The rail freight industry in Italy has been struggling for quite some time now. This trend was confirmed by the latest data on the so-called interporti, intermodal terminals along the TEN-T corridors, which reduced by almost 20% the number of trains handled since 2023.
The most significant drop was experienced in 2023 (16.5%), while it was more reduced in 2024 (3.2%), leaving some room for hope. The main reason behind this drop is identified in the many construction sites along Italian railways, according to the entity grouping the inteporti (UIR). Italy, as many other EU countries, is in fact renovating large parts of its old and obsolete rail network, leading to long closures and traffic disruptions.
Interporti in Italy
There are currently 24 interporti in Italy, spread across the country. One is in Sicily, while the remaining 23 are on the mainland, mostly in the north. These intermodal facilities play a key role for rail freight in Italy, as they are often strategically located near ports or large logistics hubs. They can also be used to speed up customs procedures and transfer them away from ports, avoiding congestion.
