What You Need to Know: Useful Information
The Irpinia Express is a historic tourist train that provides a unique way to explore the beautiful Irpinia region in Campania. This journey lets you explore lush woods, historic villages, beautiful vineyards, and untouched natural scenery. Leaving from Avellino station, the train travels 90 kilometers through the province of Avellino, passing by various points of interest. These include towns and villages such as Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, Lioni, Conza della Campania, Calitri, and Lapio. Each stop along the way allows you to explore monuments, museums, ancient churches, and local food, wine, and Irpinia cultural traditions. The journey lasts several hours and includes stops for historical sites and tastings of local wines, cheeses, and desserts. Perfect for slow tourism, the Irpinia Express offers a rare chance to explore a charming, historic, and natural area that remains largely unknown. Participating is highly worthwhile because it provides an authentic way to explore this part of Italy completely away from mass tourism.
Getting There
By train
To reach the starting line of this historic rail journey, you can take a regional Trenitalia train directly to the Avellino railway station, where the Irpinia Express departs. For those coming from major high-speed rail lines, dropping off at Naples Central Station or Salerno station and catching a connecting regional train or bus to Avellino is the most seamless route.
By car
If you choose to drive to the departure hub in Avellino, take the A16 highway (Napoli-Canosa) from Naples and take the Avellino Ovest or Avellino Est exit, parking your vehicle in the designated parking lots near the train station. If you prefer to meet the train at one of its interior stops like Calitri or Lioni, taking the SS7 (Via Appia) or the SS691 Fondovalle Sele highway will cut directly through the heart of the mountain province.
By bus
For regional public transit travelers who prefer this option, AIR Campania operates frequent daily intercity bus routes that connect the central transit terminals of Naples, Salerno, and Benevento directly to the main bus station square in Avellino.
Below you'll find the location marked on Google Maps. Click on it to open the location directly on your device's maps.
Useful Contacts
- Associazione InLocoMotivi (Irpinia Express Program & Booking Coordinators):
- Website: irpiniaexpress.it
- Fondazione FS Italiane (Historic Railway Operations & Schedule Registry):
- Website: fondazionefs.it
- Ufficio Turistico Provincia di Avellino (Irpinia Local Tourism Hub):
- Website: sistemairpinia.provincia.avellino.it
What to Bring & Pro Tips
- Because the Irpinia Express is a highly popular option for slow tourism across a hidden terrain, advance booking is strongly recommended well before your trip to secure your seat on the historic carriages.
- Since the journey lasts several hours and includes immersive stops for historical sites and tastings of local wines, cheeses, and desserts, make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes to comfortably navigate cobblestone villages and winery cellars.
- Bring a smartphone or a camera to capture the passing view of lush woods, beautiful vineyards, and untouched natural scenery.
- Some tourist train editions offer shuttle services to popular sites like the Abbey of Goleto, so it is a smart idea to double-check your specific itinerary theme when booking so you know exactly which excursions are included.
- Lastly, pack a light jacket or sweater; the province of Avellino is a mountainous area, and the breeze can turn surprisingly crisp during the evening stops.
The “Hidden Gem”
Once you have finished touring the mountain vineyards and listening to the rhythm of the vintage train, look out for the stop in Calitri to discover the fascinating Borgo Castello and its Underground Caves.
Instead of staying near the modern train platform, take the village shuttle up into the high historic center of Calitri, a striking town where pastel-colored houses are stacked vertically like a nativity scene. At the very peak of the hill sits the Borgo Castello, the ruins of an ancient medieval fortress that offers a breathtaking, 360-degree panoramic view of the rolling Ofanto River valley. What makes Calitri truly magical, however, is hidden right beneath the houses: a labyrinthine network of centuries-old caves carved directly into the soft volcanic rock. Originally used by locals to age prized cheeses and store wines away from the summer heat, many of these cool, subterranean stone chambers can still be visited today. Wandering through these quiet, shadow-filled grottos offers a wonderfully mysterious and authentic cultural break, rewarding travelers with an intimate look into the deep, rustic traditions of old Irpinia.
