Back to yesterday (the beginning of the trip)
We get at 808 the iR3189 train to Napoli. This is a strange train, it
is a long range train, but it is just two car long, as a very local one.
This train on holydays is used almost exclusively by people going to walk
on the mountains of the Maiella, or enjoing the highest railway line in
Italy (it is second, for just a few meters, to Brenner station) that go
in a unique landscape.
We did the trip in a multimodal way: We get the Train from Sulmona to Campo di Giove-Monte Maiella then we would have rideen the bicycles until Pescocostanzo, to come back througth the wood of S.Antonio . This way we would have been up with the train and (mostly) down with the bikes.
This line is also the only one that in Italy run throught a National
Park.
Three years ago it was to be closed, but it was retained, and holyday service
in particular, just for its touristic interest.
If you plan a trip consider that on the line there are only 2 complete
run on holidays (plus one only from Sulmona to Castel di Sangro, on the
most interesting part) and 3 (plus 2 ) on weekdays (timetable
available)
The line begin soon to climb, and after 9 km have gained about 250 m, and
you can see how much (left) have to climb !
Then you turn around the small city of Pettorano sul Gizio (going on the
viaducts on left)
You still are in view of the Gran Sasso, and still running up. ... and
we now arrive to the small centre of Campo di Giove. It is a small touristic
resort sorrounded by mountains.
Here is the station of Campo di giove, with an older semaphore on its southern
entrance. We remained on the train until further stop, about 3 km past,
Campo di Giove-Monte maiella. This is a small stop, opened a few years
ago to serve the ski fields. It is very, very small, but extremely nice.
We unboarded bikes ans started the trip along the railway ....
Do you wish to continue the trip with us ? If so click here for next part.
