FERROVIE NORD MILANO has brought forward the start of operations on its Malpensa Express airport service to May 30, from the planned date of July 1. The decision follows completion of tracklaying on the branch from Busto Arsizio on January 28. FNM President Norberto Achille expects the final fitting out of the new airport station to be finished by April 7, against a contractual deadline of May 17.
Due for completion by May is the quadrupling of FNM’s main line between Bovisa and Saronno, and remodelling at the latter station. This will provide capacity for the half-hourly airport service, which will offer a 39 min journey to the city centre. To work the service, FNM has allocated four of the 10 TAF double-deck EMUs it is buying in a joint order with FS for the Milano Passante cross-city project. The first unit in the Malpensa Express red livery was unveiled on March 12 (below).
Quadrupling between Bovisa and Cadorna, together with an underground route relocation at Castellanza, will allow the airport service to be stepped up to every 15min from 2002. At the same time the journey will be cut to 30min.
