High-speed rail in Italy

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Italy's high speed rail network
Italy's high speed rail network

Italy was the first country in Europe to feature a high-speed rail connection. This was the Direttissima, which from 1978 connected Rome with Florence (254 km (158 mi)). The maximum speed of this line was 250 km/h (155 mph). The journey time between the two cities is just over 90 minutes and the trains average about 200 km/h (124 mph).

Services on the increasing high-speed network are carried out by Eurostar Italia (ETR 4xx, better known as Pendolino, which was developed by Fiat Ferroviaria, and more recent ETR 500 series) trains (not related to the Eurostar trains operating to the United Kingdom).

Treno Alta Velocità is building a new high speed network on the routes Milan - Bologna - Florence - Rome - Naples and Turin - Milan - Verona - Venice - Trieste. Some lines are already opened while international links with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia are underway.

Contents

[edit] Rolling stock

Main article: ElettroTreno

Eurostar Italia is a system of quality trains operated by Trenitalia on the routes connecting the main Italian cities and towns. Several types of high-speed trains, belonging to 3 major families, carry out the service:

The last category is gradually assisted by the New Pendolino (ETR 600/610). In addition, TGV trains run on the service Paris - Torino - Milano, and in the future possibly between Paris and Rome. By 2011, Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori plans to operate next-generation TGVs, the so-called Automotrices à grande vitesse.

[edit] Network

Current progress of the TAV network.
Current progress of the TAV network.

[edit] Existing lines

The following lines of the TAV system are already in use.

"Direttissima", the first TAV line (construction started 1970, first stage opened 1978, finally opened in 1991). Trains on the line use 3,000V electric current.
Construction of the line started 1994, and it opened 19 December 2005. The last 20km of the Naples side of the line (from Gricignano di Aversa) are still under construction, and are scheduled to open in June 2008. Trains on this line utilise 25kV 50Hz power.
The construction of the Turin-Novara section of the line started in 2002, opened 10 February 2006. Construction of the Novara-Milan segment started in 2002; the opening is planned for 2009. Like the Rome-Naples line, trains on the Turin-Milan mainline are fed 25kV 50Hz current.
23km, it was built by RFI S.p.a. the service started 1 March 2007, the line is fed 3kv current.
23km, it was built by RFI S.p.a. the service started 2 July 2007, the line is fed 3kv current.

[edit] Lines under construction

These lines are currently under construction and are expected to open in the near future or next few years.

Construction of the segment started in 2000; the line is scheduled to open on 16 December 2008.
Construction of the line started in 1996; the opening of the line will be in October 2009.

[edit] Future lines

Network of high-speed trains in Italy when the system is completed
Network of high-speed trains in Italy when the system is completed
The beginning of construction on the Verona-Padua line has not been established. The project has been approved in 2006.The beginning of construction on the Milan-Verona line has not been established. The project has been approved in 2003.
The beginning of construction on the Milan-Genoa line has not been established. The project has been approved in 2006.
The Lyon-Turin railroad would connect Lyon, Chambéry, Turin and join the French TGV and Italian TAV networks. However, controversy over the crossing of the Alps through rural valleys, especially on the Italian side, has brought the project to a standstill.
A route connecting the Italian TAV network to Switzerland and Germany would do so through Swiss project AlpTransit, which includes the Gotthard Base Tunnel and the Lötschberg Base Tunnel.
The Brenner Base Tunnel would link Verona, Innsbruck, Munich, to connect the Italian, German, and Austrian railways.
Having a connection with Ljubljana encourages development of rail into Eastern Europe and will link the Slovenian Pendolino and Italian TAV networks.

[edit] Travel times

Line Current travel time[1] Travel time on new line
Turin-Milan 1h30' 50'
Milan-Bologne 1h42' 56'
Bologne-Florence 59' 30'
Florence-Rome 1h35' 1h20'
Rome-Naples 1h45' 1h05'
Padua-Milan 2h31' 1h51'(actual time)
Line Distance (km) Current travel time[2] Travel time on new line
Milan-Venice S. Lucia 262 2h43' 1h25'
Milan-Genova Terzo Valico 54 1h32' 1h32' [3]

[edit] See also

Trains Portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ Official timetables for 2005 from www.trenitalia.com.
  2. ^ Official timetables for 2005 from www.trenitalia.com.
  3. ^ The Terzo Valico dei Giovi is a capacity expansion, especially for freight traffic.

[edit] External links

[edit] Specific projects

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