Little railway, really big
Napoli Garibaldi station
In Europe only secondary lines were built in narrow gauge. They allowed narrower curves to avoid expensive bridges, dams or cuts. The lighter rails and equipment could be installed and maintained at a lower price. On the other hand usually the loads and speeds were lower than for a standard gauge line. Therefore most of narrow gauge railways were built in the countryside where less traffic was expected, or used for trams in cities with limited space.
Napoli Garibaldi station
In Italy narrow gauge railways almost exclusively used a track width of 950 mm. Extensive networks in this gauge were built in particular in Sicily and Sardinia as complement to the standard gauge main line network. But also regional lines were built in this track gauge.
Napoli Garibaldi station
In 1884, a narrow-gauge railway line with a length of 38 km was inaugurated to connect Naples with Baiano. It was the beginning of a network of 142 km in 950 mm gauge which today comprises 6 lines in total:
Napoli-Ottaviano-Poggiomarino-Sarno, 38 km, (opened 1891–1904),
Napoli-Pompei-Poggiomarino, 35 km, (opened 1904),
Torre Annunziata-Sorrento, 26 km, (opened 1932–1948),
Volla/Botteghelle-San Giorgio a Cremano, 8 km, (opened 2001)
Pomigliano d’Arco-Acerra, 3 km, (opened 2006)
A train leaves Garibaldi station
Originally the Circumvesuviana also operated a funicular and chair lift to the crater at the summit of Vesuvius. Opened in 1880 it was the world's first mountain funicular cable car. Later it was replaced by a chair lift. However, after damage by volcanic eruptions and wind, the operation ended in 1984.
Packed platform for the train to Pompei
The railway serves 96 stations. The line Napoli-Poggiomarino-Torre Annunziaata-Napoli concludes a loop around the isolated peak of Vesuvius. For that reason it is called Circumvesuviana. However, since it also offers the best access to the archaeological sites of Pompei and Herculaneo and the only access to the Amalfi coastal resort of Sorrento it is in particular popular with tourists. Nevertheless the Circumvesuviana is a commuter railroad to establish a connection between the various suburbs to the east and the center of Napoli. The Circumvesuviana is operated by the EAV (Ente Autonomo Volturno)
Cleaning the platform
I got up early on purpose to catch the 9.24 am service to Sarno. The next one would be at 11 am. I choose to board at Napoli Garibaldi station instead of the much more interesting EAV terminal at Napoli Nolana. Napoli Garibaldi station is one of those dark underground caverns where a passenger willing to board a train feels like a rat. Everything is functional. Nothing is attractive here, everything is grey, brownish or black. Color is only provided by the yellow warning lines which are intended to keep the travelers away from the edge of the platform. This does not mean the station is dirty. Employees with brooms and shovels are busy collecting stray garbage.
The train to Pompei pulls in
A 2019 report called the Circumvesuviana the worst railway line in Italy. Between January and June 2019 a total of 1634 trips were cancelled. The average delay in 2019 was 5.36 minutes, on the line between Naples and Sorrento route it was an average delay of 8.44 minutes. Also the number of trains was continuously reduced: from 500 in 2003 to about 296 in 2019. A similar report appeared in 2023.
Most trains look like this
Today there is no alternative for the crowds of tourists who want to visit Pompeji. Since the main line between Naples and Salerno, which also has a stop at Pompeji, is closed, all tourists must take the Circumvesuviana today. Correspondingly the line at the ticket counters is endless. Only a few try the ticket machines which offer their services in English. Most soon give up since the layout of the machines is basically incomprehensible for a new-comer. I try nevertheless. With success. A ticket from Napoli to Sarno via Poggiomarino on the whole northern leg costs me 4.00 €. It is valid for the entire day and therefore gives me the chance to get off the train at intermediate stops.
Graffiti from inside
The trains of the EAV have some likeness to a trap for rats. The electric rail-cars are low and have a pointy nose. Even the more modern ones look worn-out and neglected. The original color has disappeared or is covered in various layers of dirt and graffiti. Air conditioning is perfectly working by pushing down the windows. Unfortunately not down far enough to take reasonable pictures.
Inside the train
I am glad that for my trip around the volcano I have selected to start with the line towards Sarno. The platform where I wait for the train is rather empty. In contrast to the facing platform where the trains towards Herculaneo, Pompei and Sorrento leave. The platform is packed. In 2024, the EAV network transported approximately 23 million passengers and a lot of them seem to wait on this platform. Due to the number of trains and passengers parts of the EAV lines are double-tracked, unusual for a narrow-gauge railway.
For many the little train is the most comfortable means of transport
Just outside Napoli are the extensive workshops of the EAV. It is clear that paint jobs are not their main concern. However, they had the time to beautifully restore an old red and white unit. It is the only vehicle visible without graffiti.
The workshop of EAV with one of the old trains
By the time I leave the train at Madonna dell’Arco the coach is almost empty. In the morning most traffic is towards the town center. Few leave the town for the countryside. The driver blows his horn and makes a defensive hand gesture when I take pictures of the departing train. I guess he is embarrassed when the deplorable state of his vehicle becomes viral.
Stop in the station of Madonna dell’Arco
Already in the 15th century the Vesuvian municipality of Sant'Anastasia was the site of a votive shrine. The Madonna with the Child Jesus is called "Madonna dell'Arco" since it was located near an ancient Roman aqueduct. In 1593 the construction of a sanctuary, which soon passed into the hands of the Dominicans, was begun. The present buildings, the convent, cloister and a huge assembly hall to serve the large influx of the faithful are rather recent.
The sanctuary of Madonna dell’Arco
The sanctuary still is a destination for traditional pilgrimages of the fujenti (or battenti) from all over Campania. Still it is surprising that there is a service going on this Monday at 10 am. Again a sign how deeply routed the catholic faith still is among the residents of the area. The popularity with the faithful probably is based on a number of miraculous events which center around the votive shrine.
The cloister of the sanctuary
On Easter Monday 1450 a young man, who was enraged by the defeat he had suffered at a game of pallmaglio, swore and violently threw a ball against the sacred image. The Madonna began to bleed from the left cheek. The news reached the Count of Sarno, Raimondo Orsini. He set up a trial which condemned the blasphemer to death. He was hanged from a lime tree near the shrine. Only twenty-four hours later the tree had died.
The sanctuary of Madonna dell’Arco
On Easter Monday 1589 a local woman from Sant'Anastasia, Aurelia Del Prete, visited the shrine with her husband, Marco Cennamo. Marco had recovered from an eye disease and had brought a votive offering depicting the Madonna. Aurelia herself had a piglet with her. When the pig escaped in the crowd she swore and in her anger trampled on her husband's votive offering. The following year she was struck by an illness, which caused her feet to fall off. They are still visible today, enclosed in an iron cage, in the offering room of the sanctuary.
Inside the church at Madonna dell’Arco
From the church a corridor leads to the cloister. The cloister used to house the classrooms of a high school. Today, the buildings are partly used as a hostelry and partly as a museum for these votive offerings. I would have loved to see the cage with the feet and other similar sights it might have on offer. Unfortunately it is closed.
The dog owner
While I walk around the cloister a man enters with his dog. The dog leaves his mark at every base of a column. Then he leaves a neat sausage of shit in the middle of the cloister hallway. The owner fishes a bag from his pocket, picks up the poop and disposes the bag in one of the garbage bins the cloister has provided for that use. The church and cloister seems to be a popular place for dog owners to let relieve their pet. I see others as well, even in the proper church. I wonder whether these dogs also loose their feet or paws…..
The main square at Madonna dell’Arco
Outside, next to the church, is a large, attractive square. Trees of an unknown species are neatly manicured into box-shape. Nevertheless they provide pleasant shadow while the tall palm trees in the corners just threaten the passer-by with falling debris. I realise, that, for shade, a palm tree is useless.
Man washing his feet
Like elsewhere the local men sit in the shade of the trees and spin their yarn. One washes his feet under the water jet of the drinking fountain. I join the women, who prefer to sit in the cafe facing the entrance to the church. The cafe has a nice, shady veranda from where it is easy to observe whether one of the faithful leaving the church is run over by the ceaseless caravan of cars passing by. It already is very hot and the waitress is surprised about the combination I order: a Cappuccino and a lemon soda.
The cafe next to the sanctuary
I wanted to take the train around the Vesuvius but at the same time I an always attracted by an end, the end of a line. In this case the town of Sarno, home to 15th century Count Raimondo Orsini, who had no mercy just because somebody threw a ball at the Madonna. I take the train to Sarno. There the train ends at the base of the mountains.
The station building of Madonna dell’Arco
For the first time on this train I encounter a typical Neapolitan phenomen…. An old Neapolitan bard sings local tunes off-key, accompanied by his boombox. He doesn’t want any money, his green hat stays on his head. While the older fellow travelers take it with shrugging shoulders the youngsters turn around and try to get away. The lady in the facing seat comments it with “pittoresco”. At least he is loud enough to drown out the sounds of the mobile phones set on speaker by basically everybody else in the coach.
Neapolitan bard on the train
The term “pittoresco” also fits well to the old part of Sarno. The times of count Raimondo Orsini are not far away here, although I doubt that they still hang people from trees. The alleys are narrow, there are numerous passages under arches where you cannot be sure whether they are public or private. The ancient houses lean on each other. There is no space for pedestrians and even in the narrowest passages the scooters and little cars race through without respite. At the very least, they are hard to miss - you can certainly hear them. I long for the justice of the count.
