Austrian Railway Group

Rittnerbahn
Ferrovia del Renon

A Metre gauge line, built before the first World War by Austrians as the Rittnerbahn, the line passed into Italian ownership thereafter, and part continues to run into the 21st century as the Ferrovia del Renon.

The Rittnerbahn was opened in 1907, connecting the then Austrian town of Bozen (Bolzano) with the villages of Oberbozen (Soprabolzano), Costalovara and Collalbo. The first section of line was partly rack fitted, using small 4-wheeled electric locomotives hauling carriages. The 7 km. line started as a street tramway in the city centre, passing the railway station before climbing out, sometimes on Abt-rack fitted track. At Ville de Bolzano, the rack sections ended , and the line ran along a cliff edge, then a plateau, passing through Soprabolzano, then gradually downhill to the village of Collalbo, high above the next valley. Trains on this section were operated by 4-wheel and bogie electric railcars with wooden bodies.

The rack section and street tramway closed in 1966, following the opening of a cable car from the edge of the city to Soprabolzano. However, the 4.86 km. line from Ville de Bolzano, past the cable car top station, and on to Collalbo, is still open and operating. Now part of the local transport authority, SIT, the tram service runs daily, as route 141. The half-hourly seilbahn (journey time 12 minutes) connects with the tram a t Soprabolzano for the hourly service (07:35 - 19:35) for the 16 minute journey. A return fare from Bolzano is currently (2004) Eur 7. Tickets should be bought in advance and validated.

At the end of the line, one of the rack-fitted electric locomotives has been plinthed, and it is possible to see the trackbed through the overbridge at the end of the station platform. Some services on the line are now in the hands of a 1956-built "new" tram, whilst special events bring out the original 1907 vehicles, which are occasionally used in normal service, and can be hired. Information on the service, including how to buy reduced-price tickets and timings on the Innsbruck-Bolzano train service, can be found in English, German and Italian) at their web site.