The Trenovia was designed at the end of the 19th century to quickly connect the town of Opicina to the city of Trieste.The concession for the construction of the train was issued on 28 October 1901, and the line, designed by engineer Geiringer and managed by the Società Anonima of the Piccole Ferrovie di Trieste (SPF), was inaugurated on 9 September of the following year.

The tram engine already marked with the N ° 411 is the oldest running tram still existing today in Europe. On 9 September 1902 the ANONYMOUS COMPANY of SMALL RAILWAYS activated the service of the line in question and this vehicle was marked with the N ° 1 as part of an initial rolling stock of 6 units.

The route is just over 5 km long and goes from the center of Trieste, Piazza Oberdan, at sea level, to an interurban section connecting with the hamlet of Villa Opicina on the Carso plateau, at 329 m a.s.l.

n 1906, on the occasion of the opening of the Transalpina railway, the second railway link between Trieste and Opicina, the tramway was extended from the karst terminus to the new Opicina station.

The new stretch measured 1.13 km and followed the Via Nazionale to then reach the station itself via Via di Prosecco.

The tram runs along a very scenic route of which the salient and highest point is the Obelisk, located at 343 meters above sea level. The same, named after Francis I of Austria, is the panoramic point par excellence along the route of the Opicina Tramway.