The Principality of Monaco has currently a single railway station, Monaco - Monte Carlo, part of the Marseille–Ventimiglia railway line.[1][2] The station was originally opened in 1867, but extensively rebuilt in 1999.[3] The length of railway within the Principality is 1.7 km (1.1 mi),[1] giving Monaco the third-smallest railway system in the world.
Originally, two stations served the principality on the Marseille-Nice-Ventimiglia line: Monaco and Monte Carlo. A new tunnel was built in the 1950s through the hills behind Monte Carlo, bypassing the Monte Carlo station and causing its closure.[4][5][6] Subsequently, the Monaco station was renamed Monaco-Monte Carlo station.
In the 1990s, the railway line was re-routed completely underground. A new underground station was built to replace the old surface station. The new Monaco - Monte Carlo station was opened on 7 December 1999.
A rack railway from La Turbie to Monte Carlo through Beausoleil operated from 1894 to 1932, with a station (Monte Carlo) serving the Principality.[7][8]
Monaco also had a tramway system between 1898 and 1931, with the first line linking Place d’Armes to Saint Roman.[5]
Monaco does not operate its own train service; all rail services in the Principality are operated by the French operator, SNCF.[9] SNCF trains leave the Monaco - Monte Carlo station every 15 minutes throughout the day,[10] although services cease during early, and late hours.[11]
The railway station is located on the border of Moneghetti, Monaco and Beausoleil, France, near the Monégasque administrative ward of Saint Michel.[3]
The table below shows the Monegasque stations, the existing one and the disused ones:
Station | Line | Opened | Closed | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|
Monaco-Monte-Carlo | Marseille-Nice-Ventimiglia | 1999 | in service | 43°44′19″N 7°25′9″E / 43.73861°N 7.41917°E |
Monte Carlo (rack railway) | La Turbie-Monte Carlo | 1894 | 1932 | 43°44′29.2″N 7°25′30.2″E / 43.741444°N 7.425056°E |
Monte Carlo (SNCF) | Marseille-Nice-Ventimiglia | 1868 | 1958 | 43°44′19.17″N 7°25′44.74″E / 43.7386583°N 7.4290944°E |
Monaco | Marseille-Nice-Ventimiglia | 1868 | 1999 | 43°43′57″N 7°25′02″E / 43.73250°N 7.41722°E |