Ritten Railway (Rittnerbahn)

The Ritten Railway, known as the Rittnerbahn in German, has served the stretch between Bolzano and Ritten in northern Italy since 1907. Originally built as a tramway, the Ritten Railway connects two parts of the South Tyrol region of Italy – Bolzano and the Ritten plateau – so that residents of Bolzano could spend weekends in the mountain town of Ritten. The railway climbs more than 3,240 feet.
Today there is also a road that connects Bolzano and Ritten, and the railway fell into disuse. An aerial gondola is under construction, but the Ritten Railway has been renovated and is generally used by tourists and rail enthusiasts – including the original tram, which is still in use.

Practical Info

The Ritten Railway takes the same tickets as other public transport in the South Tyrol region, including the Mobilcard Südtirol, which is €15 for one day. Most of the Rittnerbahn trips only extend from Upper Bolzano to Collalbo, rather than going all the way to Maria Himmelfahrt.