Quick answer. Withdraw here, properly, before you go anywhere. Naples Capodichino is a single terminal five kilometres from the city, with bank machines in arrivals, and it is the last convenient bank ATM most visitors will see before heading to Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast or Capri, where the machines thin out and the independents take over. Use an Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit or BNL machine rather than a Euronet unit. Italy does have a Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner, BNL, so a BNL machine avoids the flat non-network withdrawal fee. BoA's 3 percent international conversion charge still applies and is never waived. Getting into the city, the Alibus shuttle runs to Piazza Garibaldi and the Molo Beverello ferry port, and Naples operates fixed taxi tariffs on the airport routes that drivers do not always volunteer, so ask for the tariffa predeterminata by name.
Where to get euro at NAP
The cost question at NAP is less about the counters in arrivals than about what you will face two hours later on the Sorrentine peninsula. A withdrawal made here at a bank machine is materially cheaper than the same withdrawal made in Positano. Here is what each route costs on €100.
| Option | Where | Markup | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank ATM at NAP (Intesa, UniCredit) | Arrivals hall | Interbank rate, modest or no machine fee | ~$109-110 |
| BNL ATM with a BoA card | Arrivals and in the city | Interbank + BoA 3% (no flat non-network fee) | ~$107 |
| Bank ATM in central Naples | Via Toledo, Piazza Garibaldi | Interbank rate, modest or no machine fee | ~$109-110 |
| Euronet machine at NAP or on the coast | Arrivals, Sorrento, Positano, Capri | Own surcharge + poor rate + DCC pitch | ~$98-103 |
| Exchange counter in NAP arrivals | Arrivals hall | 8-15% off interbank | ~$94-100 |
Bank machines at Naples (NAP), and why this is the one to use
Capodichino is a single terminal unusually close to the city, which makes it one of the easier arrivals in Italy. The machines are in the arrivals hall, and the choice is the standard Italian one: a bank ATM, meaning Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit, BNL or Banco di Napoli livery inside the Intesa group, or a Euronet machine, which will be more visible and will cost more. The reason to take this seriously at NAP rather than shrugging and topping up later is where most people go next. Naples is the gateway to Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello and Capri, and that coast is a genuinely awkward place to find a fair-rate machine: the towns are small, the bank branches are few, the independent operators have moved into the gaps, and Capri in particular is an island where a bad machine has a captive market. Naples itself is also the most cash-dependent large city in Italy, with pizzerias, market stalls and the ferry ticket kiosks all happier with notes than a Milanese equivalent would be. Take out a proper amount here.
The single terminal, arrivals
Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz, ITA Airways, Vueling, British Airways, Lufthansa and the seasonal transatlantic services
Machines are in the arrivals hall past baggage reclaim, alongside the exchange counters and the car-hire desks. Look for Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit or BNL branding rather than the more prominent Euronet units. Decline conversion into pounds or dollars and choose euros. Withdraw enough for the Amalfi and Capri legs of the trip, not just for the taxi.
Departures, same building
Same terminal; check-in, security and a compact airside area
Further machines upstairs and airside. Naples is in the EU and the euro, so there is no duty-free advantage on an intra-EU flight and nothing to reconvert. Spend leftover euros rather than converting them back at a bureau, which costs you the spread twice.
The Alibus stop outside arrivals
Airport shuttle to Piazza Garibaldi station and the Molo Beverello ferry port
The Alibus is the reason NAP is an easy airport: it runs from directly outside the terminal to the central station at Piazza Garibaldi and on to Molo Beverello, the port for the Capri, Ischia and Sorrento ferries. Buy the ticket at the machine or the kiosk before boarding for the cheaper fare, or from the driver for more. If you are heading straight to Capri, this bus takes you to the boat without touching the city.
Do you actually need cash at Naples (NAP)?
Some, and more than in northern Italy. Here is what a contactless card covers between the terminal and central Naples:
Alibus to Piazza Garibaldi and Molo Beverello (a few euros): Cheaper bought at the machine or kiosk before boarding than from the driver, and it runs straight to the ferry port for Capri and Sorrento.
Taxi on the fixed airport tariff (a set fare by destination): Naples operates fixed predetermined fares on the airport routes; ask for the tariffa predeterminata by name before you set off, because a metered fare through Naples traffic can cost considerably more.
Circumvesuviana and regional trains from Piazza Garibaldi (single figures in euros): The line to Sorrento and Pompeii runs from the central station; tickets from machines by card, and validate before boarding.
Pre-booked transfer to the Amalfi Coast (varies by destination): Paid by card in advance and usually the sane option for Positano or Ravello, where the coast road makes a metered taxi expensive and slow.
⚠ DCC trap. When the ATM or terminal asks if you want to be charged in your home currency instead of the local currency, always decline and choose the local currency. Accepting locks in a 3-13 percent markup that your no-FX-fee card cannot undo. Full DCC explainer →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need cash to get from Naples (NAP) to Naples?
No. The Alibus takes cards at the machine and kiosk, taxis on the fixed airport tariff take cards, and the regional trains from Piazza Garibaldi are card-ticketed. Where you will want cash is once you are in Naples, which is the most cash-leaning large city in Italy, and on the Amalfi Coast, where the fair-rate machines get scarce.
Can I order euro before flying?
Worth it here more than at most Italian airports. CEI Currency Exchange ships euros to a US address in 2-5 days, and landing with notes matters because the next stops after Naples are Sorrento, Positano and Capri, where bank machines are few and the independent operators have filled the gap. Order small denominations for the pizzerias, the ferry kiosks and the market stalls.