Alatri
The Rome-Fiuggi-Alatri-Frosinone Railway: a story of narrow gauge
The Rome-Fiuggi-Alatri-Frosinone Railway is a story of narrow gauge in Italy. The original project envisioned a railway line connecting Rome to Fiuggi and Frosinone over a total distance of 137 km.
In 1916, the section from Rome to Genazzano, spanning 47.5 km, was opened along with a branch line of 15 km from San Cesareo to Frascati passing through Monte Compatri and Monte Porzio Catone. The service, with two classes, began with four daily train pairs. Between 1917 and 1927, other sections were inaugurated, bringing the railway to reach Alatri and Frosinone with some branch lines.
The gradual dismantling of the railway
In the thirties, the railway began to feel the competition of buses due to the improvement of the road network. Between 1935 and 1937, the service between Fiuggi and Frosinone was replaced with buses, leading to the closure of the Vico nel Lazio-Guarcino branch line and the urban service of Frosinone. During the war period, there were some changes, such as the doubling of the track between Centocelle Station and the new Grotte Celoni station.
The Rome-Giardinetti Railway and Line C of Rome's metro
Since 1986, only the portion of the railway active within the municipality of Rome has been operational. In 2008, it took on two different forms: the Rome-Giardinetti Railway, which constitutes the section between Laziali and the Giardinetti station, and the section between Giardinetti and Pantano, converted into the first section of Rome's Line C of the metro, inaugurated in 2014.
The Rome-Fiuggi-Alatri-Frosinone Railway is no longer a single line over 137 km, but a collection of railway sections and tram lines. Nevertheless, the history of this railway remains an example of how transport technology has progressively evolved over time, moving from narrow gauge to the use of the metro.
