New Turin-Lyon Railway Line: How £21 Billion Will Transform Transport in Europe

An ambitious project has begun in Europe: the construction of a new high-speed railway line costing £21.1 billion that will connect Turin and Lyon, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The line will stretch approximately 170 miles and create a new transport corridor between fashion capitals—Paris and Milan.

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The project includes an international section crossing the Alps via the Mont d’Ambin base tunnel.

This 37.5-mile tunnel will become the longest railway tunnel in the world, surpassing the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland.

The total construction cost is estimated at €25 billion, with the international section costing €8 billion.

The main goal of the project is to reduce CO2 emissions and air pollution by shifting freight transport from roads to rail.

Additionally, the new line will facilitate rapid passenger transportation, reducing the demand for air travel.

With a maximum gradient of 12.5% and an elevation of 580 meters, the new line will be significantly more efficient than the existing one, allowing trains to reach speeds of up to 140 miles per hour.

However, despite its high-speed designation, the line does not fully meet the European Commission’s criteria, as its speed does not reach the 155 miles per hour benchmark for high-speed trains.

The European Union is already funding 40% of the tunnel construction costs and is considering increasing its share to 55%.

The project is expected to receive a boost with the opening of the new La Chapelle factory for producing stone blocks for the tunnel, which will start operations in June 2024.

The factory will produce 160 blocks per day using a highly automated process.

The project faces criticism from local residents and activists.

In particular, residents of the French town of Chimmilen and the Italian No TAV movement express concerns about the perceived economic and environmental impacts.

Despite the criticism, construction is ongoing, and the tunnel is expected to be completed by 2032.

High-Speed Railway Line In Construction Between Italy And France (Image: Getty)

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