← Torino City Marathon·Day trip

Superga: The Rack Tramway to the Basilica

A 3.1 km rack tramway lifts you from the Po valley to Juvarra's basilica, with the Savoy royal tombs and a view across Turin if the air is clear.

DurationDay trip
TransitTram 15 to Sassi, then the Sassi to Superga rack tramway
DepartsTurin city centre

After the Torino City Marathon: Superga

The Route: Turin centre → Sassi → Superga → Turin Logistics: Tram 15 to the Sassi terminus, then the rack tramway. No walking uphill is needed. Marathon Month: November Duration: Day trip

Turin centre ──(tram 15)──> Sassi ──(rack tramway 3.1 km)──> Basilica di Superga
                                                  <──(same line back)──┘

The Torino City Marathon finishes in the middle of Turin, and Superga is the hill on the far side of the Po. The Basilica di Superga was designed by Filippo Juvarra for the Savoy family and holds their royal tombs. For a runner with bad legs, the point is that a rack tramway does the climbing.

November in Superga. Late November in the Po valley brings fog, low cloud and short days. The tramway runs regardless, but the view from the basilica terrace depends on the air, and a clear morning after rain gives the best chance of the Alps behind the city. In many years the hill sits in cloud while Turin is dry, so check a webcam or the forecast before leaving, though conditions vary.

The Sassi to Superga tramway runs Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:00 to 18:00, with departures roughly hourly from Sassi and the last return at 18:30. It is closed on Wednesday. At weekends it runs from 09:00 to 20:00. Fares on weekdays are about EUR 4 single and EUR 6 return (approximately GBP 3.40 and GBP 5.15), and higher at weekends. Check the schedule at gtt.to.it before leaving, because winter timetables change.

From the centre, take tram 15 towards the Sassi Superga stop at Corso Casale 327. Bus lines 61 and 68 also reach the station.

The Tramway

The line is 3.1 km long and climbs about 425 m, with gradients up to 21 percent. For legs that cannot manage a hill, it replaces the walk entirely.

The Basilica

The basilica stands on a terrace with a flat forecourt. The interior is a baroque rotunda and the royal tombs lie beneath. The dome and the lower crypt involve stairs, so decide before arriving whether to climb them. Opening hours and entry prices are listed at basilicadisuperga.org, and they change with the season.

Superga is also where the Torino football team was killed when its plane hit the hill behind the basilica on 4 May 1949. A memorial stands at the rear of the building. It is a short, flat walk from the terrace.

Eating

Cafes near the station and the basilica serve coffee and snacks, but check opening hours because small places on the hill close early in the off-season. Back in the city, Piedmontese lunches revolve around agnolotti del plin, small meat-filled pasta, and tajarin with butter and sage.

Getting Back

Take the tramway down to Sassi and tram 15 back to the centre. Leave the basilica in time for the last tramway of the day at 18:30 on weekdays, and use the earlier departure if fog is coming in.