The central Apennines are crossed by the railway from Rome to Pescara via Avezzano and Sulmona: the railway from Orte to Terni (and thence to Foligno) follows the Nera valley; while from Terni a line ascends to the plain of Rieti, and thence crosses the central chain to Aquila, whence it follows the valley of the Aterno to Sulmona.
Pescara, v katero se izliva Aterno iz severozahoda in Gizio od jugovzhoda ter Sangro so bolj pomembne.