Journey Back in Time on the Transiberian Italy Train

A Love for Old Trains

Ever since I was a child watching Sunday matinee films like ‘Murder on the Orient Express’, I’ve had a soft spot for old trains. There’s something about the wooden interiors, brass fixtures and strangers sharing a journey as the carriage rattles through misty landscapes, that stirs a sense of adventure. So boarding the Transiberian Italy train from Sulmona felt less like travel and more like stepping back in time.

Sulmona Station: Where Music Meets Memory

Before the train departs at 8.30am, a folk quartet plays one of my favourite Abruzzese folk songs La Reginella. I’m transported back to family parties in Melbourne during the 1970s, with my uncle playing the fisarmonica, children dancing without a care and the women singing in full force. My mother especially, singing with all her heart, as though her voice might carry all the way to the Abruzzese mountains, so far away.

Abruzzese folk Musicians performing at Transiberian Italy train - Sulmona train station — Folk Musicians at Sulmona Train Station

The Journey and the Destination

This part of the journey cuts its way through the majestic Maiella National Park, snaking through 58 tunnels and countless viaducts. Each time the train exits a tunnel, the landscape opens up to breathtaking views of mountain peaks, rocky outcrops and small villages tucked amongst the hills.

Pettorano sul gizio along the Transiberian Italy train route

Palena: First Stop

The Transiberian Italy train stops at Palena where a pop-up market greets passengers and the folk musicians offer entertainment. There’s an opportunity to try some Abruzzese food specialties and I highly recommend trying boccanotti, a jam filled Abruzzese pastry. Along with food stalls you will also find crafts, and a nearby bar sells coffee and snacks. Facilities are basic here – one toilet with long queues – but you can also use the onboard restroom. There’s a rocky outcrop with some ruins nearby, though not much else to explore.

After Palena, the train passes through Rivisondoli-Pescocostanzo, Italy’s highest station at 1,268 metres above sea level. Throughout the journey, volunteer guides give snippets of history. They share background information about the train and are available for any questions.

Palena stop during Transiberian Italy train trip

Exploring Carovilli, the last stop

The last stop on the Transiberian Italy train route is Carovilli in Molise. You have about 4 hours to explore this quaint, sleepy town in Molise. Molise was once part of Abruzzi, but became a separate region in 1963.

To reach the main square and restaurants, prepare for an uphill walk. The town is small and peaceful, with a modest piazza and few eateries.

Highlights:

Church of Santa Maria Assunta, built in the 13th century, holds relics of Santo Stefano del Lupo and set in a lovely piazza.
Ruins of San Nicola Fortress – A local suggested visiting the ruins which offer great views. It takes about 2.6 km or 40 minutes one way.
Dining tip: bring your own food or book a restaurant in advance as the town is not equipped to handle large groups.

Antique fountain in Carovilli, Molise along Transiberian Italy train trip — Carovilli Fountain

San Nicola Fortress in Carovilli — Carovilli Fountain

A Relic From the Past

Just out of town in the aptly named Via del Fonte (Fountain Street), we came across an old disused fountain. It was a lavatoio or washhouse where the town’s women once washed their clothes until the 1950s. Lavatoi were often built near natural springs, channeling fresh water through sloped stone basins where laundry was scrubbed by hand.

Lavatoio in Carovilli, Molise — An old relic from the past – the ‘lavatoio‘ or washhouse where women of the village would wash their clothes

Return Journey back to Sulmona

The return trip to Sulmona takes around two hours without stops. To pass the time, the folk quartet moves from carriage to carriage, singing Abruzzese folk songs and handing out instruments. Some are native to Abruzzo, handmade tamburelli and rustic percussion and passengers happily join in and sing along.

I join in too, just as I did as a child. As the train rattles on, I’m transported back to Melbourne in the 1970s – to matinee movies, family gatherings and the echoes of my mother singing, her voice rising like it always did, reaching for a place half a world away amongst the Abruzzese mountains.

A Short History of the Transiberian Italy Railway

The Transiberian Italy train line was inaugurated on 18 September 1897 and was considered to be an excellent example of railway engineering.
During WWII, German forces destroyed sections of the track while retreating north. The railway played a strategic role in defending the Gustav Line.
In post-war years, workers rebuilt the line, but passenger numbers declined with the rise of cars, new highways and depopulation across the region. In 2010 the railway was no longer viable and it officially closed.
The railway was destined for the scrap heap, when a group of passionate railway enthusiasts stepped in and resurrected the train into a viable tourist attraction.
The Transiberian Italy train is the most popular historic train tour in Italy hosting more than 250 000 passengers between 2012 and 2024.
In 1980, an Italian journalist Luciano Zeppengo coined the nickname Transiberiana d’Italia after a train trip through Asia. Zeppegno wrote an article comparing the snowy Abruzzo highlands to the Siberian steppe. His article helped to shape the railway’s identity and sparked renewed interest. (Source)

Tips

Book a seat on the left-hand side of the train for the best scenery because the train doesn’t turn around. The driver simply switches cabins, so your view stays the same coming back.
The train has 9 vintage carriages with narrow wooden benches that seat two people each.
Book early as the trips sell out quickly, especially the Christmas markets.