The lines and tracks of the Corsican network

Central line Bastia - Ajaccio

Declaration of Public Utility :

• Bastia - Corte 17-06-78
• Ajaccio - Mezzana 17-06-78
• Mezzana - Corte 27-12-79
• Length: 157.4 km.
• Open to exploitation :
• Bastia-Corte 01-02-88
• Corte - Vivario 03-12-94
• Vivario - Vizzavona 09-10-92
• Vizzavona - Bocognano 14-07-89
• Bocognano - Ajaccio 01-12-88

The route of the Bastia - Ajaccio line

The line starts from Bastia (PK O) and immediately enters the 1,422 m long Torreta tunnel. It ends at its exit at Lupino, a suburb of Bastia (PK 1.7), then the track established on the plain serves Furiani (PK 5.8), Biguglia (PK 9.6), Borgo (PK 16.2) and Lucciani (PK 18.3) and enters Casamozza station (PK 21), the point where the line branches off from the east coast. The only engineering structure to be reported is the Bevinco bridge with a steel deck with a 40 m span. Now the landscape is changing. After crossing the Golo, the railway clings to the hillsides and continues on to Ponte-Leccia, running along the river on both its right and left banks. The track will have passed through five tunnels with a total length of 760 m and two stations: Barchetta (KP 29.6) and Ponte-Nuovo (KP 39.1) with ramps varying from 14 to 16%₀. At Ponte-Leccia station (PK 46.7) we find the Balagne junction leading to Calvi. Then the track continues parallel to the N. 193 to Francardo (PK 54.6) and climbs at a rate of 20%₀ to the San Quilico tunnel. After passing successively over the Francardo bridge, the Campita tunnel (100 m long), the bridge and the Monte-Pollino tunnel, the line reaches Omessa (PK 61) and then descends to Corte after crossing the Tralanca viaduct (60 m) and the Aghilli viaduct (thirteen arches of 9 m each). After passing Soveria (KP 65.2) you enter Corte station (KP 73.8). The line will enter its hardest section. We climb towards Poggio-Riventosa (PK 82.1), crossing the Moorish viaduct (70 m), six small tunnels, the Morta viaduct and five more tunnels. We enter Venaco (KP 85.1). After encountering two tunnels, three galleries and five viaducts we reach Vecchio (KP 89.8) and approach the 30%₀ ramps to Vizzavona, which is almost 17 km. After crossing the Vecchio viaduct (140 m steel deck) overlooking the road and the river from a height of 80 m, we enter a tunnel. Then it is a succession of two tunnels and three viaducts to reach the famous Vivario loop. This is then the arrival at Vivario (PK 95.9). Then it is the ascent to Tattone (KP 102.8) with six tunnels. We no longer encounter any bridges or viaducts as the route clings to the mountainside. The line still climbs at a rate of 30%₀, then after passing through the Omelina tunnel we enter the Vizzavona forest to reach this station (PK 106.7). The track then enters the longest tunnel of the network, the Vizzavona tunnel (3,916 m). The north head is at altitude 906 (the highest point of the network), the south head is at 824, giving it a gradient of approximately 20%₀. This tunnel is traced in a straight line, and if the weather is not blocked, the exit from the opposite end can be seen. It takes us six minutes to cross it, then it's downhill for 16 km at a gradient of 30%₀. After passing through two tunnels, we enter Bocognano station (PK 116.3) not without having crossed seven viaducts totalling forty-five arches. Then it is the station of Tavera (KP 123.5). Same landscape to reach Ucciani (KP 126.8) after having successively encountered two tunnels and seven via dukes. It is on this route that we encounter the most important masonry viaduct of the network: the Granato viaduct with seven arches of 17 m each. It is in this area that we discover the "bride's veil", a magnificent waterfall overlooking the railway. The descent to Ajaccio is 20%0 and we cross Carbuccia (PK 136) and Mezzana (PK '144.9). After a few viaducts and the Aspreto tunnel, and having skirted the gulf of Ajaccio, we enter, after crossing the N. 196 at level, in Ajaccio station (PK 157.4).

The Balagne line - Ponte-Leccia - Calvi

• Declaration of Public Utility: 21-08-82.
• Length: 73.2 km.
• Opening to exploitation
• Ponte-Leccia - Palasca 10-01-89
• Palasca - Calvi 15-11-90

The route of the Balagne - Ponte-Leccia line

Starting at Ponte-Leccia (PK 46,7) (1) the line crosses the Asco and rises at a rate of 20 %₀ following the N. 197 and the Navaccia to the highest point of the line serving Pietralba (PK 52.7) then Novella (PK 65.3). Immediately afterwards we descend to the sea, still on a 20% slope, and after passing through five small tunnels we enter Palasca (KP 75.1). Then after three more tunnels we reach Belgodère (KP 82.8) and the plain of Regino (KP 88.1) to reach Ile Rousse (KP 98.1). Overhanging the coast, the road leads to Algajola (KP 106.3) then Calenzana-Lumio (KP 115.5) and then to the famous Calvi gulf. We cross the pine forest which precedes Calvi by following the beach. The track is laid on the sand and enters Calvi station (PK 119.9) on the edge of the town, a stone's throw from the port.

The Casamozza - Porto-Vecchio East Coast Line

Declaration of Public Utility :

• Casamozza - Ghisonaccia 05-08-82
• Ghisonaccia - Bonifacio 01-12-11
• Decommissioning 14-02-58
• Length: 129.9 km.
• Opening to exploitation :
• Casamozza - Tallone 01-02-88
• Tallone - Ghisonaccia 17-06-88
• Ghisonaccia - Solenzara 15-09-30
• Solenzara - Porto-Vecchio 21-09-35
• Closure at the farm :
• Casamozza - Folleli-Orezza 01-07-53
• Folleli-Orezza - Porto-Vecchio 08-09-43

The route of the Casamozza - Porto-Vecchio east coast line

This line originated at the Casamozza branch station (PK 21) and was established on the plain for most of its route. Crossing the Golo from its origin, it followed the N. 198 to Arena-Vescovata (PK 24,2) and then to Folleli-Orezza (PK 31.9). After crossing Fium'Alto and still following N. 198, it approached the coast, which it did not leave until Alistro (KP 53.7) after serving Paduletta (KP 40.3) and Prunete-Cervione (KP 46.8). It moved inland, but still on the plain, reaching Bravone (KP 59), Tallone (KP 67.6) and the Tavignano bridge (the most important on the line KP 72.2) after crossing the N. 200. From there it served Aleria (KP 73.2), Puzzichello (KP 78.9) and finally Ghisonaccia (KP 85.3), whose station was quite far from the village (about 4 km). Then it went back to Solenzara where it reached the coast, after crossing the Fium'Orbo and meeting Prunelli-Piétrapola (KP 91.7), Gavone (KP 97.3), the Travo Bridge (KP 102.8), Solaro (KP 105.6) and then Solenzara (KP 109.9). From this station the track was built on a cornice, and in several places it overlooked the sea by a few meters and steeply. It served the station of Favone-Conca (KP 120.7), crossed the only tunnel of the line (Faotea tunnel), then reached Figa (KP 126.3), the coast following the N. 198, and after reaching St. Lucia (KP 134.4), Lecci (KP 135.1), it crossed the N. 198 at level and entered Porto-Vecchio (KP 150.9) 27 km from Bonifacio, which it was never to reach.

source : MTVS 1984-4