Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Corsican Railways (CFCs), nicknamed u Trinichellu ("the small train"), form a 232 km metric railway network, which was gradually inaugurated in 1878. This ambitious project, originally led by the French state to clear the island, links the main Corsican cities: Bastia, Ajaccio, Calvi and Corte. The route, marked by 59 viaducts and 57 tunnels, overcomes major technical challenges, such as the Vizzavona tunnel (3 916 m) or the Vecchio viaduct, built by Gustave Eiffel. A symbol of unification, the train has also changed traditional lifestyles, marginalizing mule and innkeepers.

The operation of the network involved several managers: first the Compagnie de chemins de fer départementaux (CFD) from 1883, then the Ponts et Chaussées after 1945, before being entrusted to SNCF in 1983. In 2012, a mixed economy company (SEM) took over, followed in 2024 by a public institution (EPIC). The network, originally designed for freight and passengers, is now focused on local and tourist transport, with iconic lines such as Bastia–Ajaccio (3h45 journey) or the Balagne service. Despite threats of closure in the 1960s, popular mobilizations saved this heritage, now modernized (centralization, AMG 800).

The rolling stock reflects this turbulent history: from Mallet (1892–1954) steam locomotives to Billiards ( 1930s), then to modern models such as X 97050 (1990s) and AMG 800 (2007). The workshops in Casamozza, inaugurated in 1978, provide maintenance, while projects for the partial reopening of the eastern coast line (Casamozza–Folelli) are envisaged to respond to the growing urbanization. The Corsican train, although competing by road, remains an identity symbol, with a record attendance of 1.17 million passengers in 2017.

Autonomous pricing and adapted services (trains-tramways, suburban service) highlight its local anchor. Current challenges include accessibility (not adapted to PMRs) and economic sustainability, in a context where 60% of users are tourists. The temporary closures for modernization (2024–225) aim to improve safety and capacity, while preserving this unique heritage, classified as of general interest and managed by the Territorial Community of Corsica since 1991.

The Corsican railways also illustrate the tensions between territorial development and preservation. Their survival, despite the high costs (€180 million invested between 2000 and 2006), bears witness to their social and cultural role. Popular songs, such as U trenu di Bastia, celebrate this tremor that shaped the island imagination, between modernity and tradition.

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