Porrettana Express trains are back

Traveling on historic trains along the Trans-Apennine railway, among nature, museums… and magic

The press conference to present the Porrettana Express program for 2024 will be held on Monday 3 June at 11.00 in the Conference Room of the Historic Rolling Stock Depot of Pistoia. We start from Pistoia to discover the territory of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and the places dear to Tiziano Terzani, among small villages, paths, history and ancient traditions. A journey through time and nature, a dive back into another era and another dimension: din June the historic trains of. return, departing from Pistoia Porrettana Expressfour thematic itineraries on the tracks of Trans-Apennine – which celebrates its 160th anniversary this year – aboard suggestive and unique vintage cars. An experience of slow tourism among small villages surrounded by greenery, tunnels and viaducts of ancient memory along one of the first railway lines built in the country between Tuscany and Emilia Romagna, which for a long time was the only railway connection between northern and central Italy.

The key to success and the distinctive feature of the project “Porrettana Express”which brought travelers from all over the world to discover the area surrounding the historic city trans-Apennine railway roadis the program offered to the traveler: a unique experience consisting of a guided tour of the Historic rolling stock workshop depot in Pistoiaan absolute excellence of our territory and a very important strategic hub where FS Foundation carries out maintenance on cars and locomotives of different eras, followed by travel on a historic train towards the Apennines and from a entertainment service who accompanies the participants for the whole day.

The 2024 edition will be divided into two distinct events: “A train to Terzani” And “Autumn magic”. The first will take place in two phases: Sunday 23 June with a Kids train and Sunday 7 July with another with destination Orsigna to discover the places dear to Tiziano Terzani, the famous journalist and writer whose twentieth anniversary this year marks the anniversary of his death. The second event, again in two phases, will begin Sunday 15 September with an absolute novelty, the Porrettana Magic Express, the train dedicated to magic that will come to Porretta Terme and will end on Saturday 21 September with a Kids train on the occasion of the first day of autumn.

Sunday 23 June the first KIDS train discovering the Pistoia mountains with destination Pracchia and stops in Piteccio and Castagno, all includes a series of initiatives aimed mainly at children. Travelers will be accompanied to discover the historic railway and the Pistoia mountains by entertainers/companions who will tell the story of engineer Protche and his beloved Selvaggia, following the story of the children’s volume “Porrettana Express – Discovering the historic railway and the surprising mountain that surrounds it” published by Giorgio Tesi Editrice, written by Martina Colligiani and illustrated by the Pistoia artist Michele Fabbricatore.

Sunday 7 July the second appointment is scheduled “A train to Terzani”, a journey for adults and children that after the stop for the visit to the Valdibrana ramp (built at the time of steam trains to allow the cars to pick up speed and overcome the climb), will take travelers to discover the small village of Orsignawhere between mills and charcoal pitsthe famous journalist and writer Tiziano Terzani – whose twentieth anniversary marks the twentieth anniversary of his death this year, has chosen to live the last period of his life.

Sunday 15 September everyone aboard the “Porrettana Magic Express” towards Porretta Terme. A unique and incredible journey on the topic of magic and of course of Wizarding World of Harry Potter and his wonderful adventures! During the outward journey, the Porrettana Magic Express it will transform as if by magic in the train that takes the little wizard apprentices to Hogwarts schooland the participants will find in the wagons professional actors That playing the school’s famous teachers for magicians they will stage a truly unique interactive show. After arriving at Porretta Spa and lunch, in the afternoon scheduled a final magic show at the Porretta Terme cinema curated by the artists of Pistoia Magic Francesco Micheloni, Tiziano Cellai and the Magician Leo.

The 2024 program it closes Saturday 21 September with another one KIDS train discovering the Pistoia mountains with destination Pracchia. Entertainment for families will be carried out before departure, during the journey and at the train stops along the route. This trip also offers the visit to various places and museum centers of the Pistoia Mountain Ecomuseum (ironworks, icehouse, mills, charcoal pit) to rediscover ancient crafts and traditions.

Porrettana Express through the travel experience on historic trains, aims, with a sustainable tourist offer, to tell and promote the territoryboth enhancing its excellence and allowing travelers to immerse themselves in history of communities, In the naturalistic, artistic, cultural and museum heritage.

