If you’re heading to the autumnal dreamland that is Europe in the coming weeks, and you can feel your heart flutter just thinking of the season’s snuggly coziness and all the fairy-tail-ish small towns nestled amid lush foliage you could visit, we have (incredible) news for you:
Starting October 12, you can travel on a fall period-only, celebratory Foliage Train departing from Italy to Switzerland, crossing one of the most beautiful border zones in the world and visiting a number of hidden gems in between yet to be spoiled by mass tourism.
Sounds too good to be true?
Wait until you hear tickets cost from only $30:
What Is The Foliage Train And Where Does It Leave From?
A scenic route operated only in the fall, the Domodossola-Locarno line, informally known among tourists as Foliage Train, is a meter-gauge railway that rattles up the alpine scenery and links the Northern Italian region of Piemonte to the Swiss county of Ticino.
Opened in 1923, this 101-year-old train runs for 32 miles between the brotherly nations, stopping in as many as 30 towns on both sides that have yet to sacrifice their native character on the altar of mass tourism–a rare feat in Europe these days.
The train operates between October 12 and November 17, so tourists have just over a month to make their bookings. Roundtrip tickets for the most extensive Domodossola-Locarno line start from a surprisingly cheap €29, or roughly $32.
Other than quaint little villages you’re sure to have seen hung from a wall in the impressionist gallery of a major European museum at one point, you should expect to traverse a magnificent Vigezzo Valley, on the Italian side, and the equally-picturesque Centovalli, over in Switzerland.
Breathtaking Fall Scenery From Start To Finish
You’ll want to have your phone handy, as the iconic white-and-blue train also takes you through 31 tunnels, going into the heart of Europe’s deepest valleys and 83 bridges, offering a breathtaking view of the surrounding Alps.
This time of the year, nature is sheathed in withered sepia leaves, yet the mountain peaks are still snow-dusted from last winter’s heavy flurries, and don’t you worry about obstructed sights or which seat to take for the best possible experience:
Each carriage is made for panoramic viewing and is equipped with large, trapezium-shaped windows, but here’s an insider tip if you truly want to get your mind blown: if you book a spot early enough, you might even get to reserve a seat beside the driver’s cab, from only $4.40 extra.
Something most tourists don’t know, but we called their tourism office ourselves to confirm this information, is that there are panoramic and non-panoramic trains, so if you’re here for the views, make sure you pay a symbolic $1.65 ‘scenic supplement’ when booking.
What To See On The Foliage Train
In Ossola
There are 30 stops on the Foliage Train line, so if you’re wondering where to jump off, we might have a suggestion or two: for starters, if you’re starting your journey from the Italian side, you’ll want to first make your way to Domodossola, where the train departs from.
This medieval town at the foot of the Italian Alps lines a fast-flowing, pearly-blue Toce River, and its winding alleys, flanked by skinny, pastel-colored buildings, and leading to romantic piazze are definitely worth exploring, even if only for a day.
As you board the train and enter the Ossola Valley, you will find five fascinating, centuries-old villages to choose from.
If you’re short on time and only have one or two days to explore the area, we recommend spending time in Masera or Trontano.
Masera is a historically-charged settlement, home to a landmark San Abbondio parish church, famous for its ancient Roman bell tower, while Trontano is best-known for its rolling vineyards, bordering on the nearby Vigezzo Valley, and stone-built hamlets.
In Vigezzo
The next section is Vigezzo Valley, with 13 stations mostly servicing sleepy comuni that guard the entrances of national parks, and serve as the starting point of a number of tourist-friendly hikes into the abundant, amber-colored nature.
For the region’s signature chestnut forests, stop over in Coimo; if you’re a culture buff (like us), you’ll want to visit the frescoed San Giulio Chapel in Orceso, dating back to the year 1649; now, for accessing the waterfall-dotted Val Grande National Park, Buttogno is your terminus.
Regardless of travel preferences, a mandatory stop on the Vigezzo Valley is Santa Maria Maggiore, a medieval gem found at an altitude of 831 meters, the highest point in the railway, particularly if you’re visiting on October 19-20, when the local pumpkin festival (Fuori di Zucca) is set to take place.
A few stops later, you’ll reach Re, on the opposite end of the Val Grande National Park, a storybook town dominated by the Madonna del Sangue pilgrimage church, and then you’re not far from Ribellasca, a frozen-in-time town right on the border with Switzerland.
