Overview Compare Ferry Bus Taxi Day Trip
How to get from Sorrento to Positano
Positano is a scenic beach town in Italy, home to some of the most panoramic views on the Amalfi Coast. What many don’t know is its long history as a holiday resort from as far back as the Roman Empire. Experience its age-old charm in the quiet neighbourhood of Montepertuso, the highest hamlet of Nocelle, and the jaw-dropping Path of the Gods.
The best time to visit Positano is from late April to September, when the weather is sunny and the waters are warm. Sunbathe at Positano’s beaches — like Spiaggia Grande and Fornillo. And take a walking tour to Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta and its majolica-tiled dome, which houses a Byzantine Black Madonna and Child from the 13th century.
4 ways to get from Sorrento to Positano
The ferry is the best way to cross the 17 km distance from Sorrento to Positano. This ferry journey takes only 40-90 minutes and fares start from €18 ($19). Alternative options include a 1-hour bus that costs €2 ($2.10), a 45-minute private transfer with rates from €86 ($91), and 8-hour day trip packages starting at €59 ($62).
Sorrento to Positano by Ferry
The ferry is a fast and scenic way to travel to Positano from Sorrento. We recommend this option if you’re looking for a convenient ride that doesn’t cost much. The best part? You can see the Amalfi coastline and its beautiful villages by the cliff from the sea.
There are four ferry companies operating on the Sorrento to Positano route. Seremar, Alilauro and NLG (Navigazione Libera Del Golfo) offer high-speed ferries that take 1-1.5 hours, while Positano Jet is faster at just 40 minutes because they use speedboats.
Ticket prices start from €18 ($19). There’s not much difference between the ferries’ prices so we suggest taking the Positano Jet with a shorter travel time — if you’re not prone to motion sickness.
Departure and arrival port
Departure and arrival port
All ferries depart from Sorrento Port in the city centre. It is close to many hotels in the city, so you can just walk to the port of Sorrento.
The ferries dock at Positano Pier, just beside Positano’s main beach.
Ferry schedules
Ferry schedules from Sorrento to Positano
Ferry services in Sorrento are available all year round but not for all companies — some only operate from June to October. Also, trips may be cancelled due to bad weather, so we recommend re-checking the ferry schedules at least a day before your travel date.
Sorrento to Positano by Bus
If you’re on a tight budget, you can take a bus instead. Several SITA buses cover the Sorrento-Positano route daily. There are departures almost every hour from 06:30 to 19:00.
A bus ticket only costs about €2 ($2.10). You definitely could save a lot of money when taking the bus — but you are bound to lose a lot of time and patience.
SITA buses on this route are always full or overcrowded. The waiting time can be as fast as 15 minutes during off-peak season and as long as 1.5 hours during peak season (June to August), especially on weekends. That’s usually under the scorching heat.
Also, keep in mind that getting a bus doesn’t mean getting a seat. There’s a chance you’ll have to stand the entire 1-hour bus ride from Sorrento to Positano.
IMPORTANT: You can only buy your ticket at the ticket counter and you can’t get on the bus without a ticket. Some people have made the mistake of queueing for the bus for over an hour, only to find out that the line for tickets is just as long.
Departure and arrival station
Departure and arrival station
Buses depart from Sita Bus Terminal next to Sorrento’s train station in the centre of the city.
The bus ride to Positano (Sponda) Bus Stop takes around 1 hour. This bus stop is about 1 km away or a 20-minute walk to the tourist centre.
Sorrento to Positano by Private Transfer
If you’re travelling with family or friends, a private transfer is your best and most convenient option. Journey time can take around 45 minutes to 1 hour.
With a private transfer, you won’t need to stress about ferry or bus schedules because you can leave anytime. You will also be picked up from your hotel in Sorrento and dropped off at your hotel in Positano.
Although Uber is available in some places in Italy, they don’t operate in Sorrento. A local taxi would cost between €80 ($85) to €100 ($105), but we recommend reserving one online. This way you will always have a trusted driver and a fixed rate.
You can book a 3-passenger car for around €86 ($91) on BookAway. If you’re travelling in a larger group of 8, you can already book a van from €140 ($145). When you split the cost, it might even be cheaper than a ferry ticket!
Sorrento to Positano by Day Trip
You can choose from a good number of day tours from Sorrento to Positano.
We personally handpicked some of the best day trip packages for this route. All of the choices below include round-trip transfers, some also offer hotel pickup and dropoff.
Day tour by boat
If you want a day on the water, there’s a Sorrento-Positano Boat Tour that you can book for €59 ($62). This trip by boat includes stops in Positano and Amalfi. You will have some free time to explore on your own, or even swim and snorkel on the pristine waters.
Bonus: on the way to Positano by boat, you will get the chance to see the mythical Li Galli Island, an archipelago of three islets between Capri and the Sorrentine Peninsula.
Day tour by combined bus and speedboat
The great thing about this option is that you can enjoy views of the beautiful Amalfi Coast — a world heritage site — by boat and by land. Your itinerary for this Amalfi Coast Full-Day Trip starts with a bus ride from Sorrento going to Positano and then a speedboat ride to Amalfi and Ravello.
Rates per person start from €105 ($110).
Day tour by shared bus
Not in the mood for a boat trip? You can take a day trip to Positano from Sorrento completely overland with the Amalfi Coast Scenic Drive Tour from GetYourGuide.
With this tour, you will hop on a shared air-conditioned minivan and ride along the coast with stops in Amalfi and Positano. The tour continues to Ravello before your group heads back to Sorrento.
Expect to pay €75 ($79) for this shared bus day trip.
Day tour by private car
Do you want to create your own timetable for this Sorrento to Positano day tour? You can do so with GetYourGuide’s Whole Day Private Tour Along the Amalfi Coast.
Enjoy free time exploring coastal villages and taking in sea views for 8 hours — that’s because you’ll get to decide where to go and how much time you want to spend at each stop. You can even visit lesser-known towns like Nerano along the way!
Rates start from €610 ($645) for a group of 3.
Sorrento to Positano in a nutshell
- Distance: 17 km (11 miles)
- Available transport options: Ferry, bus and taxi
- Duration: 40-90 minutes
- Costs: €2 ($2.10) – €44 ($46.50)
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Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she’s not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines… Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she’ll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.
Based in Bali, Maarten’s passion for travel is undeniable. In 2016, he decided to quit his job as a stock analyst and started doing what he always dreamed of: travelling through South East Asia and helping other people plan their trips. When he is not working on Gecko Routes, you’ll find him surfing in the ocean or exploring the best gems of Indonesia.
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