1h 7mins approx

Filmed from the cab of a Taurus electric locomotive over the picturesque Brenner Pass mountain route in northern Italy.

Among the most beautiful Italian railways lines is the Brenner Pass route. In addition to being a strategic axis for onward connections with northern Europe, the line also passes through a marvellous and beautiful natural landscape. For you we have ridden and filmed from on board ‘The Bull,’ a Taurus OBB electric locomotive at the head of EC 80 from Verona to München in Germany.

This, the second part of our journey from Bolzano to Brenner, winds through the narrow valley of the Isarco River between orchards and mountain pastures. The line has an alpine connotation, with ramps up to 2.6% which, for freight trains, requires double traction.

After Bolzano we travel through the 13km Sciliar tunnel, parallel to the valley, which allowed the protection of the line from a previous spectacular stretch but historically exposed to landslides, rockslides and floods of the Isarco. Once past a freight that precedes us, the run north is smooth sticking to the 80 km / h line speed, imposed by the curvature of the line. In Fortezza and immediately after, we can observe the construction sites for the new Brenner Base Tunnel. The BBT will have a length of 55 km; coupled with the Innsbruck cut-off (Inntaltunnel) it will reach 62.7 km. Once in Brennero, the train is left to the Austrian colleague who will drive the train on to München.For us, today, the journey ends here.

If you like superb Alpine scenery this programme is one not to be missed.