Rail freight in Italy continues to lose volumes, as the first half of 2026 brought an 8.1 % decrease in train-kilometre compared to the same period last year, according to Fermerci. Moreover, the state-owned operator (and largest one) FS Logistix recorded a 12% drop in traffic, multiple trade unions said in a joint note.
The 8.1% drop comes from the country’s main association Fermerci, which highlighted how “in just six months (…) over 2 million train-kilometres were lost”. More specifically, train-kilometre went from 25.8 million to 23.7 million units. If the trend continues throughout the whole year, there is a risk of turning the clock back 11 years and going back to 2015 volumes, Fermerci stressed.
FS Logistix hits -12%
The Italian state-owned operator (and the largest one) FS Logistix posted a 12% decrease in traffic during the first six months of 2026. “This figure confirms the difficulties facing the sector, which are due to both external and internal factors, and for which, at least in the short and medium term, there are no signs of recovery”, a joint press release from six trade unions said.
The data was shared during a meeting with FS Logistix’s CEO Sabrina De Filippis, the trade unions added, without specifying the unit of measure. The company said it is willing to start a discussion with EU institutions to get resources in support of rail freight, “even in the form of compensation”, the joint note underlined.
The Italian crisis
Rail freight in Italy entered a downward spiral after the COVID-19 pandemic and, with the launch of many infrastructure works, it keeps struggling. Between 2024 and 2025, the sector already recorded a -3.5% in train-kilometre and -1.3% in tonne-kilometre, a trend that has not changed since 2021. The picture for 2026 looks even bleaker.