Fron Trento to Garka lake by train

10 March 2023

A rail link network between Trento-Rovereto-Riva is possible. This was the thesis discussed during the assembly organized by the Trentino Sustainable Mobility Committee in Riva del Garda. A much-discussed topic that brings to mind the M.A.R., that little train that passed through the settlements of Mori, Arco and Riva in the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Thursday's meeting puts on the table as many as three proposals for a rail link that come "from below," that is, precisely from the Trentino Sustainable Mobility Committee, which wants to create "critical mass" among citizens and institutions in order to be able in this way to find the economic and financial resources for the design and construction of the rail link. It is not, however, a recovery of the old little train, but a type of modern planning, which aims at environmental sustainability for an area, such as that of Alto Garda, often protagonist of long queues in the area between Mori and Torbole. "The committee has created working groups over the years in which citizens and professionals have participated. - Engineer Ezio Viglietti, spokesman for the Committee, explains - Together with fellow engineers we have worked out three viable alternatives." The first is the "tram-train," designed by Vigliotti himself and on which he has been working for more than 10 years. This is a surface rail system in use in Northern Europe. A second proposal has been studied by engineer Baccega and is a rail link that consists of two lines: the first starting in Rovereto and arriving at the lake, the second, on the other hand, from Trento would pass through the Valle dei Laghi, arriving at Riva del Garda, in the Ex Cattoi area. The two lines, in this case, would arrive at the same station, with 32 percent of the route in tunnels, and the remaining 78 percent on the surface.
The third proposal sees, instead, the construction of a tunnel so the connection would be almost completely underground. The route in this case would start in Moors and end on the shores of the lake. These alternatives also include the possibility of a connection with Austria, with sections that can be traveled from Innsbruck to Riva del Garda in some cases even without having to change trains, involving the entire Euregio area. The idea then that wants to promote the meeting, as Viglietti tells us, is to involve citizens and institutions in feasible planning, whereas until now every discussion has been an end in itself. "Visibility is growing more and more," Viglietti says, "so much so that there have been several town councils where the issue has been discussed, such as in Rovereto, Mori, Riva del Garda, Arco, Dro and Drena, but also in Terragnolo, where motions, almost all unanimously, have been passed in favor of the rail link.
Therefore, in order to seek the best solution, it is necessary to provide a cost-benefit analysis that is not only economic, but also environmental and social. So far, there have been numerous meetings between the committee and institutions, and the spokesperson says interest is very high, but it has not yet come to a close. "We believe in the possibility of finding an agreement, to find together the most environmentally friendly project hypothesis, which can safeguard the delicate landscape of Vallagarina and Alto Garda," Engineer Viglietti concludes. (From "Il Giornale del Trentino")