The European Commission has approved a measure that will support Combined Transport (CT) operations between Aiton (France) and Orbassano (Italy). The rail highway along the Fréjus line has been paused since the summer of 2023.
The Italian and French transport ministries report EU approval for a support measure that should enable the return of CT operations on the 175-kilometre long Fréjus railway through the Mont Cenis tunnel. The support measure reportedly amounts to 5 million euros, divided equally between France and Italy.
“The Ministry of Transport expresses its deep satisfaction with this long-awaited measure, which strengthens the Alpine rail highway between Italy and France with a market-based instrument and replaces the previous model based on the monopoly of a single concessionaire, which has been at a standstill for over a year”, the Italian side commented.
The service could restart in September, according to the managing director of the Orbassano interport (SITO), Enzo Pompilio D’Alicandro. It would aim to load up to 100 trucks per direction per day. “Operators are looking with interest at this service, which makes it possible to increase the load by 15% in intermodal mode”, D’Alicandro is quoted as saying in Italian media.