Naples Airport to City Center: Alibus, Fixed-Fare Taxis, Onward Transfers and the Terminal

Last updated September 16, 2026. Alibus fare, stops and hours checked against ANM information and 2026 local reporting; fixed taxi fares against the Comune di Napoli tariffs as published in 2026; the combined train-and-bus ticket against Trenitalia. Airport shuttle timetables change seasonally, so I give the pattern rather than a full timetable.

Naples airport to city center, in short: in Naples, Italy, take the Alibus shuttle (€5, about 15–20 minutes to Napoli Centrale, then on to the port) or an official taxi at a fixed fare: €21 to the station, €24 to the port and €28.50 to the Via Partenope seafront (checked September 2026). There’s no train or metro.

Naples has one of the most conveniently placed airports in Europe. Capodichino sits about 6 km northeast of the historic center, closer to the city than most airports are to theirs, and on a good day you can be eating a sfogliatella near the station half an hour after you’ve landed. It’s also one of the most badly explained. Guides still promise a metro link that doesn’t exist yet, quote taxi fares from years ago, or send people to the wrong port for their ferry.

This guide covers the arrival properly: the Alibus, the fixed-fare taxis, private transfers, what’s happening with the metro extension, which option to pick for each part of town, how to connect onward to the ferries, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii, and what you’ll find inside the terminal.

Naples airport to city center at a glance

About Capodichino airport

Naples International Airport, officially Aeroporto Internazionale di Napoli and known locally by its district name, Capodichino, has the code NAP. It has a single passenger terminal, which makes it easy to navigate: arrivals on the ground floor, departures above. It handles flights across Europe and the Mediterranean, and in recent summers a small number of seasonal long-haul routes, including nonstop flights from the US East Coast.

The airport is so close to the city that planes on approach fly low over neighborhoods and the Capodimonte park. The flip side of that convenience is that the road between the airport and the center can clog at rush hour, which is the one variable that turns a 15-minute ride into a 40-minute one.

Arriving: what to expect

If you’re flying in from another Schengen country, such as France, Germany or Spain, you’ll walk straight to baggage claim with no passport check. If you’re arriving from outside the Schengen area, including the US and the UK, you’ll go through passport control first, where the EU’s Entry/Exit System now records non-EU travelers’ fingerprints and photos. Lines can build when several international flights land together, so allow for it if you’ve booked a tight onward connection.

Once you’re through, the arrivals hall has ATMs, car rental desks, tourist information and a few cafés. The exits lead directly out to the forecourt, where you’ll find the Alibus stop, the taxi rank and the meeting point for private transfers.

The Alibus airport shuttle

The Alibus is the airport shuttle run by ANM, the city transport company, and for most solo travelers or couples with light luggage it’s the obvious choice. It’s cheap, frequent and direct.

Price and tickets

An Alibus ticket costs €5 per person (checked September 2026), and 2026 listings describe it as valid for 90 minutes. You can buy it from the ticket machines and outlets in the arrivals area or at the stop, or on the regional Unico Campania app. Some sources report that tickets bought on board cost extra, so buy before you get on. Validate the ticket when you board.

If you’re heading straight on by train, Trenitalia also sells a combined ticket called the Napoli Air&Port Link, which bundles a train ticket to or from Napoli Centrale with the Alibus leg, priced at the train fare plus €5 for the bus. It’s a ticketing convenience, not a rail link: the airport section is still the bus.

Route and stops

From the airport, the Alibus serves three stops in the city:

1. Napoli Centrale / Piazza Garibaldi, in the square in front of the main railway station, for trains to Rome and elsewhere, Metro Line 1 and Line 2, and the Circumvesuviana to Herculaneum, Pompeii and Sorrento. Typically 15 to 20 minutes from the airport.
2. Immacolatella, on the port road near Calata Porta di Massa, where the slower car ferries leave.
3. Molo Beverello, the port by Piazza Municipio, for hydrofoils to Capri, Ischia, Procida and Sorrento, and a short walk to Via Toledo, the Galleria Umberto and Piazza del Plebiscito.

The full run to the port takes around 35 minutes in normal traffic.

