Ticket to ride: a panoramic train running close to Lake Maggiore

About this tour

Travel a century-old rail line that traces a Roman road from Italy into Switzerland, winding through the valleys overlooking Lake Maggiore. This 7-hour guided journey aboard the restored Vigezzina train takes you across dramatic terrain, stopping in characterful villages like Santa Maria Maggiore where you can step out and explore. You'll see the lake's hinterland from a vantage point most visitors never reach—rattling through gorges and alpine pastures on tracks that survived floods and political upheaval to keep remote communities connected.

Highlights

• Historic railway dating to 1923, built on ancient Roman foundations
• Cross the Italy–Switzerland border by train through mountain valleys
• Stop in Santa Maria Maggiore to explore on foot
• Lake Maggiore views from hidden gorges and ridgelines
• Small-group experience with private guide and transport
• Suitable for all fitness levels

What to expect

You'll be picked up and driven to the station, then board a compact heritage train for a slow, deliberate ascent into the valleys. The railway hugs the contours of the landscape, offering window-seat geology and settlements few tourists see. Expect tight curves, open viaducts, and sudden views across to the lake. The guide will point out the 1978 flood scars and explain how these rails kept villages viable when roads were impassable. You'll disembark to explore one or two villages at leisure before continuing across into Switzerland. Bring a jacket—altitude and open stretches can feel cool.

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