An Amalfi Coast day trip with a private driver works best from a base on or near the coast: Positano, Sorrento or a hotel in Praiano. From there the main towns are close together, Positano to Amalfi about 16 km (10 mi) and Amalfi to Ravello about 7 km (5 mi) by our routed estimates on the public OSRM network, and a driver turns a day of bus queues into a day of stops. From Naples a day trip is still comfortable; from Rome it is not, and we say so below.
An Elly8.net private highlights tour on the coast costs from US$360 in a business sedan, a full-day chauffeur from US$665, and hourly service from US$90 an hour with a 3-hour minimum, fixed per vehicle and charged in US dollars. The routes below show how to use that time.
What does an Amalfi Coast day trip with a driver cost?
On Elly8.net, the private highlights tour costs from US$360 in a business sedan to US$720 in an Executive Sprinter, and the full-day chauffeur from US$665 to US$1,325. Hourly service is US$90 an hour in a business sedan, 3-hour minimum. Prices are per vehicle and include gratuity; tolls and parking are billed at cost.
The choice between them comes down to the shape of the day. The highlights tour suits a classic loop of the main towns. The full-day chauffeur suits a long day with lunch, a garden visit and a walk. Hourly service suits a half day or an evening built around one place.
See Amalfi Coast prices and reserve
| Day booking | Business Sedan | Business SUV | First Class Sedan | First Class SUV | Executive Sprinter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private highlights tour | US$360 | US$460 | US$580 | US$540 | US$720 |
| Full-day chauffeur | US$665 | US$850 | US$1,070 | US$995 | US$1,325 |
| By the hour, 3-hour minimum | US$90 / hour | US$115 / hour | US$145 / hour | US$135 / hour | US$180 / hour |
| Evening out and event night | US$450 | US$575 | US$725 | US$675 | US$900 |
| Day trip to Pompeii, 8 hours | US$665 | US$850 | US$1,070 | US$995 | US$1,325 |
Why a driver changes the day
The coast has one main road, the SS163 Amalfitana, which runs from Vietri sul Mare through the coast towns. Three things make a driver more than a convenience on it.
The plate rule. Under the 2026 ANAS rules published by the Comune di Praiano, private cars are restricted on the SS163 between 10.00 and 18.00 on restricted days, by the last digit of the plate and the date: every day in August and September 2026, for example, and weekends and holidays in June, July and October. Taxis and NCC licensed hire cars with driver are exempt. A rental car's day trip can depend on the calendar; a licensed driver's cannot.
Parking. In Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, a car has to stop somewhere while you walk, and spaces are few. A driver drops you at the edge of the centre and collects you there.
The bends. Nobody in the car has to drive the hairpins, and everyone gets the view.
Route 1: the classic loop from Positano
This is the day most first-time visitors want: Positano, the towns along the cliff, Amalfi and Ravello.
| Leg | Distance | Clear-road drive |
|---|---|---|
| Positano to Praiano | 8 km / 5 mi | about 13 min |
| Praiano to Conca dei Marini | about 6 km / 4 mi | about 8 min |
| Positano to Amalfi | 16 km / 10 mi | about 23 min |
| Amalfi to Ravello | 7 km / 5 mi | about 9 min |
| Ravello back to Positano | 25 km / 16 mi | about 36 min |
Morning. Leave Positano early, before the road fills, with a stop at a viewpoint above Praiano and a look down to the sea at Conca dei Marini.
Late morning in Amalfi. The driver drops you near the cathedral square and the harbour. Two hours is enough for the cathedral, the lanes behind it and a coffee.
Lunch and the afternoon in Ravello. Up the hill to Ravello, about 9 minutes from Amalfi on a clear road, for lunch and the gardens of Villa Rufolo. Ravello is quieter than the towns below, and the afternoon light over the coast is the reason to stay.
Back to Positano. About 36 minutes on a clear road, longer in late afternoon traffic.
The private highlights tour fits this loop well for a compact day; book the full-day chauffeur if you want a long lunch and both of Ravello's gardens.
Route 2: by car one way, by boat the other
The coast is often best seen from the water, and the boats between Positano and Amalfi are quick. Travelmar gives the crossing from Positano to Amalfi as about 25 minutes. A good combination:
- Morning boat from Positano to Amalfi. No car needed; the pier is on the beach.
- Driver meets you in Amalfi at midday. Up to Ravello for lunch and the gardens.
- Afternoon along the road. Back west with stops at Conca dei Marini and Praiano, and into Positano by early evening.
This is the natural use for hourly service: book from the time the car meets you, from US$90 an hour in a business sedan with a 3-hour minimum. Boats depend on the sea, so check the timetable that morning; on a rough day, the driver simply covers the whole loop.
Route 3: the Path of the Gods, with a driver at both ends
The Path of the Gods is the coast's famous walking trail, high above Praiano and Positano. Travelmar notes that the starting point is Agerola, at Bomerano, and runs shuttle buses there from Amalfi. With a driver, it is simpler: Positano to Bomerano is about 24 km (15 mi), roughly 33 minutes on a clear road, by our routed estimate, and the road to Agerola is not part of the alternating-plate restriction, according to the Praiano notice.
The driver drops you at Bomerano in the morning, you walk, and the driver collects you where the walk ends at the time you agree. Wear proper shoes, carry water, and check the weather; the trail is exposed. This is a half-day booking by the hour.