Hours and frequency

Local reporting in 2026 gave the first departures from the airport at around 6 a.m. and the last before midnight, with service running roughly every 20 minutes through the day and slightly different hours at weekends. Heading to the airport, the first buses leave the port at around 5:30 a.m., with the last just after midnight. Sources differ by a few minutes, and timetables change seasonally, so check ANM before relying on the first or last bus.

Is the Alibus worth it?

For one person, absolutely: €5 against a €21 minimum taxi fare. For two people heading to the station, it’s still cheaper, but the gap narrows. For three or four people, or anyone going to the seafront hotels, a fixed-fare taxi usually costs about the same per head and delivers you to the door. The bus has luggage space, but it can fill up at busy times, and you may have to wait for the next one.

My rule of thumb: take the Alibus if you’re alone or a couple with carry-on bags and your hotel is within a short walk of Napoli Centrale or the port. Take a taxi otherwise.

Taxis from Naples airport

The official taxi rank is directly outside arrivals. Naples taxis are white, with a roof sign and the operator’s name and license number on the doors. Join the queue at the rank and take the next car.

The fixed fares

The Comune di Napoli sets fixed fares, called tariffe predeterminate, for the most common routes. From the airport, the 2026 fares are:

According to the published tariffs, these fixed fares already include the supplements that would otherwise be added to a metered fare, including the airport, night, Sunday and holiday, and luggage supplements. Motorway tolls, if used, are extra, and there’s a €5 supplement if you need a larger minivan-style taxi.

The rule that matters: you must ask for the fixed fare when you get in, before the journey starts. Say “tariffa predeterminata” and name the destination. The driver is required to apply it if you request it at the start; if you don’t ask, you may end up on the meter. Confirm the amount before you set off.

Metered fares for everywhere else

For destinations not covered by a fixed fare, such as Vomero, Posillipo, Mergellina or an address deep in the centro storico, the driver uses the meter, plus the official supplements. Ask for an estimate before you leave, and make sure the meter is running. The detailed city taxi tariff, including supplements and how the meter works, will live on a dedicated taxi guide on this site.

Taxi tips

• Ignore anyone who approaches you inside the terminal offering a taxi or a car. Official taxis wait at the rank; unlicensed drivers don’t have fixed fares, and their prices are whatever they decide.
• Ask about card payment before you set off if you’re not carrying euros. Many Naples taxis accept cards, but it’s still not universal.
• Have your address written down, ideally with a landmark or the nearest piazza. Many old-town streets are pedestrianized or narrow, and the driver may need to drop you at the nearest reachable corner.
• Expect traffic at rush hour. Fixed fares protect you from the cost of a jam; they don’t make it faster.
• Taxi apps work in Naples. Italy’s itTaxi and appTaxi connect to the city cooperatives, and Uber can book licensed drivers, usually at taxi prices or above.

The collective taxi

The city has also run a shared, collective taxi service on the route between the airport, Napoli Centrale and Molo Beverello, in which several passengers heading the same way split a car at a lower per-person price. Availability varies, and it isn’t always obvious at the rank, so ask the dispatcher or the driver at the front of the queue whether a shared ride is running. If you’re alone with a suitcase and the Alibus has just left, it can be a sensible middle ground between the bus and a taxi to yourself.

For more on dodging the handful of scams aimed at arriving travelers, see my Naples travel tips.

Alibus or taxi? The numbers for your group

The choice usually comes down to how many of you there are and where you’re going. The taxi’s fixed fare is per car, not per person, while the Alibus charges each passenger. Here’s how the two compare for a standard taxi carrying up to four passengers (fares checked September 2026).

For a group of four, the taxi to the station costs almost exactly the same as four bus tickets and takes you to the door. Even for three people going to the port, the difference is a few euros. If you’re traveling with a group larger than four or with a lot of luggage, ask for a larger vehicle and remember the €5 supplement, or book a transfer.

Step by step: from the plane to your hotel

By Alibus

1. Collect your bags and walk out of the arrivals hall to the forecourt.
2. Buy an Alibus ticket from a machine or ticket outlet, or on the Unico Campania app, if you haven’t already.
3. Follow the signs to the Alibus stop, a short walk from the exit, and board the next bus. Validate your ticket on board.
4. Get off at Napoli Centrale for the station, the metro and the Circumvesuviana, or stay on for Immacolatella or Molo Beverello.
5. From Napoli Centrale, walk or take Metro Line 1 or Line 2 to your area; from Molo Beverello, walk into the center or take Line 1 from Municipio.

