Italy’s Recovery and Resilience Plan provides financial support to the development of high-speed railways across Italy. Specific information on examples of areas supported are provided below.
High-speed railway: South of Italy
The investment aims at building 119 km high-speed railways in the South of Italy by June 2026 for a total of EUR 3.9 billion. The goal of the measure is to reduce travel time and increase rail capacity, also by further integrating existing regional transport systems, which will be further strengthened.
1. Naples-Bari: Thanks to the high-speed railway, of which 49 km will be financed by Italy’s Recovery and Resilience plan for EUR 1.3 billion, the Naples-Bari connection will become viable in 2 hours, compared to the current 3.5 hours, with an increase in capacity from 4 to 10 trains/hour. The number of both passengers and freight trains will increase, fostering territorial cohesion and development opportunities. In 2022, contracts for the construction of the line Naples-Bari were concluded.
More information can be found here
2. Palermo-Catania: Along the connection Palermo-Catania, the investment aims at building 37 km of high-speed railways for passengers and freight for a total of EUR 799 million. Upon completion of the works along the entire axis, it will be possible to cover the distance between Palermo and Catania in less than two hours, with faster connections and enhanced regularity.
3.Salerno-Reggio Calabria: Along the connection Salerno-Reggio Calabria, the investment aims at building 33 km of high-speed railways for passengers and freight for a total of EUR 1.8 billion. The new line represents a strategic passenger and freight route connecting an important axis of the country. The link will foster network accessibility for several areas of high touristic value such as Cilento and the Ionian coast, speeding up connections and expanding the freight route in the so-called 'Adriatic corridor'.
High-speed railway: North of Italy
The investment aims at building 165 km of high-speed railways for passengers and freight in the North of Italy for a total of EUR 8.7 billion. The objective is to foster connections, among others, with the ports and with the rest of Europe, by June 2026.
1. Brescia-Verona-Vicenza-Padua: Along the connection Brescia-Padua, of which 92 km will be financed by Italy’s Recovery and Resilience Plan with EUR 4.5 billion, the interventions will increase accessibility and frequency and improve traffic regularity, thanks to the separation of high-speed from regular traffic. The line will complete the section between Milan and Brescia which is already in operation.
During his June 2022 visit, Commissioner Schmit stated that “these areas will become a nerve centre for the transit of people and goods, in a more sustainable transport dimension, with less environmental impact”.
Additional Links:
- Video 'High speed train Verona-Padua: flying on the future route of the new line' (on YouTube)
- June 2022 press release by the municipality of Verona on the visit of Commissioner Schmit
- Tweet by Commissioner Schmit
2. Connecting to Europe (Liguria-Alpi): Along the connection Liguria-Alpi, the EUR 4.3 billion investment aims at building 73 km of high-speed lines. The intervention will almost halve travel time on both the Genoa-Milan and the Genoa-Turin routes. Capacity will also increase from 10 to 24 trains/hour on the sections around the Milan node (Rho-Parabiago and Pavia-Milano-Rogoredo).
High-speed railway: Diagonal connections
With EUR 888 million available, the investment aims at building 27 km of high-speed railways for passengers and freight in the Centre-South by June 2026. High-speed diagonal connections will reduce travel time for passengers and freight from the Adriatic and Ionian to the Thyrrenian Sea, by enhancing capacity for train speed and frequency of the existing railways.
1. Orte-Falconara: Along the connection Orte-Falconara, the investment aims at upgrading 13 km of existing railway line by June 2026 for a total of EUR 474 million. Upon completion, the investment will reduce by 40 minutes travel time from Rome to Ancona.
2. Taranto-Metaponto-Potenza-Battipaglia: Along the connection Taranto-Metaponto-Potenza-Battipaglia, the investment aims at building, by June 2026, 14 km of intermediate railways for passengers and freight for a total of EUR 414 million. The investment will allow trains to reach 200 km/h, reducing travel time on the Naples-Taranto route (via Battipaglia) from 4 hours to 3:30 hours, increasing capacity from 4 to 10 trains per hour and enabling freight transport.
- Reference
- M3C1
- Project locations
- Italy