The life of a railway
In 1898, Francesco Balli, mayor of Locarno, sent the formal request for a licence for the rail network. In May 1913 the building of the Centovalli Railway started on the Swiss side. On 23 November of the same year the work was suspended after the collapse of the Franco-American Bank in Paris, which was financing the line. In April 1914 work restarted, but was then much reduced and later suspended at the start of the First World War. In August 1921 construction resumed. On 27 March 1923 the two teams laying the track (one from Switzerland, one from Italy) connected the rail line at Santa Maria Maggiore. 25 November 1923, an important date ­ the inauguration of the line, known in Switzerland as the Centovallina, and in Italy as the Vigezzina.

Homepage | about us | where we are | rolling stock | routes and height differences | history | partners timetable | fares | offers | documentation and souvenirs | write to us ©2002 FART, Ferrovie Autolinee Regionali Ticinesi Via Franzoni 1, CH - 6601 Locarno, tel. +41 (0)91 756 0400, fax +41 (0)91 756 0499 e-mail: fart@centovalli.ch