High-speed service to run four times a month.

Italy's newly unveiled direct train service between Rome and Pompeii is to run every Sunday, starting from 6 August, the culture ministry has announced.

The high-speed Frecciarossa service, inaugurated on 16 July by Italian premier Giorgia Meloni, was initially scheduled to run just once a month, on every third Sunday.

However the culture ministry says that due to high interest it has been decided that the direct train between Rome and Pompeii will run once a week instead of once a month.

When the train journey was first launched, amid much fanfare, authorities were ridiculed for only offering the service once a month.

Dal 6 agosto il Frecciarossa Roma - Pompei circolerà tutte le domeniche. Quadruplicando l'offerta attuale.
https://t.co/cPsjA0YnMH pic.twitter.com/mmjsKjX30m

— Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (@fsitaliane) July 18, 2023

The journey time from Rome to Pompeii is one hour and 47 minutes, with the return trip taking two hours and 15 minutes.

The Frecciarossa service leaves Roma Termini at 08.53, arriving in Pompeii at 10.40, with the return journey departing at 18.40 and arriving back in Rome at 20.55.

Passengers can watch a video about the history of Pompeii as well as buy entrance tickets to the archaeological park on board before hopping on a shuttle bus to their destination from Pompeii station.

The new direct connection, a collaboration between the culture ministry and Italy's state railways group, is added to the 50 daily round-trip journeys that already exist between Rome and Pompeii.