Two other days worth planning
Pompeii. The signature day trip on our Amalfi Coast price list is 8 hours to Pompeii, from US$665 in a business sedan, US$850 in a business SUV and US$1,325 in an Executive Sprinter. The ruins are about 36 km (22 mi) from Positano, roughly 46 minutes on a clear road. Buy entry in advance from the Archaeological Park of Pompeii and allow at least three hours inside. The rest of the day can take in lunch on the slopes of Vesuvius or a stop in Sorrento on the way back.
Capri. The island is a boat day, not a car day: the Capri tourism office notes that non-resident vehicles may not be taken to Capri, and gives the hydrofoil from Sorrento as about 20 minutes. The driver's part is the run to the harbour in the morning and the pickup when your boat returns, which suits an hourly booking at each end or two short transfers quoted through the web booker. Buy the boat tickets with the operator and give us the times.
Either of these makes a good second day after the coast loop, and both work better with a car than with buses when you are travelling as a family.
From Sorrento
Sorrento is on the Naples side of the peninsula, so the day starts with a longer drive. Sorrento centre to Positano is about 16 km (10 mi), roughly 21 minutes on a clear road, and to Amalfi about 31 km (20 mi), roughly 42 minutes. Route 1 works from Sorrento with Positano as the first stop rather than the base. A full-day chauffeur gives the margin for it. Our guide to Naples Airport to Sorrento by car covers Sorrento as a base.
From Naples
From central Naples, Positano is about 58 km (36 mi), roughly 65 minutes on a clear road, and Amalfi is reached either over the Sorrento peninsula or from the east via Vietri sul Mare. A day trip from Naples is realistic with the full-day chauffeur: out on one road, back on the other, with Positano, Amalfi and Ravello in between. It is a long day, and in high summer the coast road can be slow, so start early. For a pickup in Naples, book through the web booker and the desk returns a fixed price. The drive itself is covered in our guide to Naples to Positano by car.
From Rome: the honest answer
Rome's historic centre to Positano is about 269 km (167 mi), roughly 3 hours 25 minutes on a clear road each way. That is close to seven hours in the car for a few hours on the coast, and we do not recommend it as a day trip. Stay at least one night. If time is short, a day from Rome to Pompeii or Naples is more sensible, and the coast deserves its own visit. Book the Rome car service for the Rome end of the trip.
Timing tips for a good day
- Start early. The road is quietest in the morning, before the tour coaches and the midday traffic.
- Plan lunch in Ravello or Amalfi. Book ahead in season.
- Agree pickup points at each stop. The driver will suggest them; kerb space is limited, so the meeting point matters.
- Keep the evening in mind. Concerts and dinners in Ravello end after the last buses; the evening out and event night package keeps the car with you, from US$450 in a business sedan.
- Shoes for steps. Every town on the coast is built on a slope.
Planning around the season
The calendar shapes the coast more than the clock. In 2026 the alternating-plate rule ran every day in August and September and on weekends and holidays in June, July and October, ending on 31 October, according to the Praiano notice; those are also the busiest weeks on the road. The 2027 calendar had not been published when this was written, so check the coast municipalities' notices before you travel. In the busy months, start the day earlier and keep the afternoon for one place rather than three. Outside them, the same loop is quicker and the towns are calmer, but the sea is less reliable for boats, so the car may carry more of the day.
Choosing the vehicle
On the coast road, an SUV is the most comfortable choice for families. The fleet page lists capacities: a business sedan carries three passengers and two bags; a business SUV six and six; an Executive Sprinter twelve and twelve, for groups. Child and booster seats are fitted on request. For a wedding party or a reunion, see Sprinter van with driver.
Your driver is a driver, not a licensed guide. For commentary inside Pompeii or a museum, book a guide through the site. See private city tours for how a touring day works.
How to book
Rides on the Amalfi Coast and in Naples are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk.
- Choose the booking. On the Amalfi Coast car service page, choose the highlights tour, the full-day chauffeur or hourly service, and enter your hotel and start time.
- Choose the vehicle. By passengers and comfort.
- Reserve. Pay by card in US$; confirmation arrives by email. For anything unusual, use the web booker.
Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup; 10% at 72 hours or less; 50% at 48 hours or less; 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, per the cancellation policy.
For the etiquette of a day with a driver, including tipping, read hiring a private driver on the Amalfi Coast. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an Amalfi Coast day trip with a private driver?
The private highlights tour costs from US$360 in a business sedan to US$720 in an Executive Sprinter. The full-day chauffeur costs from US$665 to US$1,325, and hourly service from US$90 an hour, 3-hour minimum. Prices are per vehicle, all-in except tolls and parking.
Can we do Positano, Amalfi and Ravello in one day?
Yes. From Positano, Amalfi is about 16 km (10 mi) and Ravello about 7 km (5 mi) beyond Amalfi, by routed estimates. Start early, spend the late morning in Amalfi and the afternoon in Ravello, and return by evening.
Is an Amalfi Coast day trip from Rome worth it?
Not really. It is about 3 hours 25 minutes each way on a clear road from central Rome, close to seven hours in the car. Spend at least one night on the coast, or choose Pompeii or Naples for a day from Rome.
Do we need to worry about the alternating-plate rule?
Not with a licensed driver. The 2026 ANAS rules published by the Comune di Praiano exempt taxis and NCC hire cars with driver. Private cars, including rentals, are restricted between 10.00 and 18.00 on restricted days.
Can we combine a boat and a car?
Yes, and it is often the best day. Take the morning boat from Positano to Amalfi, about 25 minutes per Travelmar, and have the driver meet you in Amalfi for Ravello and the drive back. Book hourly service from the meeting time.
Does the driver act as a guide?
No. The chauffeur knows the roads, stops and meeting points, but is not a licensed guide. Book a licensed guide for Pompeii or museum visits through the site itself.
