Vesuvius Crater Tickets and the Gran Cono Path: How It Works

The walk to the crater of Vesuvius is one of the most popular half-days in the Bay of Naples, and the park manages it tightly. You cannot simply turn up and walk in: entry is by timed ticket, bought online, in small groups released through the day. Once you understand how the system works it is straightforward, but it catches out a lot of visitors who assume they can buy at the gate.

This guide explains the ticket rules, the time windows, what happens if tickets sell out or the weather turns, the opening hours through the year, and what to expect on the path itself.

How the ticket system works

The crater visit follows path no. 5 of the national park, the Gran Cono, from the Piazzale di Quota 1000 in Ercolano. Access is controlled in three ways:

Tickets are sold only online, on the park’s ticketing site.
Entry is in groups of 60 visitors every 10 minutes. Each ticket is for a specific time slot.
You enter through an automatic gate at the time on your ticket.

The park runs it this way for the safety of visitors and to protect the plants and animals of the park. The practical effect is that the number of people on the path at any one time is limited, and that popular slots — mid-morning in summer especially — sell out.

Buying your ticket

Register first

To buy, you register on the ticketing platform with your name, email and a password, activate the profile from an email link and confirm with a code sent to your mobile. It takes a few minutes, and it is much easier at home or in your hotel than on a mountainside with a weak signal. Do it before your trip, not on the way there.

How far ahead

You can buy up to 30 days before your visit. In busy periods it is sensible to book as soon as your dates are fixed; in quieter months you may have more flexibility, but there is no advantage in leaving it late.

How many tickets

One email address can buy up to 10 tickets per day of visit. That covers most families and small groups. Larger groups need to split the booking or use a group service.

Tickets for children

Children and other visitors entitled to a free ticket cannot book one on their own: free tickets can only be bought together with at least one full or reduced ticket, up to 4 free tickets for each paid one. So a family of two adults and four children buys two paid tickets and four free ones in the same order.

Why not buy on the day?

Because you probably cannot. The mobile signal near the entrance is very weak or intermittent, and the park recommends completing your purchase before you reach the Quota 1000 square. There is no guarantee of a slot either: if the day is busy, the time you want may already be gone.

Your time window

Your ticket has a time on it, but you do not have to arrive to the minute. You may enter up to 120 minutes before or after the time on your ticket. That four-hour window is generous, and it exists precisely because so many visitors depend on buses and shuttles that run every hour or two.

Use it well:

Plan to arrive early in the window, not late. A late bus or a queue for the shuttle eats into the margin.
Remember the last entry of the day (see opening hours below). The window cannot extend past closing.
Outside the window, the ticket is not valid. And because tickets cannot be changed, a missed window means buying again.

Sold out? The last-minute release

If your slot has sold out, you have one more chance. When a slot sells out, 10 extra last-minute tickets for it are released shortly before it starts, in a separate “last minute” section of the ticketing site.

Two things to know about these:

They are named. Since 11 April 2026, last-minute tickets carry the visitor’s name, and staff at the gate check it against an identity document. Children without ID are checked through the accompanying adult. Bring your passport or ID card.
They go quickly. Ten tickets for a slot of 60 is not many. Treat the last-minute release as a back-up, not a plan.

Changes, cancellations and refunds

This is the part that surprises people most: tickets cannot be cancelled, and the date and time cannot be changed.

The one exception: refunds are given only if the path is closed for bad weather or force majeure. If the park shuts the path, you are covered; if your own plans change, you are not.

That has a clear consequence for planning. Book your crater ticket once your dates and your transport to the mountain are settled. If there is any doubt about the day, a transfer or tour whose own cancellation terms are more flexible may suit you better — several transfers from Pompeii and Naples include park entry, and the terms are set by each product.

Opening hours through the year

Visits start at 9:00. The last entry changes with the season:

Months	Last entry
January, February, November, December	15:00
March, October	16:00
April, May, June, September	17:00
July, August	18:00

Remember that the crater walk takes about 3 hours there and back. Even though you can enter up to the last-entry time, you will enjoy the visit more if you start well before it — especially in winter, when the day is short.

When the path closes

Vesuvius is a mountain, and the crater path is exposed.

Weather alerts close it. During a weather alert issued by the civil protection of the Campania Region, access to the path may be closed.
It is colder at the top. In autumn and winter it is colder at the crater than at the foot of the volcano, and the wind can rise suddenly.

If a closure hits your slot, the refund rule above applies. It is still worth checking the weather the evening before and the morning of your visit, so that you are not setting out on a long journey to a closed path.

The path itself

Once you are through the gate, this is what you are taking on:

Total length: 3,807 m, there and back.
Highest point: 1,170 m.
Climb: about 140 m.
Average gradient: 14%.
Difficulty: medium.
Time: about 3 hours there and back.

The path climbs the side of the cone on a wide track of volcanic gravel, then follows part of the crater rim. The gradient is steady rather than extreme, but the loose surface makes it harder work than the numbers suggest, and there is little shade. At the top, the crater opens up beside you — a vast, steep-sided bowl — and on a clear day the views stretch over Pompeii and the whole Gulf of Naples.

