Italy’s railways to benefit from recovery fund

ITALY'S historic railways are to benefit from the nation's €222 billion postCovid recovery fund, with €435 million allocated for a “new form of railway tourism” – including steam locomotives – to encourage visitors to discover the art, landscape, food and wine of lesser-known destinations.

Major plans include the redevelopment and upgrade of the Trieste-Campo Marzio railway museums; the ACE cabin in Roma Termini, a railway control system dating from 1939 and the National Railway Museum of Pietrarsa.

It is also intended to enhance nearly 400 miles of lines that comprise the ‘Binari senza tempo' project which transport people to “lesser-known but extraordinarily beautiful destinations”.

Rail journeys to be boosted forming part of Italy's new hiking trail linking all 25 national parks include the Transiberiana d'Italia, or snow train, that crosses through the forests of the Majella National Park and through the Abruzzo mountain areas, the Val d'Orcia steam train that passes Tuscany, the 73-mile Irpinia Railway between Avellino and Rocchetta and the “Railway of the Temples”through the Valle dei Templi.