Travelling by train in Corsica is every trainspotters dream ! On the main line, long gone are the days of "U Trinighellu" - or little train in Corsican - the bone shaker that used to cross the mountains on this narrow gauge railway from Ajaccio via Corte to Bastia. Don't fret, nostalgics among you can still seem them on the coast line between Calvi and Ile Rousse. The trains are today more modern and comfortable, but the rythme is slow with an average speed of less than 50kmph. Don't expect a TGV as the line necessitates the need for really slow travel, frequently crossing narrow bridges and viaducts including the Viaduc du Vecchiu built by Gustave Eiffel, entering tunnels of up to 4km long and twisting and turning on narrow ledges in the heart of the Corsican mountains. The scenery is amongst some of the finest you'll see out of a train window anywhere in the world, so it is not to be missed on a trip to Corsica.
The train runs from Ajaccio via Corte to Bastia with a branch line at Ponte Leccia for Calvi and La Balagne.
Journey times are long with a journey from Ajaccio to Bastia taking around 4 hours. You can find the timetables on the Chemin de Fer de la Corse website.