VATICAN CITY (AP) — With a deafening whistle and a plume of smoke, an antique train pulled out of the Vatican rail station Friday to inaugurate a new weekly train service to the papal summer estate in Castel Gandolfo now that Pope Francis has decided to open it up to the public.
Starting Saturday, the general public can visit both papal estates — the Vatican Museums in Rome and the gardens and restored portrait gallery of Castel Gandolfo — thanks to the weekly service launched by the Vatican and Italy's railway, Ferrovia dello Stato.
The service will feature modern trains. But for the inaugural press run Friday, Ferrovia pulled out its century-old, coal-fueled locomotive to pull historic passenger cars.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.