ITALY: Arenaways launched revenue services under a public service obligation contract on the 49 km Cuneo – Savigliano line south of Torino on January 25.
The inaugural journey was attended by Alberto Cirio, President of the Piemonte region, along with other local dignitaries, the regional management of national infrastructure manager RFI, and representatives of Arenaways.
In March 2024, the Piemonte authority awarded Arenaways a 10 year, €54m PSO contract to run passenger services on the Cuneo – Savigliano and Ceva – Ormea routes. On the latter, services will start upon the completion of renewal of the infrastructure, which is being carried out by RFI.
The two lines are among 12 in Piemonte on which passenger services were abandoned in 2012. Of these, two reopened in last September with services operated by incumbent Trenitalia.
The Cuneo – Savigliano line serves the mediaeval town of Saluzzo. RFI spent €11m on infrastructure works including the improvement of the signalling and telecommunications systems, increasing the safety of 48 level crossings and renovating the stations at Busca, Verzuolo, Manta and Costigliole Saluzzo.
RFI is to spend a further €36m on the Saluzzo – Bivio Madonna dell’Olmo section to renew the track and repair signalling cables.
Operations
Arenaways is to provide 142 services each week, or 24 per day on weekdays, dropping to 50 trains a week over the high summer peak period.
Arenaways is leasing four ATR220 diesel multiple-units manufactured by Pesa from regional operator Trasporto Passeggeri Emilia Romagna to operate the two lines. The trainsets have received the Arenaways livery and have been fitted with wi-fi and onboard ticket vending machines.
Fairtiq has supplied its mobile pay-as-you-go ticketing system. Tickets can be purchased on Arenaways’ website, as well as in the Moeves, Fairtiq and MooneyGo apps.
Arenaways’ return
Arenaways has returned to the Italian passenger market after a 14-year hiatus. Managing Director Matteo Arena’s father, Giuseppe Arena, founded Arenaways, and the company briefly ran Torino – Milano open access services in 2010-11. At the time, the rail regulator refused to grant Arenaways approval to call at intermediate stations on this route, believing this would have threatened the viability of Trenitalia’s subsidised regional services. Arenaways failed to attract sufficient passengers and operations ceased in 2011.
Besides the PSO routes, transport regulatory body ART granted approval in February 2024 for Arenaways to operate inter-city passenger services on six domestic routes and one international corridor under open access rules.
Arenaways is owned by Longitude Holdings. Since RENFE acquired a stake in November, the shareholders are RENFE Proyectos Internacionales (33%), and Spanish private equity firm Serena Industrial Partners (33%), while small stakes are retained by CEO Matteo Arena, infrastructure contractor Generale Costruzioni Ferroviarie, and Caronte & Tourist which operates ferries in southern Italy.
- A feature article about Arenaways’ return from the July 2024 issue of Railway Gazette International is available to subscribers.