The old town of Sarno is built for ...
... pedestrians and donkeys
The piaggio is the most important commercial vehicle here. With impressive noise and leaving behind a whitish blue cloud of exhaust they master the narrowest passages and tightest bends of the alleys. They also serve as impromptu market stand to sell fresh produce from the surrounding countryside.
Piaggios at work
In the middle of town a sizable stream appears out of nowhere from the mountain side. Towards the slope of the hill, stairs make the use of vehicles difficult. Some have a narrow ramp to push up bikes or scooters. The stairs lead up to the oldest part of town, high on the slope, the old village of San Matteo clinging precariously in mid-air.
The way up to Borgo San Matteo
You enter the borgo via a tunnel under the Parrocchia Basilica Insigne Collegiata San Matteo Apostolo ed Evangelista, a 10th century church. At the other end residents desperately try to use the remainder of the castle as a parking lot. You have to admit that living in a world of stairs is not for the leg-disabled. Nevertheless the majority of people I see are elderly.
The way up to Borgo San Matteo
The communal library also houses a documentary photo museum. The gate looks like it has not been open for a while. Remainders of fortifications and towers testify that the medieval town had grown further up the slope. At the top are the abandoned ruins of Santuario Beata Vergine Maria del Carmine. Even higher are the ruins of a Longobarde castle. It would offer a spectacular view of Vesuvius and the plain towards Napoli. However, my legs have a clear aversion against going up there. It I just had one of those cars….
Borgo San Matteo
On May 5, 1998, landslides destroyed large parts of Sarno and some neighboring villages. 161 people lost their lives. 180 houses were completely destroyed and 450 severely damaged. The landslides had been caused by several days of torrential rainfalls. However, the main reason was agricultural, residential and industrial overexploitation and the lack of any substantial environmental programs. Consequently the Italian Ministry of the Environment introduced laws for environmental protection. They got the name “legge Sarno”.
The remainders of the castle in San Matteo
Like big brother, the FS, many of the stations of the EAV have manned ticket counters. Also in Sarno. I buy a ticket to Sorrento. The pleasure of another hour of train ride costs me another 3.40 €.
Train to Napoli waiting in Sarno
I have to change trains in Poggomarino. The train to Torre Annunziata is already waiting at the platform. However, it will only leave in 40 minutes. Optimizing correspondences is not the prime priority of railway management in Italy. But the train is open and I can sit down to relax from the heat. Fresh air comes in through the open windows.
Stop in Poggomarino
The open windows also help to blow away the smoke of the cigarette of the only other guy in the train. Of course it is preferable to smoke inside, outside it is far to hot for a cigarette. After he is finished he changes his clothes. In a bag he has a fresh t-shirt and slacks.
A train to Sarno enters Poggomarino.
Originally, the line to Sarno was operated by 11 steam engines with three coupled axles and a front bogie (1’C) of 27 tons supplied by the Saronno workshops. They listened to the names 'Vesuvio', 'Cercola', 'Ottajano', 'S. Anastasia', 'Napoli', 'Valle di Pompei', 'Scafati', 'Sarno', 'Ercolano', 'Torre Annunziata', and 'San Valentino Torio'. The electrification of the line Naples-Pompeii-Poggiomarino was already introduced on March 25, 1905. At the end of the First World War, electrification of the entire network was completed. In the beginning the voltage was only 650 V, which was raised in steps to 1500 V DC. In 1926, the network had a fleet of 15 locomotives and 5 new electric railcars.
One of the few views of Vesuvius from the Ciscumvesuviana
Eventually the train leaves for his tour around the southeastern base of mount Vesuvius. Until Torre Annunziata it stays rather empty. I had hoped to see more of the volcano. Instead I can appreciate the agricultural landscape on the fertile volcanic soil. The outskirts of Napoli and the surroundings of the Volcano are a messy vegetable garden interspersed with infrastructure, errant building sites and historic ruins.
The station of Torre Annunziata
In Torre Annunziata I change train again for Sorrento. This train is full, mainly tourists with huge roller cases. As soon as the train departs another musician makes his appearance. This one plays a fiddle. His false tunes are accompanied by a loudspeaker background. He is here to collect money. After half a piece he tries to wiggle through to collect. But his earnings are meager. Only few of the passengers dare to expose their wallets in the packed crowd. He seems to have expected more. His mumbling sounds like Neapolitan curses to me.
