The train with the unfortunate name
One of the most popular train journeys in Switzerland is the Glacier Express, but quite often is booked out months in advance. There is a solution.
The Centovalli, or the Domodossola – Locarno Railway line. You can start the trip after spending some time in Locarno, or just take the local train from Lugano to Locarno.
But why Centovalli?
The name "Centovalli" (100 valleys) derives from the existence of the many valleys along the line upon which are perched small towns. The journey is one of the main local scenic train railways you can take in the Ticino Canton of Switzerland to the Northern Italy region of Piedmont.
Similarly to the international Brig–Domodossola connection (through the Simplon Tunnel), the entire Domodossola–Locarno line is included in the scope of the various Swiss Rail flat rate and discount passes (excluding supplements).
The trip itself only takes 2 hours, and like the Glacier Express, it is not a fast train. But who needs a fast train where there is so much scenery to take in and enjoy. Take a mid-morning train from Locarno, and you will arrive in Domodossola, itself a quaint little Italian town, where you can stop for lunch, coffee or an aperitivo, before commencing the journey to Brig and Zermatt.
If only they could lose the acronym for this beautiful train derived from its name Ferrovie Autolinee Regionali Ticinesi – FART.
