Platforms at Napoli Porta Nolana Railway Station in Naples, Italy · © Philip Mallis · CC BY-SA 2.0 · cropped
Photo: platforms at Napoli Porta Nolana in Naples on April 21, 2023. Historical context from an affected terminal; the ordinary trains pictured are not identified as Campania Express and do not document the October 2026 suspension.
Campania Express will stop running October 1, 2026, until further notice, removing the dedicated tourist train option between Naples and Sorrento via Herculaneum and Pompeii. Operator EAV’s current passenger notice confirms the start date and tells affected ticket holders how to request refunds.
The withdrawal was announced earlier, not newly decided on September 28. It now becomes an immediate planning issue for October visitors: check whether your booking is specifically Campania Express, request the appropriate refund, and arrange a separate journey rather than arriving with a ticket for the suspended service.
- Suspension starts: October 1, 2026.
- End date: EAV says until further notice; no restart date is supplied.
- Affected product: The dedicated Campania Express tourist service, not an announcement that all Circumvesuviana trains close.
- Direct purchases: Request a refund through EAV’s complaint form with your ticket code and ticket copy.
- External purchases: Contact the original seller, including Omio or Distribusion where applicable.
October 1 Removes the Reserved Tourist Option
Campania Express was designed around visitors traveling from Naples to the archaeological sites and the Sorrento peninsula. Its advertised features include reserved seating, air conditioning and onboard or station assistance, making it a different purchase from an ordinary regional journey on the same broader network.
Fanpage’s local reporting independently confirms the October 1 suspension and describes management’s focus on regular commuter operations. This is a planned service withdrawal, not evidence of a sudden accident, a newly closed archaeological site or a strike beginning October 1.
The operator’s wording also matters for later trips. Until further notice is not a published winter timetable or a promise to return next spring. Do not keep a November Campania Express booking on the assumption that the suspension applies only to the first few days of October.
Refund Requests Depend on Where You Bought
For tickets covering travel after September 30, EAV directs its customers to the complaints and refund-request route. Include the alphanumeric code printed on the ticket and attach the ticket in PDF or JPEG format. The general complaints page warns that refund requests without the ticket scan are not considered valid.
If the purchase came through an external sales channel, use that same channel for the refund request. EAV explicitly names Omio and Distribusion as examples. A confirmation email from an intermediary is a useful way to identify which seller handled your particular booking.
Keep the original ticket and purchase confirmation while you arrange the replacement trip. The passenger notice does not state that a Campania Express ticket becomes valid automatically on a different train, or that any replacement fare will be paid for you. Requesting a refund and buying another journey are separate steps.
The notice supplies the refund route but no specific refund-payment deadline. Its cutoff refers to the affected travel dates, not a stated last day to submit a request. Avoid interpreting September 30 as a deadline to receive the money or October 1 as an automatic refund date.
| Your Booking or Destination | Next Step |
|---|---|
| Direct Campania Express ticket dated October 1 or later | Use EAV’s complaint form with the ticket code and a readable copy. |
| Campania Express bought through an intermediary | Request the refund from that seller, not a different booking platform. |
| Pompeii archaeological site | Check ordinary rail options serving Pompei Scavi Villa dei Misteri. |
| Herculaneum archaeological site | Check a service that actually stops at Ercolano Scavi. |
| Sorrento | Check the ordinary Napoli-Sorrento line for the travel date; do not use the suspended express departure. |
Use the Ordinary Line’s Timetable, Not Old Express Times
EAV continues to publish its Napoli-Sorrento line timetable. The standing March 28, 2026, sheet distinguishes ordinary trains from red EXP columns identifying Campania Express. It provides a route reference, but those express columns are superseded by the October suspension notice.
For Pompeii, the relevant station shown on that line is Pompei Scavi Villa dei Misteri. For Herculaneum, look for Ercolano Scavi. The sheet also lists Napoli Porta Nolana, Napoli Piazza Garibaldi and Sorrento, so confirm both your actual departure station and whether your chosen ordinary train stops where you need it.
Some trains skip intermediate stations. Seeing a Naples-Sorrento route name is therefore not enough to establish a suitable Pompeii or Herculaneum journey. Use the operator’s current timetable and notices for your date, rather than carrying an old express departure time into a new itinerary.
Ordinary rail is not an equivalent promise of a reserved tourist seat or the express service’s assistance. Recheck the applicable ticket, boarding conditions and station access separately. Travelers needing step-free access should verify the particular stations and direction of travel instead of assuming that all stops offer the same facilities.
Rebuild the Day Trip Before the Train Disappears
A Pompeii visit and a Sorrento hotel transfer have different constraints. For an archaeological-site visit, allow for the chosen train’s stopping pattern and the onward walk. For a hotel transfer, check the final station, luggage arrangements and arrival time with the property or booked transfer provider.
If you had linked an express arrival to a timed tour, tell the tour operator that the transport plan has changed. A train refund does not itself reschedule admission or a guided visit. Likewise, recheck the return journey instead of replacing only the morning leg of a round-trip plan.
September 30 is the final day before the stated suspension. The refund notice identifies tickets for later travel as affected.
October 1 changes the rail product available. Select an actual alternative departure and purchase the appropriate ticket separately.
No reopening date is confirmed. For later autumn travel, wait for a new EAV notice before relying on Campania Express again.
When does Campania Express stop?
The suspension starts October 1, 2026, and lasts until further notice.
Does the whole Naples-Sorrento railway close?
No such network-wide closure is announced in this notice. Check EAV’s ordinary-line timetable and any separate service alerts.
How do I refund an Omio or Distribusion ticket?
EAV says passengers who used external sellers should request the refund through the same sales channel.
Can I keep using the old Campania Express timetable?
Not for travel from October 1. The suspension notice supersedes the dedicated express departures, even where an older timetable still displays them.
