Trieste-Villa Opicina Tram Returns to Service
Trieste’s famous Villa Opicina tram, a hybrid tramway and funicular railway, is set to resume service after tests by Italian health and safety authorities confirmed that it meets all the required safety standards.
About the Trieste-Villa Opicina tram
The Trieste-Villa Opicina tram is an unusual hybrid of a tramway and funicular railway, connecting Piazza Oberdan in the heart of Trieste with the town of Villa Opicina, perched on a hill high above the Italian port city.
For most of its journey, it operates as a regular tram, but on one steep stretch, the trams are pushed uphill and braked downhill by a pair of cable tractors that function like a funicular railway.
Since a collision in a passing loop involving two trams in 2016, the service of the Trieste-Villa Opicina tram has sadly been suspended, much to the dismay of avid rail travellers.
Following restoration work and tests conducted over the last few years, the restart of the Trieste-Villa Opicina tram appears to be drawing nearer.
One of the historic trams linking Trieste with Villa Opicina. ©AndyBTravels
Safety inspection
According to the Municipality of Trieste, the Italian National Agency for Railway and Road Infrastructure Safety (ANSFISA) has given its approval for the restart of the Villa Opicina tram.
ANSFISA technicians have assessed the condition of the historic tramway and tram carriages, finding that they meet all the required safety standards.
An ANSFISA spokesperson said: “The work has met all required standards, and we are pleased to see this piece of Trieste’s heritage ready to roll again.”
Trieste Centrale station. ©AndyBTravels
Service restart
The next phase before the official restart, a pre-service phase lasting around 10 days, has now started.
During these 10 days, more test runs will take place, after which Trieste Trasporti, the city’s public transportation operator, will coordinate with the relevant local authorities to determine an official launch date for public passenger services.
When the line reopens, locals will have their highly convenient tram back, while tourists will have a unique attraction to admire, as the historic trams, the infrastructure, and the fantastic views over Trieste and the sea are well worth the ride.
Villa Opicina
Villa Opicina, a town high in the hills above Trieste, is the border station and the last stop in Italy on the Trieste-Ljubljana-Vienna railway line.
Among the trains that call at Villa Opicina is the Emona EuroCity train, which links Vienna with Graz, Maribor, Ljubljana, and Trieste.
Due to the unique geography of the area and the funicular system, the Trieste-Villa Opicina tramway is just 5.2 kilometres long, whereas the normal railway line between Trieste and Villa Opicina spans 28.4 kilometres, taking a circuitous detour around the mountain to limit the maximum gradient.
Map showing both the tramline as well as the railway line between Trieste and Villa Opicina. ©OpenStreetMap/AndyBTravels
Conclusion
The Trieste-Villa Opicina tramway has passed all necessary safety tests and received approval from the authorities, bringing the long-awaited reopening closer.
Once operational, it will restore a vital transport link for locals and offer visitors to Trieste a unique opportunity to ride one of Europe’s most distinctive tram lines.
