On its metre-gauge route, the trinighellu crosses plains and mountains in “striking contrasts where the world’s finest landscapes meet without ever merging”.
Leaving Bastia, the train winds along rock faces and through several mountains, sometimes travelling several kilometres underground. It crosses torrents and passes the magnificent “Voile de la Mariée” waterfall above the line, before following the river towards the tropical atmosphere of the Gulf of Ajaccio. Undaunted, it braves storms, snow and ice, tackling gradients of 30 mm/m.
On the Balagne line, the scenery becomes more picturesque as the train crosses ravine after ravine through the wild Navaccia valley.
Between Île-Rousse and Calvi, the beach train follows the coast from coves to headlands, serving seaside settlements and campsites.
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The main Bastia–Ajaccio line (length: 157,4 km) starts at Bastia station (kilometre point 0). It passes through Furiani (PK 5,8), Biguglia (KM 9,6), Casamozza (PK 21), Barchetta (PK 29,6), Ponte-Novu (PK 39,1), Ponte-Leccia (PK 46,7), Francardo (PK 54,6), Corte (PK 73,8), Venaco (PK 85,1), Vivario (PK 95,9), Vizzavona (PK 106,7), Bocognano (PK 116,3) and Mezzana (PK 144,9), before reaching its terminus at Ajaccio (PK 157,4).
The Balagne line: Ponte-Leccia–Calvi (length: 73,2 km) begins at Ponte-Leccia (PK 46,7) and reaches Calvi (PK 119,9) via Île-Rousse (PK 98,1).
The east coast line: Casamozza–Porto-Vecchio (length: 129,9 km), permanently closed after the Second World War, started at the junction station of Casamozza (PK 21) and ran to Porto-Vecchio (PK 150,9) via Arena-Vescovato (PK 24,2), Follelli-Orezza (PK 31,9), Padullella (PK 40,3), Prunette-Cervione (PK 46,8), Alistro (PK 53,7), Bravone (PK 59), Tallone (PK 67,6), Aléria (PK 73,2), Puzzichello (PK 78,9), Ghisonaccia (PK 85,3), Prunelli-Pietrapola (PK 91,7), Gavone (PK 97,3), Travo (PK 102,8), Solaro (PK 105,6), Solenzara (PK 109,9), Favona-Conca (PK 120,7), Figa (PK 126,3), Ste-Lucie (PK 134,4) and Lecci (PK 135,1).