Far from crowded stations and high-speed trains, there is a place in Italy where you can get on a vintage convoy and take a journey through time, crossing natural parks, countries with ancient origins and snow-capped mountains in winter. very green in summer. Inaugurated in 1897, the Sulmona-Carpinone-Isernia railway connected Abruzzo with Molise. In little more than 128 km we passed from a hilly altitude to over 1200 meters. While the few kilometers that separate Isernia to Carpinone are still open to railway traffic, the rest of the line, for some years, is only traveled by historical trains thanks to the collaboration between the State Railways Foundation – which deals, among other things ,Timeless railways – and the Le Rotaie Association .
This railway is called “Trans-Siberian of Italy” because in winter the snow often falls on the rails and the surrounding landscape and, looking out the window, you can imagine being on the railway that connects Moscow to Vladivostok.
Already in 1910 the Italian Touring Clubhe had inserted it into his guide. The railway, in fact, in addition to crossing places of great beauty is composed of a series of works of engineering importance. The fact that you pass a few kilometers from one slope to another and that the tracks cross mountainous paths has made the construction of tunnels, bridges and viaducts necessary. The tortuous route has put the professionals of the time to the test, but they have contributed to setting up one of the masterpieces of Italian railway engineering. The tunnels are more than 50 and the longest measures over 3 kilometers. Then there are flyovers, bridges, aqueducts. In short, it is a set of naturalistic beauties and works of high engineering interest, to be traveled at least once to discover a hidden side of Italy, that can give emotions and surprises. Every month,according to the seasons , thematic itineraries are organized along the route that allow tourists and curious to get on a train built between 1920 and 1930 and, slowly, admire the landscape. Not just nature: the trip allows you to leave the daily frenzy at home for a day and rediscover the culture, traditions, music and art of the countries crossed by the railway. In places where the train stops, in fact, food stands are set up and to accompany every stage of the tour there is a group of popular music that makes known the sounds of Abruzzo and Molise even to those who have never heard them.
