Aurora (train)

Last updated
Aurora
Overview
Service type Trans Europ Express (TEE; 1974–75)
Rapido (1975–87)
City Night Line (CNL)
Locale Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark
First service26 May 1974 (1974-05-26)
Current operator(s) CityNightLine
Former operator(s) Ferrovie dello Stato
Route
Termini Rome / Basel
Reggio di Calabria / Copenhagen
Technical
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Electrification 3000 V DC (Italy)
15 kV 16,7 Hz (Germany & Switzerland)
25 kV 50 Hz (Denmark)

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.

Contents

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 On 30 May 1987 the rapido Aurora was withdrawn from service.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 89countrystationkmTEE 88
07:20Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Roma Termini022:05
08:54Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Napoli Mergellina20920:21
09:04Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Napoli Piazza Garibaldi21420:11
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Salerno268
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Maratea407
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Lamezia Terme546
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Gioia Tauro638
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Villa San Giovanni675
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Reggio Lido682
13:55Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Reggio Calabria68415:25

CityNightLine

Later CityNightLine revived the name for its train which services the Basel-Copenhagen route: [4]

The stations served by the Aurora are:

Outward journeyReturn journey
Basel SBB Copenhagen C
Basel Bad Bf (Basel German Station)Roskilde
Freiburg (Brg) Hbf Ringsted
Offenburg Odense
Karlsruhe Hbf Kolding
Mannheim Hbf Padborg
Frankfurt (Main) Süd Flensburg
Fulda Hbf Neumünster
Neumünster Fulda
Flensburg Frankfurt (Main) Süd
Padborg Mannheim Hbf
Kolding Karlsruhe Hbf
Odense Offenburg
Ringsted Freiburg (Brg) Hbf
Roskilde Basel Bad Bf
Copenhagen C Basel SBB

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References

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.