Rome–Florence ERTMS activation triggers April suspension

Rome–Florence ERTMS activation will suspend night-time traffic between 11 and 12 April. FS Italiane will implement the suspension. The work will affect the Orvieto–Settebagni section. It is the last part of the high-speed route still to be fitted with the system. That is according to the RFI project page.

The Rome–Florence ERTMS activation involves an investment of about €147 million. Part of the funding comes from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). It is part of a broader programme of infrastructure and technological modernisation. RFI – Rete Ferroviaria Italiana leads that programme. RFI belongs to the FS Group. At the same time, the high-speed Rome–Florence line will be unavailable to trains during the works. The conventional route will also be unavailable.

Don’t miss…OmniTRAX Wyoming baking soda plant rail deal for Arm & Hammer

Rome–Florence ERTMS activation and April traffic changes

Services are expected to be significantly reduced during the disruption. Still, alternative travel options will be available via the Tyrrhenian line, as RFI notes. Meanwhile, train services are due to resume from 15:00 on Sunday the 12th. They will run at lower frequencies at first. They will also have longer journey times on the conventional line. That line will serve as an alternative to the high-speed route. Separately, connections will be available through the railway operators’ sales channels. Also, high-speed services are scheduled to return to normal from Tuesday the 14th. Intercity and regional services are scheduled to return to normal then too.

In addition, ticketing systems are still being updated. Only services reflecting the revised timetables will be available for purchase.

ERTMS in Italy and the RFI rollout

Programme scope and funding

Technological modernisation, including the deployment of ERTMS, is expected to improve infrastructure reliability. It is also expected to support better service regularity and quality. In addition, the system is intended to deliver higher performance. It is also intended to reduce management and maintenance costs compared with traditional signalling systems.

The project is part of a 2,800 km programme, according to RailwayPro. It is funded with €2.5 billion from PNRR resources. It is scheduled for completion by June 2026. That programme supports a strategic objective. It is to extend the technology across the entire network managed by RFI.

National rollout by 2036

Italy was an early investor in ERTMS. The system has played an important role in increasing rail’s market share in the country. The high-speed network’s completion is also expected to bring wider economic and social benefits.

Since the early 2000s, Italy has invested heavily in high-speed lines. For example, the first ERTMS-equipped routes entered service in 2005. Meanwhile, RFI has launched an accelerated plan. It will roll out the digital system across the entire national railway network by 2036. That plan represents a total investment of €15 billion.

According to RFI’s plans, ERTMS will be installed during 2025–2026. It will cover 2,023 km of lines. By the end of this year, the total will reach 16,700 km. That total refers to Italy’s railway network equipped with the system.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed: