the 10 EUR COSTIERASITA pass only when the day's single fares add up to more than 10 EUR.
The trap to avoid
Planning a late-afternoon bus back from Positano in summer. Reports and local news describe buses arriving from Amalfi already full, so take a ferry back or leave earlier.
What to do instead
Why this verdict
The reports agree on the trade: the ferry is faster and calmer, the bus is cheaper and more reliable in bad weather. Writers who have used both call the ferry the better way between the seaside towns, and the timetables back that up: Travelmar lists 25 minutes from Amalfi to Positano, while the SITA timetable puts the bus at about 40 minutes to the Positano Sponda stop before any summer traffic. For the Positano, Amalfi and Salerno triangle, that makes the ferry the pick.
The bus complaints are about capacity more than comfort. A forum reply in August 2026 warned that a full bus at an intermediate stop takes only as many riders as get off, a video creator warned that full buses simply do not stop, and local news reported travelers bound for Sorrento stranded at Positano’s Chiesa Nuova stop in March 2026 because the buses arriving from Amalfi were full. The riders who describe a good bus trip usually boarded at a terminus, such as Salerno or Amalfi, and got a seat. The winding road is the other filter: one poster’s relative needed medication and hours to recover after the Sorrento to Positano ride.
The ferry’s weakness is the sea. A poster based in Salerno in late October 2025 found the ferry cancelled every day of the stay, and a July 2026 storm stopped sailings at Positano with hundreds of people waiting on the piers. Positano’s pier is also getting crowded enough that the town issued a boarding ordinance in June 2026. That is why the bus stays the runner-up: it runs in weather that stops the boats, and it is the only public option for Ravello and the villages above the coast.
On price, the bus wins easily. A Positano to Amalfi single is 2.40 EUR against 10 EUR by ferry, and the 10 EUR COSTIERASITA pass covers a full day of rides. If money is tight or the forecast is bad, the bus is the sensible choice; otherwise the extra few euros buy a quicker trip and a view of the towns from the water.
Timing and tickets
Buy ferry legs one at a time, since Travelmar sells no day ticket. Check the last sailing before you set out; on the September 2026 timetables the final boats leave in the early evening.
Book or check times
Travelmar ferry timetableTravelmar 2026 fares (PDF)Positano Jet timetables and faresSITA Sud tickets and COSTIERASITA passSITA Sud timetablesUnico Campania fare finder
Questions
Do Amalfi Coast ferries run in winter?
Travelmar says its Amalfi Coast service runs all year, with a timetable in force from 7 September 2026. Positano Jet's current schedule runs from 1 September to 31 October 2026. Weather can still cancel sailings: one forum poster based in Salerno in late October 2025 found the ferry cancelled every day and took the bus.
Can one ferry ticket cover both Amalfi and Positano?
No. Travelmar's FAQ says it has no daily ticket and that a Salerno to Positano ticket does not allow a stop in Amalfi. Buy each leg separately; Amalfi to Positano is 10 EUR one way.
Is the 24-hour COSTIERASITA bus ticket worth it?
Only on a bus-heavy day. It costs 10 EUR, while a Positano to Amalfi single is 2.40 EUR and Salerno to Amalfi is 2.80 EUR. A day with Salerno to Amalfi and back plus Amalfi to Positano and back comes to 10.40 EUR in singles, so the pass just pays off.
Can I take a suitcase on the ferry?
Yes. Travelmar's conditions allow one bag of 45 x 35 x 20 cm per passenger, and each extra item costs 3 EUR. Large items that are not personal luggage travel only if there is space, at the crew's discretion.
How long does the bus take from Amalfi to Positano?
About 40 minutes to the Positano Sponda stop on the SITA timetable in force from 14 September to 1 November 2026. The Travelmar ferry is listed at 25 minutes. Summer traffic can stretch the bus trip, according to travelers.
Pack for it
Gear verdicts from our sister site, Real Buyer Experiences: