Locarno railway station
Encyclopedia
Locarno railway station serves the city of Locarno
, in the Canton
of Ticino
, Switzerland
. However, the station is located within the adjacent municipality of Muralto
, near the shore of Lake Maggiore
. The border between the two municipalities runs along the Torrente Ramogna stream, a short distance to the south and west of the station.
Since 1990, Locarno station has been divided into two distinct components, each served by a separately operated railway. At surface level, there is a standard gauge
station, operated by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS
). That station is the terminal of a branch line from Bellinzona
and Cadenazzo
on the Gotthardbahn
. Underground, there is another terminal station, for the metre gauge
Domodossola–Locarno railway
, an international rail link operated in Switzerland by the Regional Bus and Rail Company of Canton Ticino
.
Before the station was renovated into this form, the metre gauge trains operated from a separate platform on the station forecourt. As part of the reconstruction, the standard gauge station was augmented by a new finger platform between tracks two and three. Additionally, the two railway lines' goods yards were removed, and the underground station constructed in their place.
Locarno
Locarno is the capital of the Locarno district, located on the northern tip of Lake Maggiore in the Swiss canton of Ticino, close to Ascona at the foot of the Alps. It has a population of about 15,000...
, in the Canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. However, the station is located within the adjacent municipality of Muralto
Muralto
Muralto is a municipality in the district of Locarno, in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-Roman settlement:In the second half of the 19th Century, the ruins of a Roman settlement were discovered. However, all the items discovered in these early excavations are either lost or they are kept in...
, near the shore of Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest of Italy and largest of southern Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.The climate is mild...
. The border between the two municipalities runs along the Torrente Ramogna stream, a short distance to the south and west of the station.
Since 1990, Locarno station has been divided into two distinct components, each served by a separately operated railway. At surface level, there is a standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
station, operated by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS
SBB-CFF-FFS
Swiss Federal Railways and SFR are not in official use) is the national railway company of Switzerland headquartered in Bern. Formerly a government institution, it is since 1999 a special stock corporation with all shares held by the Swiss Confederation or the Swiss cantons...
). That station is the terminal of a branch line from Bellinzona
Bellinzona
Bellinzona is the administrative capital of the canton Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its three castles that have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000....
and Cadenazzo
Cadenazzo
Cadenazzo is a municipality in the district of Bellinzona, in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 13 March 2005 the formerly independent municipality of Robasacco was absorbed into Cadenazzo.-History:...
on the Gotthardbahn
Gotthardbahn
Gotthardbahn was the name of a private Swiss railway company which operated the railway line from Immensee to Chiasso . Nowadays this term usually does not refer to that company, but to the railway line itself...
. Underground, there is another terminal station, for the metre gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
Domodossola–Locarno railway
Domodossola–Locarno railway
The Domodossola-Locarno railway or 'Centovallina' is a metre-gauge railway between Domodossola, Italy and Locarno, Switzerland. It passes through the famous village of Intragna and carried over 1 million passengers in 2010. It is operated by the Ferrovie Autolinee Regionali Ticinesi in Switzerland...
, an international rail link operated in Switzerland by the Regional Bus and Rail Company of Canton Ticino
Regional Bus and Rail Company of Canton Ticino
The FART provides the urban and suburban bus network of Locarno, Switzerland, operates the cable cars between Verdasio and Rasa, and between Intragna – Pila – Costa on behalf of the owning companies, and, together with the Italian company Società Subalpina di Imprese Ferroviarie...
.
Before the station was renovated into this form, the metre gauge trains operated from a separate platform on the station forecourt. As part of the reconstruction, the standard gauge station was augmented by a new finger platform between tracks two and three. Additionally, the two railway lines' goods yards were removed, and the underground station constructed in their place.