Italy rail news
All the latest news, interviews and information about the Italian rail network.
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Metro Report International
Hitachi Rail completes Roma metro trainset
ITALY: The first of 14 six-car metro trainsets that Hitachi Rail is supplying for Roma’s metro lines A and B has been completed. The trainset was inspected by Eugenio Patanè, Council Member for Transport at Roma municipality, when paid a visit to Hitachi Rail’s Reggio Calabria ...
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News
RENFE enters Italian passenger market with Arenaways stake
EUROPE: The Spanish national operator’s international business RENFE Proyectos Internacionales and Spanish private equity firm Serena Industrial Partners have each acquired a 33% stake in Longitude Holdings, which was previously sole owner of Italian private operator Arenaways. The deal was announced on November 27 and enters ...
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News
Air Canada expands through ticketing to railways
INTERNATIONAL: Air Canada is to offer people purchasing flights to Italy, Spain, the UK and South Korea the option to book onward rail and road coach connections. The different geographical options include: Italy: Trenitalia services from Roma and Milano to 30 destinations; Spain: RENFE services ...
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Metro Report International
Palermo orders more trams
ITALY: Comune di Palermo has awarded CAF a firm order to supply a further 14 trams.
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News
Circumvesuviana fleet modernisation gets underway
ITALY: Stadler has begun delivering the first of the 950 mm gauge electric multiple-units ordered by regional operator EAV for suburban services on the 169 km Circumvesuviana railway network south and east of Napoli. In May 2021 Stadler and EAV signed a ...
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News
RENFE linked to Arenaways investment
ITALY: Private operator Arenaways has confirmed to Railway Gazette International that it is in talks with one public and one private investor over the sale of stakes in the company. The Italian company says that ‘advanced negotiations are underway to further expand the corporate structure through ...
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Metro Report International
Milano metro M4 extension opens
ITALY: Milano’s metro Line M4 has been extended 7·8 km west from San Babila around the south of the city centre and on to San Cristoforo. Minister of Infrastructure & Transport Matteo Salvini and Milano Mayor Beppe Sala were among the dignitaries at the inauguration on ...
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Metro Report International
Bologna and Roma tram orders placed
ITALY: CAF has been awarded a framework contract to supply and maintain a fleet of trams for the network under construction in Bologna, while Roma transport operator ATAC has exercised an option to increase a previous order. The orders announced on October 8 have a total ...
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News
Arenaways prepares to launch regional services in January
ITALY: After a 13 year pause Arenaways is returning to the market in less than 100 days with the operation of two lines in the Piemonte region under PSO contracts. The launch timeline was confirmed by Arenaways CEO Matteo Arena, who spoke to Railway Gazette International ...
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News
Wheelchair accessible ETR1000 on show in Berlin
INNOTRANS: Hitachi Rail presented the latest version of its ETR1000 trainset for Trenitalia at the InnoTrans 2024 fair in Berlin. The manufacturer is supplying 30 more trainsets to the Italian state-owned operator under a €861m contract which includes a €287m option for a further 10. ...
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News
Valle d’Aosta electric train unveiled
ITALY: The first of six Flirt electric multiple-units ordered as part of the electrification of the Aosta line has been unveiled at Stadler’s factory at Siedlce in Poland.
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News
Cross-border complexity puts brakes on Nightjet expansion
EUROPE: Further expansion of Austrian Federal Railways’ Nightjet overnight train network beyond the routes already announced is on hold amid ongoing operational and approvals challenges, according to ÖBB.
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News
Metre-gauge EMU order increased
EUROPE: Italian operator SSIF has placed a firm order for an additional four-car Stadler electric multiple-unit for use on the 1 000 mm gauge Domodossola – Locarno line which it operates in partnership with its Swiss counterpart FART. This takes SSIF’s total order to four units. ...
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News
Brussels – Venezia night train to serve winter sports and city break destinations
EUROPE: Open access night train operator European Sleeper is to launch a seasonal Brussels – Utrecht – Köln – München – Innsbruck – Verona – Venezia service to winter sports and city trip destinations. The service is being planned around school holidays, the peak winter sports ...
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News
Autonomous high speed line inspection vehicle on test
ITALY: A prototype 200 km/h Unmanned Railway Vehicle designed to carry out automated inspection of high speed lines is undergoing trials at the Bologna San Donato test track. The URV is designed to undertake inspection, monitoring, analysis and mapping of railway infrastructure ...
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Metro Report International
Brescia tram plan gathers pace
ITALY: As part of plans to build two light rail lines to augment the city’s automated metro, Brescia municipality has called tenders for the design and construction of tram Line T2, including the supply of rolling stock. The city has also commissioned operator Brescia Mobilità to ...
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Metro Report International
Battery trams to avoid overhead wires in historic Firenze
ITALY: Hitachi Rail has been awarded a contract to supply 46 trams equipped with batteries to avoid the need for overhead wires in the historic city of Firenze. The order announced on July 30 includes the supply of digital signalling, and operator GEST has also awarded ...
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Metro Report International
Art and architecture mark Napoli metro Line 6’s return
ITALY: Napoli metro Line 6 reopened on July 17, 11 years after services were suspended. The original 2·3 km line west from Mergellina to Mostra has been extended in tunnel 3·1 km towards the city centre at Municipio, where there is interchange with Line 1. The ...
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In depth
Interview: Arenaways rides again
More than a decade after an abortive attempt to enter the Italian inter-city passenger market, private operator Arenaways is back, with approval to launch seven open access services and PSO contracts to revive operations on two local railways in Piemonte. Chief Executive Matteo Arena explains the company’s renaissance to Benjámin Zelki.
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Metro Report International
CAF sole bidder to supply Bologna trams
ITALY: CAF is the sole bidder for the tram tender in Bologna, the city council announced on June 25. The municipality is currently evaluating the offer and it still hopes to sign a contract by the end of the summer. Bologna municipality has called tenders worth ...