The Vellone–Sacro Monte funicular (Italian: Funicolare Vellone-Sacro Monte) is a funicular railway in the town of Varese in the Italian region of Lombardy. It connects the valley of the Vellone river with the village and sanctuary of Sacro Monte di Varese.[1]
| Vellone–Sacro Monte funicular | |
|---|---|
 Summit station | |
| Overview | |
| Status | Open |
| Locale | Varese, Lombardy, Italy |
| Coordinates | 45°51′37″N 8°47′36″E / 45.860361°N 8.793222°E |
| Service | |
| Type | Funicular |
| Operator(s) | Azienda Varesina Trasporti |
| History | |
| Opened | 1909 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 371 m (1,217 ft) |
| Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) |
| Maximum incline | 56.5% |
The line first opened in May 1909, and remained in service until August 1953. Service was first reinstated in July 2000, before being suspended in 2003 and reinstated in 2005. It shared its lower station with the Vellone–Campo dei Fiori funicular until both lines closed in 1953. The Campo dei Fiori line never reopened.[1]
The funicular is operated by the Azienda Varesina Trasporti, and has the following technical parameters:[1][2]
| Configuration | single track with passing loop |
| Length | 371 m (1,217 ft) |
| Height | 168 m (551 ft) |
| Maximum steepness | 56.5% |
| Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) |
| Number of cars | 2 |
| Capacity | 55 passengers per car |
| Trip time | 3 minutes |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c Cacozza, Marco (January 2018). "Wedding on the Sacromonte funicular". Today's Railways Europe. Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. p. 18.
- ^ "Il servizio odierno" [Today's service] (in Italian). Azienda Varesina Trasporti S.p.A. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
External links edit
Media related to Vellone–Sacro Monte funicular at Wikimedia Commons- Web site of the Azienda Varesina Trasporti, with information on the funicular