Who should not climb

The climb is not recommended for people with complex respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. The steepness of the path is the main reason. If that applies to someone in your group, consider whether they would rather wait at the square, visit one of the archaeological sites instead, or take a combined tour where part of the group can skip the crater.

What to bring

Proper shoes. The gravel is loose; sandals and thin-soled shoes are miserable on it.
Water and sun protection in the warmer months — there is little shade on the path.
A warm, windproof layer in autumn and winter, when the crater is colder than the base and the wind can pick up quickly.
Your ticket on your phone, and ID if you bought a last-minute ticket.

The mistakes people make

Most disappointing Vesuvius days come down to one of a handful of avoidable errors.

Arriving without a ticket. With online-only sales, capped slots and a weak signal at the entrance, turning up and hoping is the most common way to miss the crater entirely.
Buying parking or the shuttle before the ticket. The park’s advice is to buy the crater ticket first, because entry is capped. A parking ticket is no use without a slot.
Booking the ticket before the transport. Tickets cannot be changed. If you book a 10:00 slot and then discover the first bus that suits you arrives mid-afternoon, you have a problem the 120-minute window cannot solve.
Leaving it too late in the day. Last entry in winter is 15:00, and the walk takes about 3 hours. A late-afternoon start in December is a rushed visit at best.
Dressing for the coast. In autumn and winter the crater is colder than the foot of the volcano and the wind can rise suddenly. A warm layer weighs almost nothing in a bag.
Forgetting ID with a last-minute ticket. Named tickets are checked against identity documents at the gate.

None of these are hard to avoid once you know about them.

Buying through a tour instead

You do not have to buy directly from the park. There are two main alternatives:

A ticket with a digital guide. The crater ticket as a separate product: skip-the-line entry to the crater path with a smartphone audio guide, about 2.5 hours. You still make your own way to the mountain.

A transfer or tour with entry included. Several transfers from Pompeii and Naples include the park entry, and day trips that combine Vesuvius with Pompeii or Herculaneum handle the whole day. Whether entry is included varies from product to product, so check before you book. The tours page says which include it.

The advantage of buying through a tour is that someone else matches the transport to the ticket. The advantage of buying direct is control: you choose the exact slot and the exact day.

Step by step: booking the crater yourself

Fix your day and your transport to the Quota 1000 square: bus 808 from Pompeii, the Vesuvio Express from Ercolano, or your car and the shuttle.
Register on the ticketing platform and confirm your profile by email and mobile code.
Choose a slot that your transport can reach early in the 120-minute window, and well before the last entry.
Buy all the tickets for your group in one order — paid tickets first, then any free tickets alongside them.
If you are driving, buy the crater ticket before the parking ticket, because crater entry is capped.
Check the weather the evening before and the morning of the visit.

Choosing your time slot

With slots released every ten minutes from 9:00 until the last entry, the choice of time matters more than people think.

Early slots suit most visitors. The path is at its quietest, and in summer you walk before the worst of the heat on a path with little shade. If a later bus or shuttle is delayed, you still have the rest of the day in hand. The catch is the journey: an early slot from Sorrento or central Naples means an early start, so check that your first train or bus can actually get you there.

Midday slots are the easiest to reach by public transport and the most popular, which is exactly why they sell out first in busy months. If you want one, book early.

Afternoon slots are quieter again, and the light over the Gulf of Naples is softer. Watch the last entry, which is as early as 15:00 in winter, and the time of the last bus or shuttle down.

A practical rule: work backwards from your transport. Decide which bus, shuttle or drive gets you to the square, add a comfortable margin, and choose the slot that sits early in the 120-minute window that follows.

Visiting as a family or a group

The ticket rules are built around individual visitors, so groups need a little extra care.

Up to 10 tickets per email per day. A family fits easily; a larger group needs more than one account or a group booking.
Free tickets need a paid ticket in the same order, up to 4 free tickets for each paid one.
Visitors with disabilities: adults with a certified 100% disability, minors with a certified disability and their companion are entitled to a free ticket.
Bring ID for everyone who needs it. Named last-minute tickets are checked against identity documents at the gate, and children without ID are checked through the accompanying adult.
Walk at the pace of the slowest. The loose gravel and steady gradient tire children and older walkers faster than you expect, and there is no rush once you are through the gate.

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy Vesuvius crater tickets at the entrance?

Don’t count on it. Tickets are sold only online, the mobile signal near the entrance is very weak, and popular slots sell out. Buy before you travel.

How far in advance can I book?

Up to 30 days before your visit.

What if my slot is sold out?

When a slot sells out, 10 extra last-minute tickets for it are released shortly before it starts. Since 11 April 2026 these are named and checked against ID at the gate.

Can I change or cancel my ticket?

No. Tickets cannot be cancelled and the date and time cannot be changed. Refunds are given only if the path is closed for bad weather or force majeure.

What if I arrive late?

You may enter up to 120 minutes before or after the time on your ticket. Outside that window the ticket is not valid.

Do children need a ticket?

Children entitled to a free ticket must be booked together with at least one full or reduced ticket, up to 4 free tickets for each paid one.

How long does the crater walk take?

About 3 hours there and back, for a total of 3,807 m with about 140 m of climbing.

What time does the crater close?

The last entry is 15:00 in January, February, November and December; 16:00 in March and October; 17:00 in April, May, June and September; and 18:00 in July and August.