Aurora (Trans Europ Express)

This article is about an Italian train service. For other uses, see Aurora (train).

Aurora

Overview
Service type	Trans Europ Express (TEE; 1974–75) Rapido (1975–87)
Locale	Italy
First service	26 May 1974 (1974-05-26)
Current operator(s)	[
Former operator(s)	Ferrovie dello Stato
Route
Termini	Rome Reggio di Calabria
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification	3000 V DC (Italy)

The Aurora was a domestic Trans Europ Express in Italy linking Rome with Reggio di Calabria. The train was named after the Roman goddess of dawn, referring to the train's early morning departure from Rome.

Trans Europ Express

The Aurora was based on existing first-class only Rapidos running between Rome and Naples. In 1974 the service was extended to Reggio di Calabria and upgraded to Trans Europ Express. ^[1] The southbound service used the schedule of Rapido 893, the northbound service the schedule of Rapido 882 already running from Reggio to Rome. ^[2] Despite the scenic route along the Tyrrhenian Sea between Naples and Reggio di Calabria, loading figures on this stretch were very low and consequently the Aurora was downgraded to a two-class Rapido after only 371 days as TEE on 1 June 1975. ^[1] On 1 June 1980 the service was extended to Palermo using the train ferry to cross the Strait of Messina. On 30 May 1987 the rapido Aurora was withdrawn from service. ^[3]

TEE 89	country	station	km	TEE 88
07:20	Italy	Roma Termini	0	22:05
08:54	Italy	Napoli Mergellina	209	20:21
09:04	Italy	Napoli Piazza Garibaldi	214	20:11
	Italy	Salerno	268
	Italy	Maratea	407
	Italy	Lamezia Terme	546
	Italy	Gioia Tauro	638
	Italy	Villa San Giovanni	675
	Italy	Reggio Lido	682
13:55	Italy	Reggio Calabria	684	15:25

References

1. Das grosse TEE Buch p. 120
2. La Légende des TEE p. 352.
3. La Légende des TEE p. 353.

Works cited

• Hajt, Jörg (2001). Das grosse TEE Buch (in German). Bonn/Königswinter: Heel Verlag. ISBN   3-89365-948-X.
• Mertens, Maurice; Malaspina, Jean-Pierre (2007). La Légende des Trans Europ Express (in French). Vannes: LR Presse. ISBN   978-29-036514-5-9.