Towards the end of the nineteenth century, at the request of the people of eastern Istria, an area very limited in transportation options, the Austro-Hungarian government developed a plan for a railroad line between Trieste and Parenzo. The project was realized on a low budget using a narrow gauge railbed, along a route winding through the hills of the region. The point of departure was the Campo Marzio station in Trieste, already serving other parts of Istria, thereby achieving the first railroad connection with eastern Istria.
It was a railroad that never had much luck: from the beginning it was criticized for its low speed (25 – 30 km/16 – 20 miles per hour); after World War I it transferred to Italy, which operated it until 1934 when it was decommissioned due to its high operating costs and replaced with bus service. After World War II, with the transferring of Istria to Yugoslavia, the Campo Marzio station in Trieste was closed for passenger service and has been used only for shipping.
In recent years a bike path was created on the former railbed and named Parenzana, operated jointly by Slovenia and Croatia, with only a small section within Italy.
The first section of this bike route is the one that runs from the port of Trieste (or preferably Muggia) to Portorose; it runs mostly along a dedicated bike path and for the remainder along local streets mostly with low traffic. The route for a good section traces the winding railroad line and with climbs and descents. Towards the end it comes to a tunnel 550 m/1,800 feet long which takes one directly into the town of Portorose.
