by InTrieste
Additional maintenance work on the historic Trieste-Opicina tram line will begin on April 27, as part of the broader five-year technical overhaul of the system’s funicular infrastructure, according to Trieste Trasporti, the operator managing the line on behalf of the City of Trieste.
The interventions, expected to continue through mid-May, will focus on two sections of the route and include the replacement of railway sleepers, rails, and related track bed restoration.
From the Banne stop to the level crossing on Via Commerciale, all sleepers will be replaced and the track ballast rehabilitated. A second stretch, between the level crossings at Via Bonomea/Scala Santa and Strada Napoleonica, will undergo a full replacement of rails and wooden sleepers, along with restoration of the ballast beneath the tracks.
The work is being carried out in conjunction with the scheduled five-year revision of the line’s funicular plant, a required maintenance process for the unique hybrid tramway, which combines conventional tram service with a steep cable-assisted section linking the city center to the Karst plateau.
To allow construction to proceed safely, the Municipality of Trieste has issued temporary traffic ordinance No. 427-26, introducing several short-term restrictions in affected areas.
At the parking area at the beginning of Strada Napoleonica, parking and stopping will be prohibited around the clock, with vehicle removal enforced where necessary. Transit through the affected section of the lot will also be banned for the duration of the work.
At the level crossing at the intersection of Via Nazionale, Scala Santa, and Via Bonomea, traffic and pedestrian access will be suspended during nighttime operations only — from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. — for an estimated two nights.
Meanwhile, work at the Via Commerciale crossing between Via degli Olmi and Strada Nuova per Opicina is expected to last ten weekdays, Monday through Friday. During that period, parking and stopping will be prohibited along approximately 20 meters of roadway surrounding the crossing, and vehicular traffic through the section will be suspended continuously.
The Trieste-Opicina tram, one of the city’s most recognizable transport links and a longstanding tourist attraction, has undergone a prolonged and closely watched process of modernization and safety upgrades in recent years, with local residents and commuters following its progress closely.
