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Since its inception in 1897, the Sulmona to Carpinone railway has been hailed as a masterpiece of engineering, for its ability to navigate and travel along the steep slopes of the Abruzzo region. The route, over 117 km long, remains the second highest railway in Italy – reaching an altitude of 1,268 m in the Maiella Mountains – and traversing areas that remain undeveloped to this day.
The train shutdown has many consequences, not just simple traffic or transportation issues. The closure of the Sulmona-Carpinone line also means severing a vital connection to the past, to an era in which trains like these helped reunite Italy after decades of conflict in the 19th century.
From the train, passengers can see the town of Castel di Sangro, with meadows and fields stretching out beyond the urban center.
Now, the route has been restored, and the train is once again clattering back to its physical station. Photographer Chiara Negrello has an apartment in Florence, the capital of Tuscany in central Italy. She loves the rhythm of the train as it passes through the region and decided to drive five hours to Sulmona to experience the entire train route, with only her camera. On her journey, Chiara captured fragments of life she encountered, moments often overlooked, in places where time seems to slow down, and travelers have the chance to return to a bygone era of Italy.
The journey begins in Sulmona, a two-hour drive east of Rome.
Like other towns along the railway line, Sulmono offers a glimpse into old Italy, with its quaint stone buildings, bustling open-air markets selling seasonal specialties, and musicians performing live on the streets.
At 8:30 a.m., volunteers lined up at the station, enthusiastically welcoming passengers aboard the single train whistling along the way. The entire north-south route takes 12 hours round trip, with five stops in five major cities along the way to Isernia, just north of Naples.
Inside, the ship's historical details are clearly evident: ornate railings, glass lamps, classic heaters and emergency brakes, prints of famous Italian paintings hanging on the walls, wooden benches, and passenger compartments all lined with velvet.
Each carriage features famous Italian artwork and information about the train.
The curved decorative details on the railings and ceiling reflect the design style of the 1930s.
The scenery changed constantly as the train rolled along. Outside the window, Chiara saw vast meadows with sheep grazing peacefully, and towering mountain ranges with aqueducts dating back to ancient Roman times. It was a wild, natural world, a world that had existed long before human civilization. Curious animals stopped on the tracks, sometimes even trying to chase the train. This was the land of many rare animals, such as the Marsican brown bear. Wolves, wildcats, martens, plovers, and red-billed crows were also familiar inhabitants of these mountains.
A woman smiles at the beauty of the Abruzzo region of Italy.
A couple watches the sunset from the train carriage.
The train was filled with all kinds of passengers, from every social class. The photographer listened silently to the stories being shared: older passengers regularly commuted on this route, feeling as if they were reliving their youth; a group of women bought first-class tickets to enjoy their annual vacation; a man held his dog up to the window so they could both enjoy the passing scenery. People took this train for all sorts of reasons.
Townspeople waved as the group disembarked from the train station, musicians played lively music, and couples danced in the streets. Life in these towns was a stark contrast to the crowded, bustling coastal areas.
At almost every station, the train stops for hours, giving travelers like Chiara time to explore. She follows others, seeking out local restaurants and enjoying regional dishes such as marinated meat, focaccia bread, Molise mozzarella, and caciocavallo cheese.
The women on a street corner, from the window of the train.
Passengers on the train enjoyed a performance of "Lu chiov e cicalin" by street musicians in the town of Palena.
Train travel - a heritage of Italy
The Sulmona-Carpinone railway is one of the most iconic routes in Italian culture and history. The golden age of railways in the country lasted from 1860 to 1873, directly coinciding with the period of Italian unification. During this time, the various states of the Italian peninsula were united, forming the single Italian monarchy as we see it today.
In the early 1900s, Italy underwent a major infrastructure overhaul. Initially, dozens of steam-powered trains sprang up, becoming the means of transport for millions of people. The development of railways coincided with the Italian Industrial Revolution, as steam locomotives replaced animal power. In later years, electricity and diesel became the primary energy sources, but the railway industry remained a symbol of the nation's progress and modernization. The Sulmona-Carpinone railway, opened at the height of the Industrial Revolution, immediately became a promise of the future.
Since its inception, this train has operated continuously throughout periods of war and natural disasters. During World War II, it played a crucial role: transporting supplies to military camps around the railway line. After being destroyed by the Germans, it took decades to repair the entire line. When the train was fully restored in the 1960s, passenger numbers were no longer what they used to be.
Rivisondoli Pescocostanzo station is the second highest train station in Italy, located 1,200 meters above sea level.
The train stops at Campo di Giove, on the southern slopes of the Maiella mountain range.
In 1980, a new nickname emerged that sparked widespread interest. Italian journalist and writer Luciano Zeppegno was so impressed by the mountainous scenery along the Sulmona-Carpinone route that in an article he called it "the little Trans-Siberian railway." Although the train doesn't operate anywhere near Siberia, the name has persisted to this day, becoming an effective way to attract tourists.
In 2014, Fondazione FS Italiane, a state agency, reopened the route as part of a project to revitalize 10 Italian railway lines to stimulate sustainable tourism. The revived train became incredibly popular, with a peak passenger volume of 31,000 in 2019. After a long period of inactivity due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the train reopened in June of this year and was warmly received, although there is only one train per weekend. From December to the end of January, there will be more trains to serve the annual holiday season.
Every weekend, Captain Marcello D'Amico steps into the wheelhouse to steer the historic ship.
According to the train conductor on the Sulmona-Carpinone railway line, "Trains are the best form of exploration and adventure. Because on a single train, at the same time, you can listen to thousands of different stories from different people."
A woman admires the mountain scenery on the Sulmona-Carpinone railway line.
"I boarded the train in late autumn. As evening fell and we crossed the Abruzzo plateau, the mountain slopes looked as if they had been drenched in red and yellow ink. Each season, the mountains are painted with different colors; they are white with snow in winter, then turn a vibrant emerald green in summer."
After passing through the final stops in Carpinone and Isernia, the train will turn straight back to Sulmona. The journey back feels like waking up from a sweet dream of faraway lands.
"And as night fell, the old lamps cast a warm glow throughout the train carriage. Outside, the lights from the small towns along the mountainside twinkled in the distance" - Chiara Negrello.
