Sardinia

This is a request for help! I am planning a trip to Sardinia this summer, concentrating on the narrow gauge and noting that services don't always run daily have devised a plan which includes nearly all the narrow gauge lines. I have taken timetable details off the website, and have bought the WJK Davies book from Plateway Press.

My concern is that it appears from that book that trains on the remote 'Trenino Verde' routes may run only on request if there are enough passengers. Does anyone know if this actually the case; would a lone traveller risk finding that nothing was running; particularly if early in the season? It probably says on the official sites, but these seem to be all in Italian and I can't follow it - 'please,thank you and goodbye' are about the extent of my linguistic abilities.

If anyone knows the answer, I'd be grateful for enlightenment.

John

 

Ah ha one of the greatest secrets is when they run these Trenino Verde trains. The best is to be part of an organised party but they never publish details in advance.

Be aware that the published timetable and what happens are not always connected.... Italy has a terrible habit of using the web as a historic record not as a communication tool for future events.

I will do some digging and make some calls and let you know.

 

OK having just spoken to the lovely lady in Cagliari I can add a couple of points.
The only operational steam locomotive has to undergo boiler repairs and will not be available before October/November. There is some talk of a steam special around Christmas time but no information is currently available.

The train dates and routes are as advertised on the web site. The e-mail address on the homepage can be used for questions and they can reply in basic English. They advise to book tickets in advance but the on line booking system is not currently functioning, there does not seem to be any news on when the system will be in fuction...

Nice to see on their home page it identifies the home town of who has visited their site, so I know where you live John....
I will ask around on some Italian forums and see if I can get any more details.

 

Just to answer the original question, yes the trenino verde trains on the remote lines are only by request, but there are service trains that use those routes.

 

Thank you for tour research. However, I am still puzzled - do the trains in the timetable run unconditionally, with extra trains by request? In other words, if I turn up at a station in accordance with the published timetable will the train turn up?

Sorry if I'm being dense, but it's a long way to go just to look at empty tracks!

 

Yes and No... On some routes they are guaranteed with additional trains by request. On the less popular routes they are by request only. I would suggest the best is to write down what you want to do and what days and send it to the e-mail address and ask them for confirmation.
Adrian

 

Interesting comment regarding the sole operational steam loco. Was looking at a Sardinia itinerary published by a well known UK tour operator and it said that "We travel on privately chartered trains, with steam locomotives wherever possible." Seems that means zero steam haulage for this year's May tour and only a slim chance for the October one.

 

Thanks for this useful info.

Adrian/ ilvaporista - I've sent an e-mail to the Trenino Verde address, with dates and where I want to go, so shall await the response.

Spamcan81's comments show just why I don't like booking on organised tours - they take a lot of one's money and may not deliver. I had that experience a few years ago and once bitten, twice shy!

 

Sardinia looks like a lovely destination and to be able to explore it by steam hauled narrow gauge train would be nigh on perfect. Even the other half would probably come with me if steam haulage was more or less guaranteed. She's no railway enthusiast but is happy to come along if there's steam involved but woe betide me if I dragged her off and all we got was diesel haulage.

 

Seconded. Sardinia could be a fantastic place for steam tours, it has cheap flights, good hotels, great scenery etc but they are so localised / short sighted in their thinking.

 

Steam is the icing on the cake, but I'll settle for a diesel train just turning up on these amazing lines!