130th Anniversary of the Valsugana Railway

An anniversary that unites the valley

In 2026, the Valsugana Railway celebrates its 130th anniversary. On April 26, 1896, the inaugural test run took place on the line that climbs the Brenta river valley, connecting Trento to Bassano del Grappa—an infrastructure that has profoundly shaped the economic, social, and tourist history of the Valsugana region. To mark this milestone, the Municipality of Borgo Valsugana and the local Pro Loco have organized a rich program of events taking place between late April and early May 2026.

The exhibition at Spazio Klien

The heart of the celebrations is the exhibition dedicated to the history of the railway, set up at Spazio Klien on the ground floor of the town hall in Piazza Degasperi, Borgo Valsugana. The exhibition is open from April 21 to May 9, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Through photographs, documents, and archival materials, the display traces the stages of the line, from its construction in the 19th century to its most recent transformations, including the electrification that modernized the route.

Ceremonial program

• Friday, April 24, 6:00 PM — Inauguration of the exhibition at Spazio Klien.
• Friday, April 24, 8:30 PM — Conference on the history of the Valsugana Railway at the middle school auditorium.
• Sunday, April 26, 11:15 AM — Official ceremony at the central station of Borgo Valsugana, on the exact day of the 130th anniversary of the 1896 inaugural test run.
• April 21 - May 9 — Daily opening of the exhibition, morning and afternoon.

A mountain railway with a long history

The line, designed by engineer Rudolf Stummer Ritter von Traunfels, was built between 1894 and 1896 when the Valsugana was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The full connection toward the Veneto region and Bassano del Grappa was perfected in the following decades, forming a railway axis that still crosses villages, countryside, and historic stations today. After a long period of work, the Valsugana Railway has returned as a key sustainable link between Trentino and Veneto.

An event for the local community

The 130th-anniversary celebrations are an opportunity to rediscover the value of the railway as a core element of the Valsugana identity in Trentino-Alto Adige. This initiative, free and open to all, blends historical memory, tourism, and sustainable mobility, looking toward the future of the valley. Borgo Valsugana, with its station and historic center overlooking the Brenta, is the ideal place to tell this story spanning over a century.