The Domodossola–Milan railway line is a major Italian railway route and an important part of the European rail network. It is one of Italy's busiest lines for both passenger and freight trains. The line connects
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
and
Domodossola
Domodossola (; Lombard: Dòm) is a city and ''comune'' in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, in the region of Piedmont, northern Italy. It was also known as Oscela, Oscella, Oscella dei Leponzi, Ossolo, Ossola Lepontiorum, and Domo d'Ossola ...
with
Brig, an important
Swiss railway junction
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge. This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes (assuming they are of the same gauge), provided by ''points'' ( ...
, via the
Simplon Tunnel
, it, Galleria del Sempione
, line = Simplon line, (Lötschberg railway line)
, location = Traversing the Lepontine Alps between Switzerland and Italy
, coordinates = –
, system = Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF ...
. Direct passenger trains ran from Brig to
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
(via
Lausanne
, neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR ...
and
Geneva
, neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier
, website = https://www.geneve.ch/
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...
) and
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
and
Luxembourg
Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
via
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...
. The line runs through lower
Varese Province, the valley of
Ossola
The Ossola (, also Valle Ossola or Val d’Ossola) is an area of Italy situated to the north of Lago Maggiore. It lies within the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. Its principal river is the Toce, and its most important town Domodossola.
...
and along the shore of
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore (, ; it, Lago Maggiore ; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Lagh Maggior; pms, Lagh Magior; literally 'Greater Lake') or Verbano (; la, Lacus Verbanus) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest l ...
.
History
The line was completed to Gallarate in the early 1860s and was extended over the
Ticino
Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...
River in 1882, reaching Domodossola in 1888. The Simplon Tunnel was completed and the line extended to it from Domodossola in 1906; it was duplicated in 1922.
It was part of the
Società per le strade ferrate dell'Alta Italia
The Società per le strade ferrate dell'Alta Italia (''Upper Italian Railways'', ''SFAI'') was an Italian railway company from 1865 to 1885.
History
It was established on 1 July 1865 with of line it acquired from the state railway of the Kingd ...
(''Upper Italian Railways'') from 1865, the
Società per le Strade Ferrate del Mediterraneo (''Mediterranean Railway Company'') from 1885 and
Ferrovie dello Stato
Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane S.p.A. ( "Italian Railways of the State"; previously only Ferrovie dello Stato, hence the abbreviation FS) is Italy's national state-owned railway holding company that manages transport, infrastructure, real estat ...
from 1905.
Route
The line is fully electrified at 3,000 volts DC and is double track. In some stretches between
Arona and
Domodossola
Domodossola (; Lombard: Dòm) is a city and ''comune'' in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, in the region of Piedmont, northern Italy. It was also known as Oscela, Oscella, Oscella dei Leponzi, Ossolo, Ossola Lepontiorum, and Domo d'Ossola ...
, the two tracks are not adjacent: the southbound line towards Milan runs directly along the shore of Lake Maggiore; the northbound line towards Domodossola is located a little inland because of the local geography. At Domodossola the electrification system changes to the Swiss system of 15,000 volts AC 16.7 Hz for the Simplon Tunnel.
The regional passenger rail service is operated by
Trenord
Trenord is a railway company which is responsible for the operation of regional passenger trains in Lombardy. The company was established by the two main railway companies in Lombardy, Trenitalia and Ferrovie Nord Milano (FNM), to manage train ope ...
. The section between
Gallarate
Gallarate (; Lombard: ''Galaraa'') is a city and ''comune'' of Alto Milanese of Lombardy and of Milan metropolitan area, northern Italy, in the Province of Varese. It has a population of some 54,000 people.
It is the junction of railways to ...
and
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
is also served by
suburban line S5. The railway is also served by long-distance
Eurocity and
EuroNight
EuroNight, abbreviated EN, is a European train category which denotes many main-line national and international night train services within the Western and Central European inter-city rail network. Overview
The classification and name were bro ...
trains, as well as the high-speed
Cisalpino
Cisalpino AG () was a railway company, referred to as CIS in timetables, operating international trains between Switzerland and Italy connecting Basel, Schaffhausen, Zürich, Geneva, Milan, Venice, Trieste, Livorno, and Florence. The company ...
trains, which connect Milan to the Swiss cities of Lausanne, Geneva, Bern and Basel.
The Domodossola–Milan line is also used by freight trains operated by Trenitalia Cargo,
SBB Cargo
* it, FFS Cargo SA
, type = Subsidiary
, logo = SBB CFF FFS Cargo logo.svg
, logo_size = 300px
, foundation = 1999
, location_city = Olten
, location_country = Switzerland
, industry = Rail Transport
, revenue = CHF 953 million (201 ...
Italia and other private companies.
The line passes through the metropolitan area to the northwest of Milan, across the plain towards
Gallarate
Gallarate (; Lombard: ''Galaraa'') is a city and ''comune'' of Alto Milanese of Lombardy and of Milan metropolitan area, northern Italy, in the Province of Varese. It has a population of some 54,000 people.
It is the junction of railways to ...
. It continues through the forests of lower Varese Province towards Lake Maggiore. After
Sesto Calende
Sesto Calende is a town and ''comune'' located in the province of Varese, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.
It is at the southern tip of Lake Maggiore, where the Ticino River starts to flow towards the Po River. The main historical sight ...
it crosses the Ticino River on an iron bridge, which was opened to traffic in 1882.
State road 33 (the Milan–
Simplon Pass
The Simplon Pass (french: Col du Simplon; german: Simplonpass; it, Passo del Sempione, Lombard: ''Pass del Sempiün'') () is a high mountain pass between the Pennine Alps and the Lepontine Alps in Switzerland. It connects Brig in the canto ...
road) uses the same bridge, above the railway. From Arona, the line largely runs along the western shore of Lake Maggiore, keeping above the shore, passing through the major tourist town of
Stresa
Stresa is a town and ''comune'' of about 4,600 residents on the shores of Lake Maggiore in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, about northwest of Milan. It is situated on road and rail routes to the Simp ...
. After
Baveno
Baveno is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, part of Piedmont, northern Italy. It is on the west shore of Lago Maggiore, northwest of Arona by rail.
To the north-west are the famous red granite quarries, which have s ...
, it enters the
Toce
The Toce () is a river in Piedmont, Italy, which stretches the length of the Val d'Ossola from the Swiss border to Lake Maggiore into which it debouches near Fondotoce in the commune of Verbania. The river is long and is formed in the upper V ...
plain and runs for about up the
Ossola
The Ossola (, also Valle Ossola or Val d’Ossola) is an area of Italy situated to the north of Lago Maggiore. It lies within the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. Its principal river is the Toce, and its most important town Domodossola.
...
valley to Domodossola. It then approaches the Simplon Tunnel through nine tunnels including the
Varzo Tunnel, which is built as a
spiral in order to gain height.
See also
*
List of railway lines in Italy
This is a list of all railway lines in Italy.
Active lines
Managed by Ferrovie dello Stato
High–speed lines
* Turin–Milan
* Milan–Verona (under construction)
* Verona–Venice (under construction)
* Venice–Trieste (planning p ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Domodossola-Milan railway
Railway lines in Lombardy
Railway lines in Piedmont