Sant'Anna Funicular Railway, Funicular railway in Piazza Portello, Italy
Sant'Anna Funicular Railway is a cable-driven mountain railway in Genoa that connects Piazza Portello at the edge of the old city center to Corso Magenta above. The route stretches about 357 meters with two stations and runs two cars that each carry up to 30 passengers.
The railway opened in 1891 and originally relied on a water ballast system to move the cars. It switched to electric power in 1980 to modernize the system.
The funicular links the lower historic district to upper residential areas and carries residents on their daily routines between neighborhoods. You will see local people moving between these two very different parts of the city, making the journey part of their everyday life.
The funicular is easily accessed from Piazza Portello and provides a steep ascent with a maximum gradient reaching 17 percent. Note that as one car rises, the other descends, as their weights balance each other out.
Since December 2021, riding this funicular is completely free for all passengers, making it an unusually affordable way to get around the city. This decision by the municipality and local transit operator turned it into a popular free option for traveling between neighborhoods.
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