ITALY: Privately owned new entrant Longitude Holding has submitted requests to operate passenger services on one international and six domestic routes, rail regulator ART has confirmed to Railway Gazette International.
Longitude Holding’s main shareholder is Giuseppe Arena. He was a founder of Arenaways, which ran Torino – Milano open access services in 2010-11.
The requests for paths were submitted by Longitude Holding on September 2 and 26. They cover five years of operation from the December 2025 timetable change on the following routes:
- Roma – Reggio Calabria;
- Torino – Milano – Lecce;
- Torino – Milano – Reggio Calabria;
- Roma – Venezia;
- Torino – Milano – Venezia;
- Roma – Genova – Milano;
- Milano – Innsbruck – München.
The rise and fall of Arenaways
Arenaways launched its passenger service on the Torino – Milano route in November 2010, using Bombardier Transportation Traxx E483 electric locomotives leased from Alpha Trains and newly-built coaches from Astra Vagoane Calatori of Romania.
However, ART’s predecessor TAR and the transport ministry did not grant Arenaways approval to call at intermediate stations, believing this would have threatened the viability of Trenitalia’s subsidised regional services. Arenaways failed to attract sufficient passengers and operations ceased in 2011.
Legal action followed, leading to Trenitalia and infrastructure manager RFI being fined approximately €300 000 for abuse of their dominant position and anti-competitive behaviour.