In Centovalli
Crossing over to the Swiss side, the next point of interest is Camedo, at an altitude of 549 meters, and where you’ll be crossing the invisible line that separates Piemonte, in Italy, from Ticino, so keep your eyes peeled or you’ll miss the border post.
Next up, it’s time to take a stroll through the peaceful streets of Palagnedra, an Italian-speaking Swiss village playing host to patrician houses, most notably Casa Mazzi, emblazoned with the coat of arms of the Medici family, and rows upon rows of perfectly-preserved rustico buildings.
Centovalli is Italian for ‘A Hundred Valleys’, and once you get to Corcapolo, base camp for enthusiastic hikers of the Alps, you’ll see this is no exaggeration; not the outdoorsy type? No worries! Join us for some lunch in Intragna instead:
A most-charming town crisscrossed by cobbled streets, distinguished for its towering San Gottardo Church, it is perhaps Ticino’s most overlooked foodie hotspot, especially due to its MICHELIN Guide-listed Stazione Da Agnese & Adriana, a traditional eatery serving alpine delicacies.
Lago Maggiore
We’ve reached the final section on the Domodossola-Locarno line: Lago Maggiore, a pristine alpine lake straddling the Swiss and Italian borders, whose lesser-explored, arguably more authentic Swiss half most tourists skip altogether.
This line usually services five municipalities. However, as of this year, the Foliage Train will not be calling at Solduno or S. Antonio–non c’è problema! We have Ponte Brolla and its grottoes and glacial watercourses, San Martino and its farmer’s market, and a lively Locarno to explore.
A large, 16,000-people-strong community on the banks of Maggiore, Locarno is a Roman-era town centered around a stately Piazza Grande, highly sought-after for its 12th-century Visconteo Castle, Instagram-ready Old Town and yacht harbor.
It’s the official terminus of the train, if you’re coming from Italy, as well as the departure point if you’re starting your journey in Switzerland, and due to its high concentration of hotels and restaurants, it’s the best-equipped comune to spend the night.
You can find all of the stations served on the Domodossola-Locarno line listed below:
Italian side
Valle Ossola
- Domodossola
- Masera
- Creggio
- Trontano
- Verigo
- Marone
Valle Vigezzo
- Coimo
- Gagnone – Orcesco
- Druogno
- Buttogno
- Santa Maria Maggiore
- Prestinone
- Zornasco
- Malesco
- Villette
- Re
- Folsogno – Dissimo
- Isella – Olgia
- Ribellasca
Swiss side
Centovalli
- Camedo
- Palagnedra
- Verdasio
- Corcapolo
- Intragna
- Cavigliano
- Verscio
- Tegna
Lago Maggiore
- Ponte Brolla
- San Martino
- S̶o̶l̶d̶u̶n̶o̶
- S̶.̶ ̶A̶n̶t̶o̶n̶i̶o̶
- Locarno
The Timetables
Though there are non-panoramic trains traveling on this route daily, the seasonal Foliage Train leaves on Saturdays, Sundays, as well as holidays and pre-holidays.
Overall, it’s a 2h27-trip, starting in Domodossola at 7:53 am, and arriving to Locarno at 10:20 am.
The timetable, as well as more specific information pertaining to individual stops, can be found at the service provider’s official website.
Tickets can also be purchased at the Domodossola ticket office, open every day, or at Santa Maria Maggiore Station, on the Italian side––in the event that the station in Santa Maria Maggiore is closed, you can buy tickets on board the train.
For Swiss-originating trains, tickets can be purchased at the ticket office in Locarno.
How To Get To The Foliage Train This Fall
In order to get to Domodossola to catch the Foliage Train, you’ll need to fly into Milan first.
Train tickets from Milano Centrale to Domodossola start from only $12.72, booked through Trenord, or $28.90 with Trenitalia, and the total travel time is between 1h36 and 1h45, no changes, with multiple departures per day.
If, for whatever reason, you prefer boarding the train in Locarno, you can choose the direct train leaving from Milan, operated by Trenitalia, with tickets from $32.99––it takes 1h55 to travel to Locarno from the Italian metropolis.
Oh, and remember: there may be no routine border checks between Italy and Switzerland as they’re both part of Europe’s border-free Schengen Zone, but you’ll be traveling through international borders, nonetheless, so bring your passport or valid ID with you.
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