Centovalli Railway

The Centovalli line runs about fifty-two kilometres from Locarno to Domodossola across the border, and the name - a hundred valleys - describes the terrain it has to cross: the Melezza has cut a main valley into which dozens of side ravines drop, so the railway is essentially a sequence of bridges and tunnels, more than eighty structures over the route, including the tall Isorno viaduct. It opened in 1923 and is metre gauge. Chestnut woods cover the slopes and turn in October, which is when the line is at its best. Villages along it - Intragna with its tall bell tower, Verdasio, Camedo - are stone-built and mostly reached from stations rather than roads. It connects at Domodossola with Italian services.

History

A convention signed in Rome on 12 November 1918 between Italy and Switzerland started the work, pushed mainly by the mayor of Locarno, Francesco Balli. The 52 km line opened on 25 November 1923 with 30 stations, and in 2010 it carried over 1 million passengers (Wikipedia, Domodossola-Locarno railway line).

What you'll find

• More than eighty bridges - one for nearly every side ravine.
• The Isorno viaduct - the tallest structure on the route.
• Chestnut woods - turning through October along the slopes.
• Stone villages at the stations - Intragna, Verdasio and Camedo.

When to go

All year; October for the chestnut colour. A day.

Before you go

It is a working regional railway, not a panoramic tourist train, so carriages are ordinary - which some prefer. The Italian end requires planning the return. Weather removes the point of the ride. Stations are small with few facilities.

Nearby

Locarno and Ascona are at the Swiss end; Domodossola connects to Italy.

Key facts