The Ionian Railway (Ferrovia Jonica) is an Italian 472-kilometre (293-mile) long railway line that connects Taranto, with Sibari, Crotone and Reggio Calabria. The route operates through the regions of Apulia, Basilicata and Calabria. The route largely follows the coast of the Ionian Sea.
History
The line was opened in stages between 1866 and 1875.
| Date | Section |
|---|---|
| 3 June 1866 | Reggio Calabria - Lazzaro |
| 1 October 1868 | Lazzaro - Bianco |
| 28 February 1869 | Taranto – Marconia |
| 18 August 1869 | Marconia – Trebisacce |
| 6 March 1870 | Trebisacce – Rossano |
| 16 June 1870 | Rossano – Cariati |
| 1 February 1871 | Bianco – Roccella Jonica |
| 1 June 1874 | Cariati – Crotone |
| 20 May 1875 | Catanzaro Lido – Monasterace |
| 15 November 1875 | Crotone – Catanzaro Lido |
Developments
On 13 November 1989 the line between Taranto and Sibari was electrified. The line has also been electrified between Melito di Porto Salvo and Reggio Calabria to allow for the operation of a suburban service.
On 12 December 2010 Gabella Grande, Isola Capo Rizzuto, Marconia, San Leonardo di Cutro and Thurio stations were downgraded to halts. On the same date O.G.R di Saline Joniche, Pietrapaola and San Sosthenes stations closed.
On 21 February 2013 the station serving Reggio Calabria Airport opened, linking it to the city. On 9 June 2013 the station Melito di Porto Salvo opened in Annà.
Usage
The line is used by the following service(s):
- Intercity services Rome - Naples - Salerno - Taranto
- Intercity services Reggio di Calabria - Siderno - Crotone - Sibari - Taranto
- Regional services (Treno regionale) Naples - Salerno - Potenza - Metaponto - Taranto
- Regional services (Treno regionale) Sibari - Monte Giordano - Metaponto
- Regional services (Treno regionale) Sibari - Crotone - Catanzaro Lido
- Regional services (Treno regionale) Catanzaro Lido - Roccela Jonica - Reggio di Calabria
- Regional services (Treno regionale) Melito di Porto Salvo - Reggio di Calabria - Villa San Giovanni
Stations currently without services
The following stations on the Ionian Railway are currently not served by any railway service:
- Scanzano Jonico-Montalbano Jonico (freight trains only)
- Sinni (dismissed)
- Nova Siri-Rotondella (without any train service)
- Rocca Imperiale (without any train service)
- Montegiordano (without any train service)
- Roseto-Capo Spulico (without any train service)
- Amendolara-Oriolo (without any train service)
- Toscano (dismissed - regional trains to/from Sibari, Crotone, and Catanzaro Lido call only on the opening days of the Odissea 2000 water park)
- Pietrapaola (dismissed)
- Roccabernarda (dismissed)
- San Sostiene (dismissed)
- Capo Spartivento (dismissed)
The following former railway stations on the line have been converted to signalling controls:
- Bosco Pineto
- Thurio
- Gabella Grande
- Isola di Capo Rizzuto
- San Leonardo di Cutro
References
Footnotes
- Railway Atlas 2017, pp. 86, 90, 94, 97, 99, 105.
- Prospetto cronologico 1927.
- Impianti FS, in "I Treni" n. 333 (January 2011), pp. 6-7
Sources
- RFI, ed. (December 2003). Fascicolo Linea 135 (in Italian). Rete Ferroviaria Italiana.
- Tuzza, Alessandro, ed. (1927). "Prospetto cronologico dei tratti di ferrovia aperti all'esercizio dal 1839 al 31 dicembre 1926" (in Italian). Ufficio Centrale di Statistica delle Ferrovie dello Stato/Trenidicarta.it. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
- Atlante ferroviario d'Italia e Slovenia [Railway atlas of Italy and Slovenia]. Schweers + Wall. 2010. ISBN 978-3-89494-129-1.