By taxi

1. Walk out of arrivals to the official taxi rank and join the queue. Ignore anyone offering a ride inside the terminal.
2. Before the car moves, tell the driver your destination and say “tariffa predeterminata” if it’s the station, the port or Via Partenope.
3. Confirm the price, and ask whether you can pay by card if you need to.
4. If your address has no fixed fare, check that the meter starts at the base fare.
5. At the destination, pay the agreed fare. With a fixed fare, there’s nothing to add for luggage or night travel.

Private transfers and car rental

Private transfers

A pre-booked private transfer means a driver waiting in arrivals with your name on a sign, a car sized for your group and luggage, and a price agreed in advance. For the short hop into Naples it usually costs more than a fixed-fare taxi, so its real value is certainty: for families with small children and car seats, groups with lots of luggage, travelers with limited mobility, or anyone arriving late at night who doesn’t want to think. Transfers come into their own for longer journeys straight from the airport to Sorrento, Positano or Amalfi.

Book with a company that tracks your flight and includes waiting time for delays, and check the cancellation policy. A good transfer driver will also help with bags and can drop you as close as the law allows to a hotel inside a pedestrian zone, and many will walk you to the door, which is worth a lot after a long flight.

Renting a car at the airport

The major rental companies operate at Capodichino. Renting here makes sense if you’re heading straight out of the city, to the Cilento, the inland Campania countryside or a villa that isn’t served by public transport. It makes no sense at all if you’re staying in Naples. The center is full of camera-enforced limited traffic zones (ZTL), parking is scarce and expensive, and the traffic is some of the most intimidating in Italy.

If you’re splitting your trip, the best plan is to spend your Naples days without a car and pick one up from the airport on the morning you leave the city. For the coast in particular, read about the summer traffic restrictions on the Amalfi Coast road first in my Amalfi Coast from Naples guide.

What about the metro to the airport?

You’ll read in older articles, and some newer ones, that you can take the metro from Naples airport. You can’t. There is still no rail or metro link to Capodichino in September 2026.

What does exist is a long-running project to extend Metro Line 1 from its current eastern end at Centro Direzionale, via new stations including Tribunale and Poggioreale, to a station at the airport. Construction has been under way for years, and the Centro Direzionale stop opened in April 2025, but reporting in 2026 still placed the airport station’s opening somewhere between late 2026 and 2027, with intermediate stations expected first. Naples has a long history of transport opening dates slipping, so I wouldn’t plan a trip around it. When it opens, I’ll update this page; until then, it’s the bus or a taxi.

Which option to choose for your part of town

Where your accommodation is matters more than anything else. For the neighborhoods themselves, see my guide to where to stay in Naples, Italy.

For using the metro and funiculars once you’ve arrived, see my guide to getting around Naples, Italy.

From the airport straight to the ferries

Many travelers land in Naples and head straight for Capri, Ischia or Procida. The key is knowing which port you need, because Naples has two ferry areas about a kilometer apart:

• Molo Beverello, by Piazza Municipio, is where the fast hydrofoils and jets leave. The Alibus stops here, and the fixed taxi fare to the port applies.
• Calata Porta di Massa, further east along the port road, is where the slower car ferries leave. The Alibus Immacolatella stop is the one to use for it.

Check your ferry ticket for the departure pier before you leave the airport. Allow generous time: a delayed flight, a long wait at passport control or a traffic jam can easily eat an hour, and the last boats of the day can be early in the off-season. For planning the island itself, see my guide to visiting Capri from Naples.

From the airport to Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii

Capodichino is also the gateway for the whole region, and each of these onward journeys has its own options, costs and pitfalls. Each will get its own dedicated guide on this site; here’s the overview.

To Sorrento

You have three main choices. A direct airport bus runs to Sorrento, stopping along the way, and it’s the simplest public option with luggage. Alternatively, take the Alibus to Napoli Centrale and the Circumvesuviana train from underneath the station to the end of the line, which is cheaper but awkward with suitcases and crowded in summer. Or book a private transfer, which takes around an hour or more depending on traffic. In the warmer months you can also take the Alibus to Molo Beverello and a hydrofoil to Sorrento. For the town itself, see my guide to Sorrento, Italy.