Another musician on the train to Sorrento
The train to Sorrento now follows the coast line. The sea to the right is hidden behind industrial ruins, unfinished buildings and shopping centers. Outside Torre Annunziata a forgotten cemetery of rusty brown cars is overgrown with weeds. The line only has one track here. There are attempts to build a second one but the construction site looks like nothing has happened here for a while. Our train progresses reluctantly and we accumulate a delay.
Car cemetery next to the train tracks
After Stabia most of the line is in tunnels. In between the train emerges high up on the slope above the towns and the blue water of the bay of Napoli. In the background above the sea looms the volcano.
View from the train to Sorrento
In Sorrento you have to scan your ticket upon leaving the station. Only the major stations like in Napoli and here in Sorrento have these gates. The flood of the tourists is blocked. Many have a problem since the reader does not recognize their ticket. This will take some time. I decide to stay in the station and take the next train back.
Coffee break at the platform in Sorrento
There is a cafe. The interior is strictly divided in a part inside the gated area of the station and outside. I order an Americano and a pastry. The server tells me that it is called Prussietta. She forgets to give me a glass of water with my coffee. When I remind her she seems to be sorry.
Sad looking Japanese
On the way back I sit facing the saddest looking Japanese I have ever seen. Beads of sweat glisten on his forehead. The woman next to him types messages in her phone. In between she calls with a surprisingly loud voice. For a long time her identity remains hidden behind a pair of huge black sunglasses. Sunglasses are part of each Italian woman's basic outfit, usually as accessory of the hairstyle.
Street in Herculaneo
A journey along the entirety of the longest route, the 47 km (29 mi) from Naples to Sorrento, takes about one hour. Since I did not get out of the station in Sorrento I did not get a new ticket. Since I am afraid I might not get out of the station in Napoli when presenting a ticket from Sarno to Sorrento to the machine I decide to leave the train in Ercolane Scavi. There, fortunately, the gates voluntarily swing open upon approach.
In the narrow alleys of Herculaneo
I have been to both the ruins of Herculaneo and of Pompeji before. The latter has an attractive town center around a square lined with cafes. The town of Herculaneo I did not visit before. I am met by a maze of medieval narrow alleys. The original shape of the houses has been frequently modified. Buildings have been enlarged by adding floors, bridging the lanes with arches or turning balconies into conservatories. Laundry is drying on lines between the walls above the street. Graffiti and soccer illustrations decorate the walls.
Street life in Herculaneo
The residents of the cramped quarters enjoy the shade and the evening breeze sitting right outside their doorsteps or on their balconies. A few boys ask if I want to photograph them in front of their home. In the window next door, a modern-day Claudia Cardinale strikes a pose and flashes her loveliest smile. Maybe some movie stars were discovered that way.
Fiat produced the right car for the narrow streets
These winding alleys lead me to the Reggia di Portici. It is residence number four and enormous palace number three of the Napolitan kings I see. And I think so far the most beautiful.
Street leading to the Reggia di Portici
The main road enters the Reggia via arched gateways and the resulting octagonal courtyard divides the building in an upper and lower part. The upper part houses the Dipartimento di Agraria of the università Federico II of Napoli. Only the facade of the courtyard is renovated. In the back the plaster is crumbling. Agricultural equipment and an oil press are stored or exhibited in the courtyard. The botanical garden unfortunately is already closed.
Gate to the courtyard of the Reggia
The horseshoe shaped lower part opens up to a lower garden with a commanding view of the sea. While the upper garden originally was a natural hunting ground, the lower part was a geometrically regular shaped French park with statues, fountains, fish ponds and an amphitheater.
Gate to the courtyard of the Reggia
The structure was built after 1738 by Charles of Bourbon, the King of Naples, and his wife Maria Amalia of Saxony. They choose the location after they had taken refuge from a storm in the little harbor of Granatello. During the 18th century it also housed a museum but after the arrival of Napoleon the collection eventually was moved to the museum in Napoli.
The botanical garden and exhibit of agricultural machinery
Along a narrow driveway without space for pedestrians I walk to the Portici Via Libertà train station. To avoid the oncoming traffic I squeeze into gates and doorways. The station is in a narrow cutting between a bridge and a tunnel.
Even the quaint Portici Via Libertà station has a manned ticket counter. The ticket back to Napoli costs me another 1.80 €. A young chap asks me something in Italian on the platform. I do not understand and he does not understand English. He asks a waiting woman. She does not understand Italian either. I point in the direction of the ticket counter. Isn’t it bad when you no longer have anyone in your own country who understands the national language?
The narrow street along the garden of the Reggia has no sidewalk
Sources:
Andrea Gagliardi, Andrea Carli, Commuter trains, here are the worst lines in Italy: from Rome-Lido to the former Circumvesuviana , in Il Sole 24 ORE, 22 February 2023
The station of Portici
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