The Naples–Bari high-speed rail project has reached another construction milestone. Excavation of the Rocchetta Tunnel is now complete. The work marks progress on a project intended to improve rail links across southern Italy. It is also designed to connect the region more closely with major European transport corridors. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Rocchetta Tunnel completed on Naples–Bari line
Rocchetta Tunnel completed on Naples–Bari line

The Rocchetta Tunnel forms part of the Apice–Hirpinia section of the future high-speed, high-capacity Naples–Bari line. Built by Webuild, it is approximately 6.5 km long. It is the longest tunnel on this section. The tunnel crosses the southern Apennines and is the second completed along this part of the route, after Grottaminarda.

Excavation was carried out with the “Futura” TBM. The modern tunnel-boring machine was used for demanding drilling work. Also, it operated continuously for around one and a half years. The work continued day and night under the supervision of more than 140 specialists.

The machine has 18 motors with a combined power of 6.3 MW. Its cutting head is more than 12 meters in diameter. The setup was adapted to the difficult geological conditions found along the alignment.

During construction, the TBM moved through the mountain massif at an average pace of about 16 meters per day. In some phases, the daily advance exceeded 29 meters. In addition, more than 32,500 prefabricated concrete segments were installed. They form the final support structure of the Rocchetta Tunnel.

Rocchetta Tunnel works on the Apice–Hirpinia section

The completion of Rocchetta is another step in one of the largest railway infrastructure investments currently underway in southern Italy.

The Apice–Hirpinia section will extend for 18.7 km through the provinces of Avellino and Benevento. Almost 13 km of this alignment will run in tunnels. The area is characterized by geological and geomorphological complexity. These conditions make the works among the most demanding railway infrastructure projects in Italy.

Around 700 workers, including subcontractor personnel, are involved in carrying out this contract. Meanwhile, the project also engages more than 650 suppliers and partner companies. Work is also progressing on access infrastructure for the future Hirpinia station.

The station is planned as a strategic hub linking inland areas with Italy’s high-speed rail network. The related works include new roads, roundabouts, and dedicated parking facilities.

Contractors are preparing for the next tunnelling phase as well. In the coming period, excavation will start on the Melito Tunnel. It is the final tunnel planned for the Apice–Hirpinia section and will be approximately 4.4 km long.

Naples–Cancello section moves into a new phase

Other parts of the Naples–Bari line are also advancing. The works include investments aimed at modernizing infrastructure and railway systems. In May, Rete Ferroviaria Italiana presented a new development phase for the Naples–Cancello section. The section is supported by funding of approximately 1.1 billion EUR.

The new double-track Naples–Cancello section will be about 15 km long. It will improve links between the high-speed network and regional transport in the Naples metropolitan area. At the same time, the section will provide direct connections to Naples–Afragola station.

Those connections will enable rapid transfers between several services. They include high-speed trains on the Rome–Naples axis, the Circumvesuviana network, and local services on the Cassino–Naples route.

Napoli–Afragola station has a strategic function in southern Italy’s transport system. It is one of the main hubs for rail movements between Rome, Salerno, and the Puglia region.

Once the new Napoli–Cancello section is commissioned, around 55 km of high-speed infrastructure will be operational on the Napoli–Bari main line.

Naples–Bari high-speed rail project and southern Italy’s network

The new Naples–Bari line forms part of the Scandinavian–Mediterranean Corridor within the TEN-T network. It is designed to improve connections between the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic seas. Separately, it is intended to strengthen links between southern Italy and the rest of Europe.

The project will deliver about 145 km of new track. It will also include 15 tunnels, 25 viaducts, and 20 stations and stops. After completion, trains will be able to operate at speeds of up to 250 km/h.

Journey times between Naples and Bari are expected to fall to around two hours. Travel between Bari and Rome will take about three hours.

Through the development of the Naples–Bari route, Italy is continuing the modernization of railway infrastructure in the south of the country. Still, the focus remains tied to the same project scope: improving the region’s integration with key European transport corridors. The completed Rocchetta Tunnel reflects the steady progress of the project. It also underlines the role of the new high-speed line in the future mobility system of Italy and Southern Europe.

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