Trains and other things: Mendrisio S.Martino, Capolago-Riva S.Vitale, Lugano Paradiso, Pino-Tronzano, Gerra, Maccagno

New trip this weekend, in Switzerland and Italy!

SL X60 at Upplands-Väsby

ER1

Arlanda airport

Still huge queues at the security check

How was your experience today?

Here it's less crowded

My flight today

Arriving at Zurich airport

This must be one of the easiest connections between flight and train in Europe

About 5 min after stepping off the plane, I could board the train

I'm going to Italy straight away, this is the last train for today, so I'm glad I could make it

Having my dinner on the train

At Bellinzona, I'm changing trains

I'm in the middle of the Alps in May, but the temperature is above 20 C in the evening!

Freight trains are frequent here

I'm arriving at Como S.Giovanni

Breakfast in the morning at B&B Hotel Como, which is just near the station

At Chiasso, I'm changing trainsBreakfast in the morning at B&B Hotel Como, which is just near the station

Italian and Swiss train networks in this region are well integrated

I have now entered Switzerland (It is much cheaper to stay in hotel in Italy than Switzerland)

My goal is to see the freight trains, this route is part of Rhine-Alpine RFC1 route, so there should be trains here. On the other hand, the route is splitted in two after Bellinzona, one goes through Chiasso and Monza, the other through Luino. Today I will check out both of them

I'm suspecting that there are not many freight trains here due to the frequent passenger services

Airport service to Malpensa

Re 420 together with Panorama coaches for Gotthard Panorama Express

Since the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the old railway is much unused so it is possible to have extra tourist services there.

The train has only 1st class, and there are both Panorama coaches and old types (but with windows that can be opened)

Unknown bird

At Capolago I can spot not only standard gauge trains

The line to Monte Generoso opened in 1860. The 9km long railway is reaching the Generoso Vetta terminus, at 1592 m

Here it is, a freight train on the line

Hauled with two Re 620, it was overtaken at Chiasso from an Italian locomotive

Traxx AC1 is also used on the line until Chiasso

Lago di Lugano

Arriving to Paradise

The station was totally renovated in 2018

Monte San Salvatore funicular is just next to the station

Excellent Italian coffee is available at many stations here

Yes, it's 27 C in the middle of May

I'm on my way to the other branch of Rhine-Alpine railway

The line Cadenazzo-Luino is starting here in Cadezanno

The line is operated with S30 regional line, but the traffic is suspended until 14:00, so I have to take a bus

Rail replacement bus

The bus is following the rail line, but of course it's behind the time table schedule

I have now reached Lago Maggiore, it is the second largest lake in Italy after Garda

There it is, the railway

Actually, I'm back in Italy but from the other side

The Luino Line was opened on December 4, 1882 by the Gotthard Railway Company. It was initially intended to accommodate the Gotthardbahn traffic to Genoa, while traffic to Milan was to flow via Chiasso. It was one of the last SBB routes to be operated with steam locomotives; electrical operation with single-phase alternating current 15 kV 16 ⅔ Hz was not introduced until June 11, 1960. (Wikipedia)