To Positano and Amalfi

There’s no direct public transport from the airport to the Amalfi Coast. The usual approaches are a transfer by car, which is the easiest with luggage; public transport to Sorrento, then the SITA bus along the coast; or, in season, a ferry from the Naples port to Positano and Amalfi. With bags, a transfer is worth its price. On summer days, factor in the coast road’s traffic and alternate-plate restrictions if you’re driving yourself.

To Pompeii

Take the Alibus to Napoli Centrale and the Circumvesuviana to Pompei Scavi, a journey of well under two hours including the connection. If you’re going straight from a flight to the ruins, check the site’s rules on bags first, since large luggage isn’t allowed inside. My Pompeii guide has the details.

To Ischia and Procida

Both islands are reached by sea from Naples. Take the Alibus or a taxi to the port, and check your ticket: hydrofoils leave from Molo Beverello, while the slower car ferries use Calata Porta di Massa. Services to Ischia and Procida have also run from Pozzuoli, west of the city, but the Campi Flegrei earthquakes disrupted that port in 2026 and some sailings were moved to Naples, so confirm the departure point with your ferry company close to your travel date.

Your first meal after landing

If you’ve come in on a morning flight, one of the pleasures of Naples’ close-in airport is that you can be sitting down to something good very quickly. Near Napoli Centrale, the historic pastry shops for sfogliatelle are a few minutes’ walk from the Alibus stop, and the pizzerias of the centro storico are one metro stop or a short taxi ride away. Drop your bags at your hotel or a luggage service first, then go and eat; it’s the best possible introduction to the city. My guide to Naples food tells you what to order.

To Rome and beyond by train

High-speed trains to Rome, Florence and Milan leave from Napoli Centrale, the first Alibus stop. Allow at least an hour between landing and your train, more if you’re arriving from outside the Schengen area, and consider the Trenitalia Air&Port Link ticket to combine the two.

Inside Naples airport

Money

ATMs are available in both arrivals and departures. Use one attached to a bank and decline the offer to convert your withdrawal into dollars. Currency exchange desks at airports almost always give poor rates; you don’t need euros in cash to get into the city, though carrying a little cash for a coffee, a bus ticket or a taxi that doesn’t take cards is sensible.

Food and drink

The terminal has cafés and bars on both levels, with the usual airport markups, plus a better choice of food after security in departures. You can get a respectable espresso and pastry, which, given where you are, is the minimum you should expect. You’ll eat far better and far more cheaply a short ride away in the city.

Phone and connectivity

The airport has free Wi-Fi. If you haven’t set up an eSIM before traveling, you can usually buy a local SIM card in the city at a better price and with more choice than at the airport.

Departing from Naples airport

Arrive two hours before a European flight and three hours before a long-haul flight, especially in summer, when security lines can be long. Passengers leaving the Schengen area, including those flying to the US or UK, also pass through passport control after security. If you’re claiming a VAT refund on purchases, allow extra time and go to the customs desk before checking your bags if the goods need to be inspected.

Getting to the airport works the same way in reverse: the Alibus from Molo Beverello or Napoli Centrale, or a taxi, where the same fixed fares apply if you ask for them at the start. Book a taxi the night before for a very early flight, and allow extra time at morning and evening rush hour.

A long layover in Naples: can you see the city?

Because the airport is so close, a long layover in Naples is one of the few in Europe where you can genuinely get into the city, eat a proper pizza and get back. How worthwhile it is depends on the time you have and your passport.

• Under five hours: stay at the airport. Once you allow for leaving the terminal, traffic and security on the way back, you’d have barely an hour in town.
• Five to seven hours: possible if you’re on a Schengen-to-Schengen connection with no passport control. Take a taxi to the centro storico, walk Spaccanapoli, eat a pizza on Via dei Tribunali, and head back with at least two hours before departure.
• Eight hours or more: very doable, even with passport control. You could add a visit to the archaeological museum, a walk down Via Toledo or a coffee on Piazza del Plebiscito.

A few conditions: you’ll need to be allowed to leave the airport, which depends on your nationality and your ticket type; if you’re checked through on one ticket, your bags may go on without you, but if not, you’ll need to deal with them. Don’t try it on a day with a transport strike, and never cut it fine for the return. For the one pizza you should eat if you only have an afternoon, see my best pizza in Naples guide.

