The railway network in Genoa, one of Italy’s most important port cities, is undergoing massive changes to boost rail freight. One of these projects will be ready by 6 October, paving the way for the separation of freight and passenger flow.
The line in question is the Genoa Voltri-Genoa Sampierdarena, a short stretch of about 16 kilometres which has now been quadrupled. After 6 October, a few freight trains will start using the new infrastructure, which runs between the ports of Pra’ and Genoa, the Italian deputy minister of transport Edoardo Rixi said. Transit times will not change, but the new tracks will allow the division of freight and passenger traffic.
Towards the Terzo Valico
This section is part of the Genoa Junction package, a number of initiatives aimed at improving rail connectivity to, from and through the city. These works will make up the access to the Terzo Valico, a brand new line which will start at the port of Pra’ and connect to the larger TEN-T North Sea-Rhine-Mediterranean corridor (formerly known as Rhine-Alpine).
The Terzo Valico, which should be completed in the next couple years, will connect the Genoan ports to Tortona through a new base tunnel of 27 kilometres in length. This will create a rail connection better equipped and meeting EU standards for the transport of, for example, semi-trailers all the way to Europe’s largest ports in Rotterdam and Antwerp.
