The line was opened from
Gallarate to
Varese on 26 September 1865; in 1885 it went to the state network
Rete Mediterranea, operated by the
Società per le Strade Ferrate del Mediterraneo. In 1894 the Società per le Strade Ferrate del Mediterraneo extended the line from Varese to
Porto Ceresio, through a beloved touristic area until the shore of
Lake Lugano. In 1899 the line was chosen for an experimental electrification with a
third rail at 650 V DC, put into service in 1901–1902. From 1905 the line was operated by the new state railway company, the
Ferrovie dello Stato; In 1949 the line was electrified with the current
overhead line system, with a voltage of 3 kV DC; the third rail was dismantled two years later. Since December 2004 the section from Gallarate to Varese is used by the trains of the
line S5 of
Milan suburban railway service. Since 1 January 2010 the section from Varese to Porto Ceresio has been put out of service, due to reconstruction works related with the new
international line to Stabio, that will connect Varese with
Como and
Lugano via
Mendrisio. ==References==