Iconic Swiss scenic rail route celebrates centenary

The Centovallina route took 25 years to complete on either side of WWI. Keystone / Str

The winding route through the ‘Valley of a Hundred Valleys’ is one of the most beautiful journeys that can be explored by rail: We are talking about the Centovalli railway. This Saturday, the “Centovallina”, as it is affectionately known in Ticino, turns 100 years old.

The birth of the Centovallina, which on the Italian side is called “Vigezzina” – like the valley of the same name – was anything but easy. Originally, the line was to be part of the great transalpine route, but then the decision was made in favour of the Gotthard route. The Centovallina was built after all and is still the fastest connection between Bern and Ticino today.

With 83 bridges and 31 tunnels over a distance of 52 kilometres, the Centovallina is considered a masterpiece of engineering. However, it took 25 years from the initial idea to its realisation.

One of the main promoters of the railway was the mayor of Locarno, Francesco Balli (1852-1924). The former member of the Council of States wanted his town to participate in the upswing in the hotel industry from 1875, and this required a connection to the railway network. The Gotthard railway company had built a branch line from Cadenazzo to Locarno even before the tunnel opened. However, the Locarnese hinterland could hardly benefit from this.

However, the “Centovalli Railway” project progressed and after some back and forth on the Italian side, the Ministry of Public Works in Rome granted the building permit in autumn 1912.

However, construction had to be interrupted with the start of World World War I in 1914: The Italian workers enlisted in the army and Italy used the building material intended for the section in the Vigezzo Valley at the front.

After the end of the war, Swiss diplomats in Rome worked out a state treaty with their Italian colleagues on the operation of the railway line. This was ratified by the Italian King Vittorio Emanuele and the Federal Council in 1919. Among other things, the agreement obliged both sides to ensure unity in technology and operation.

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