The new train route that lets you visit three European countries – and tickets are £7
A NEW train route has relaunched in Europe – and it connects three countries along the way.
Even better, tickets start from just €8 (£7).
Having first been built 150 years ago, the train line connects Italy to Croatia (starting from Trieste) while travelling to Slovenia along the way.
It closed more than 30 years ago – but has recently relaunched with eight stops along the way.
Passengers can board at Villa Opicina train station on the border of Italyat 7:50am.
The first stop is on the Slovenian border in Sežana, followed by Divača, Pivka and Ilirska Bistrica, the final stop in Slovenia at 8:54am.
The train then enters Croatia, stopping at Šapjane, Opatija Matulji and Rijeka, the final stop.
The entire journey takes around two hours, and runs both ways.
The return train leaves Rijeka at 6:25pm, finishing back in Italy‘s Villa Opicina at 8:40pm.
It will run until late September although hopes to operate long term if successful.
The Slovenian rail operator says on the website: “The aim of the project is to improve the connectivity of the two regions and to test the feasibility of using public transport for tourism purposes on this route.”
Tickets for adults start from €8 (£7) each way, while kids between the ages of 6 to 12 cost just €4 (£3.50).
Kids under the age of six travel free of charge.
Tickets between some of the stations start from as little as €1.20 (£1), with the cheapest route being between Ilirska Bistrica and Šapjane, being just 11km.
WiFi is available onboard and bikes can be taken as well, although this costs another €5 (£4.30).
It’s not the only new European train that has launched in recent weeks.
Back in March, a 15-hour night train journey launched which has connected Brussels and Prague for the first time.
Operated by European Sleeper, the route stops in Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Berlin and Dresden before arriving in Prague.
Dutch train operator GoVolta hopes to launch train routes from Amsterdam to Berlin and Copenhagen in 2025.
And Czechia public transport operator Leo Express has revealed plans to connect Belgium to Slovakia via a 19-hour train journey.
Full train times of new Italy-Croatia train route
The new train route will run from April 24 to September 30, operating in both directions.
Italy to Croatia route:
- Villa Opicina – 7:50am
- Sežana – 8:01am
- Divača 8:11am
- Pivka 8:32am
- Ilirska Bistrica 8:54am
- Šapjane 9:08am
- Opatija Matulji 9:37am
- Rijeka 9:54am
Croatia to Italy route:
- Rijeka – 6:25pm
- Opatija Matulji – 6:41pm
- Šapjane – 7:07pm
- Ilirska Bistrica – 7:25pm
- Pivka – 7:49pm
- Divača – 8:18pm
- Sežana 8:28pm
- Villa Opicina 8:40pm
It would stop at Bruges, Brussels, Cologne, Hanover, Leipzig, Dresden, Prague and Bratislava along the way.
And the UK may get new international train routes, with both Virgin and start-up Evolyn set to take on Eurostar.