Luggage storage in the city

If your hotel check-in is hours away or your checkout comes long before your flight, you don’t need to haul your bags around. There’s a left-luggage service at Napoli Centrale, and private luggage storage shops and app-based services operate across the center, particularly near the station, the port and the centro storico. Most hotels will also hold bags for guests before check-in and after checkout, so ask before paying for storage. Keep valuables and medicines with you whichever you choose.

Strikes, delays and bad weather

Italian transport strikes can affect the Alibus and, occasionally, taxis and airport staff. Strikes are announced in advance, and a minimum service usually runs during guaranteed time bands. If one is scheduled for your arrival day, plan on a taxi or a pre-booked transfer, and check your airline’s updates.

Capodichino’s position between the hills and the bay means strong winds and storms can occasionally delay landings or divert flights to other airports, usually Rome or Bari. It doesn’t happen often, but it’s another reason to avoid tight same-day connections to the last ferry to the islands or a non-refundable tour.

Arriving with children

The Alibus is fine with children, although a folding stroller is easier than a large one on a busy bus. Taxis are generally not equipped with child seats, so if you want one, book a private transfer company that provides seats of the right size and confirm it in writing. Children count as passengers for the Alibus fare, so a family of four is usually better off taking a taxi, which costs about the same and saves wrangling bags and small children on and off a bus. Italian taxis carry up to four passengers as standard; ask for a larger vehicle if you need one.

Getting back to the airport for your flight

The return journey follows the same logic as the arrival, with one extra variable: you can’t afford to be late. Here’s how much time I’d allow, on top of the two hours (European flights) or three hours (long-haul) you want at the airport before departure.

The islands deserve a special warning. Ferries and hydrofoils get canceled in rough seas with little notice, and in autumn and winter the timetable is thin. If your flight home is early, spend your last night in Naples, not on Capri or Ischia.

Salerno: the other airport for the Amalfi Coast

Naples isn’t the only airport in the region any more. Salerno’s airport, south of the city at Pontecagnano, has reopened to scheduled flights in recent years and is closer to Amalfi, Positano’s eastern approaches and Paestum than Capodichino is. Route choices are far more limited than at Naples, and ground transport from it is less developed, but if you’re heading only to the Amalfi Coast or the Cilento and a flight fits your plans, it’s worth comparing. For Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and the islands, Capodichino remains the obvious choice.

Booking a transfer: what to ask

If you decide on a private transfer, a few questions avoid the common problems:

• Is the price per vehicle, and does it include tolls, luggage, night supplements and waiting time?
• Will the driver track my flight, and how long will they wait if it’s delayed?
• Where exactly will the driver meet me in the arrivals hall?
• Can you provide child seats, and which sizes?
• Is the vehicle big enough for our luggage, including strollers or golf bags?
• What’s the cancellation policy if my flight is canceled or diverted?

Licensed transfer companies in Italy operate under an NCC (noleggio con conducente) license, and a reputable company will have no trouble confirming that and sending you the driver’s contact details before you travel.

Late-night and early-morning arrivals

If your flight lands after the last Alibus, a taxi is your only practical option, and the fixed fares still apply, with night supplements already included. Late at night, I’d take a taxi even if the bus is still running, especially if you’re staying near Piazza Garibaldi, which isn’t a place I’d want to wander with luggage after dark. If you’re arriving at a B&B, confirm the late check-in arrangements before you fly.

Accessibility

The terminal is step-free, with lifts between levels, and assistance for passengers with reduced mobility can be requested through your airline, ideally at least 48 hours before you travel. The Alibus can be crowded at busy times. For wheelchair users, a pre-booked accessible transfer or a request for an adapted taxi is the most reliable way into the city.

What to skip

• Anyone offering a ride inside the terminal. Official taxis wait at the rank outside.
• Getting into a taxi without asking for the fixed fare. Ask at the start, or you may pay the meter.
• Waiting for a metro to the airport. It isn’t open yet.
• Renting a car to stay in Naples. Pick one up when you leave the city instead.
• The airport currency exchange desk. Use a bank ATM.
• Heading to Molo Beverello for a car ferry. Car ferries use Calata Porta di Massa; check your ticket.
• Tight connections. Passport control, traffic and luggage all take longer than you’d hope.

Naples airport to city center: frequently asked questions