Mendrisio–Varese railway

The Mendrisio–Varese railway is a railway line in Ticino, Switzerland.

Mendrisio–Varese railway
Overview
Status	in use
Owner	Rete Ferroviaria Italiana Swiss Federal Railways
Locale	Ticino, Switzerland Lombardy, Italy
Termini	Mendrisio Varese
History
Opened	June 28, 1926
Technical
Line length	17.607 km (10.940 mi)
Number of tracks	1
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	15 kV AC 16.7 Hz (Switzerland) 3000 V DC (Italy)
Route map km Gotthard railway to Immensee 0.0 Mendrisio Gotthard railway to Chiasso A 2 2.0 Ligornetto-Genestrerio 3.8 Stabio Switzerland Italy border Rodero-Valmorea Valmorea railway to Malnate 6.5 11.0 Switzerland Italy border 10.7 Cantello-Gaggiolo Bevera Tunnel Bevera Bridge 7.5 Porto Ceresio–Milan railway to Porto Ceresio 6.2 Arcisate 3.5 Induno Olona Saronno–Laveno railway to Saronno Varese Nord 0.0 Varese Saronno–Laveno railway to Laveno Gallarate–Varese railway to Gallarate km

It was opened in 1926 as part of the international Valmorea railway, but only two years later the border crossing was closed by the Italian government, which didn't agree with a privately owned international connection (the Italian section of the line was operated by Ferrovie Nord Milano).

The Swiss section remained active, but lost passenger service and was from then used only as a freight railway for the industries around Stabio.

Since 1993 the line is also used by touristic trains on the re-opened line to Malnate.

A new branch, the Arcisate–Stabio railway, was recently constructed, connecting Varese to Mendrisio, and therefore to Lugano and Como. The 3,5 km section between Mendrisio and Stabio reopened to passenger trains in December 2014, the rest of the line in January 2018.

References

• Ladavas, Paolo; Mentesana, Fabio (2000). Valle Olona Valmorea. Due nomi, una storia. La ferrovia Castellanza-Mendrisio. Editoriale del Garda. ISBN 88-85105-08-4.