Lanciato nel 2019 con l’obiettivo di valorizzare la storica strada ferrata che collega Pistoia con Porretta Terme, l’Appennino Tosco Emiliano e la Montagna Pistoiese, Porrettana Express 2024 è un progetto di promozione attuato da Germina Impresa Sociale in collaborazione con l’Associazione TRANSAPP e promosso e sostenuto dai Comuni di Pistoia e San Marcello Piteglio, dalla Fondazione Caript, dalla Regione Toscana, Toscana Promozione Turistica e con la preziosa partnership di Fondazione FS e FS Treni Turistici Italiani

Tickets for the four Porrettana Express 2024 trains (30 euros for adults, 15 euros for children from 4 to 12 years old, free from 0 to 4 years old) they can be purchased exclusively online on the website www.ponettanaexpress.it

They said:

Fs Italian Tourist Trains Foundation – these are the words of the company’s sales manager Danilo Salvadori – is a new company that deals with tourist trains in our country and which certainly represents for Porrettana Express, which sees the organized trains always sold out, a great opportunity for the future, especially by thinking together with the project implementers, of an increasingly essential multi-year planning which could include around ten circulations per year on this line which has written the history of our country and which this year celebrates 160 years, in which we strongly believe from all points of view.

First of all – he said Alessandro Sabella, Tourism Councilor of the Municipality of Pistoia – I would like to thank all the subjects who, together with the Municipality of Pistoia and that of San Marcello – Piteglio, with their contribution have allowed the construction of the historic trains this year too, namely the Tuscany Region, Tuscany Promozione Turistica and the Caript Foundation. This year, thanks to the work of our offices in the Municipality of Pistoia and the Germina Social Enterprise, four themed trips were organised, all designed with great attention to children and families, with two novelties represented by the train on 7 July dedicated to Tiziano Terzani on the twentieth anniversary of his death and that of September 15th dedicated to the magic and wonderful world of Harry Potter. For the future of this project, it will be crucial, in addition to the involvement of all stakeholders present in the area, to be able to count on the possibility of carrying out multi-year planning, trying to finally define a program agreement between the Tuscany Region and the Emilia-Romagna Region , the Municipality of Pistoia, that of San Marcello Piteglio and that of Alto Reno Terme. Our commitment will be to work in this direction so as to be able to give a future to such an important project for the entire territory.

As the Municipality of San Marcello Piteglio but also as the Union of Municipalities of the Pistoia Mountains, we believe very much in this project of territorial promotion and valorisation – he said Clio Cinotti., Tourism Councilor of the Municipality of San Marcello Piteglio – so much so that we purchased the former FAP station in Pracchia with the aim of making it a very important hub from which to get to know and experience our Pistoia mountains. Rail tourism is growing rapidly and therefore, given that we are fortunate to have the Pracchia railway station, we must work in synergy with the Municipality of Pistoia to strengthen its role and make it one of the main gateways to our territory, particularly suitable for family tourism.

Social Enterprise Germinates – these are the words of its president Enzo Ciano –manages the Porrettana Express Project by organizing trips and all related activities. For this reason we avail ourselves of the collaboration of the Transapp Association, indispensable for networking a series of realities and opportunities expressed by the territory surrounding the historic railway, of the “La Porrettana” model railway group, of the Castagno pro loco, of the Le Piastre, from the Tre Mulini di Orsigna Association and the Ecomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese, a true excellence expressed by the territory and a fundamental partner of the project. Our goal is to make our mountain and its excellence known to as many people as possible by enhancing the trans-Apennine railway. For us too, the possibility of being able to work on a multi-year basis is absolutely crucial for the future of this activity: without at least three-year planning it is not possible to plan, choose the best dates, option the rolling stock, forge synergies with local bodies and associations and then promote the activity at a national and international level, proposing Porrettana Express as a tourist product to tour operators and at sector fairs, so as to make this project a real economic driver for an entire territory.

The Porrettana Express Project – this is the declaration of Leonardo Marras, councilor for productive activities, economy, credit and tourism of the Tuscany Region – it is one of the initiatives for the valorization of slow and sustainable tourism through travel on historic trains that the Region has willingly supported for years. This year too, with the four trips scheduled for the 2024 season, it will be possible to set off to discover the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, and the Pistoia mountains, fully enjoying the best this area has to offer. I therefore thank the organizers of this beautiful initiative once again and I am happy that, this year too, the Region is at your side.

This is a project, which for the Director of Tuscany Tourist Promotion Francesco Tapinassi, it harmonizes with the environmental sustainability strategy in the tourism sector that the agency has been pursuing for some time and with determination. The initiatives planned for children and families also respond to the valorization of family tourism, a sector that Toscana Promozione Turistica is paying particular attention to at the moment.