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The Autonomous Province of Bolzano, in the northernmost of Italy, has approved the framework agreement with Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) for the use of South Tyrol rail infrastructure until 2035. The agreement guarantees the paths for rail traffic in South Tyrol for the next ten years, from December 2025 to December 2035. “The railway is the backbone of public mobility in South Tyrol. Our goal is to ensure comfortable, fast and frequent rail connections that represent a real alternative to the car. With this framework agreement, we are ensuring that South Tyrol will continue to have an efficient and attractive railway in the coming years,” Provincial Councilor for Mobility, Daniel Alfreider, said. The existing framework agreement with RFI is valid until 14 December 2025 and includes the Brennero–Trento, Fortezza–San Candido and Merano–Bolzano rail routes. The new framework agreement is necessary to ensure the use of the South Tirol rail infrastructure in the future. It regulates key aspects such as timetables, frequency, stops and allocation of railway infrastructure capacity for the individual lines. Overall, the agreement guarantees an annual traffic volume of over 4.1 million train kilometres, which will be gradually expanded based on the Provincial Mobility Plan. “The Alto Adige Plan for tomorrow’s mobility determines when which routes are needed,” adds the director of the Mobility Department, Martin Vallazza. In addition, the framework conditions of the ongoing European tender for the awarding of public railway services must be considered. The main projects for the expansion of the railway network are the construction of the Val di Riga variant, the Virgolo railway tunnel in Bolzano and the electrification of the Val Venosta railway. These projects will not only improve connections but will also contribute to achieving the province’s climate goals. RFI is responsible for Val di Riga variant project that covers the construction of a direct rail bypass between the Val Pusteria and Brenner railway line. There are also plans to construct two new stops in Varna and Naz-Sciaves, as well as a new, more functional track layout for the Bressanone station. The intervention has the benefit of avoiding trains coming from the Pustertal valley at the Fortezza station and allowing a direct connection between Pusteria, Bressanone and Bolzano. This will increase the rail transport offering whilst achieving a significant reduction in journey times and offering multiple connection possibilities between various transport solutions. EUR 200 million is the value of the project covering the construction of 6 km rail section which will allow trains to run at a maximum speed of 110 km/h. The work is in progress and is expected to be completed in December 2025. The construction of Virgolo tunnel in Bolzano is worth EUR 73 million and is financed with PNRR funds and is part of enhancing the railway transport offer in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano. The project covers the construction of a new three track Virgolo tunnel with a total extension of 1.2 km which develops partly in a tunnel with a tunnel of about 500 meters and partly in the open, where it is mainly alongside the existing track. It is also planned to move the Meranese line junction south of its current position to speed up the exchange between the two lines and allow access to the new railway depot of Strutture Trasporto Alto Adige. Currently, the modernisation and electrification works are carried out on several sections of the 60 km Val Venosta railway, connecting Merano and Malles. The project also includes the replacement of the signalling system and the deployment of the ETCS. Starting this autumn, the entire line between Malles and Merano will be closed due to work. We remind you that in July 2023, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol and the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a EUR 32 million loan agreement for the acquisition of 7 electric multiple units (EMUs), with an option for an additional trainset. The new EMUs will be used on the regional railway network in Alto Adige/South Tyrol (Südtirol, Italy), including connections with neighbouring stations in Austria, as well as the northern part of the Province of Trento. EUR 103 million is the eligible cost of the train procurement project which is expected to increase the quality of rail services provided in Alto Adige/ Südtirol as well as promote travel by rail, reducing the use of private vehicles and the associated negative impacts on the local environment, road safety and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and, thereby, contribute to sustainable transport in line with EU objectives. The project is expected to increase passengers demand compared with the current level and, consequently, the market share of public transport. The more efficient use of the existing rail capacity and the anticipated shift from road to rail is expected to result in reduced vehicle operating costs, time savings, improved transport safety and environmental benefits including reduction of GHG emissions. |
