Cross-border rail freight traffic to and from Italy will face some disruptions between August and October due to two important lines being closed. The Tarvisio-Villach line, between Italy and Austria will be closed between 22 August and 20 September, while the Frejus line, leading into France, will be shut down between 11 September and 8 October.
The unavailability of the Tarvisio-Villach border crossing will mostly affect the port complex of Trieste and Monfalcone, Italy’s best performer in rail freight terms. The Friuli Venezia Giulia region, where the line runs, allocated €3 million euros to support operators in covering re-routing costs.
Since the Slovenian network is also experiencing problems and closures during the same period, most trains to and from the ports will have to be re-routed through the Brenner line. However, this is an old and mountainous line which was also closed for renovations between 18 July and 1 August.
Italy-France traffic to drastically decrease
The main line between France and Italy will be closed between Bussoleno and Bardonecchia, right before the border. The operations “will result in a temporary interruption of rail traffic on this route”, logistics operator T3M said. The company will have to reduce its traffic by 25%, from four to three daily departures and a diversion route via Switzerland.
Rail freight keeps struggling in Italy
The closures of two important rail border crossings in Italy come while the sector is already fighting for its life. Things took a turn for the worse in the first half of 2026, with a 8.1% decrease in performance which continues a trend started in 2022.
Together, the Tavisio-Villach and the Frejus lines move about 20% of the international rail freight in the country. Due to the lack of valid alternatives (such as the Turin-Lyon or the Brenner Base Tunnel), every closure is a significant burden for the industry.