From Genoa to Milan, in less than an hour by train

The high-speed rail connection may increase the importance of Genoa as a commercial port

On Wednesday, 9 February, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi paid a visit to the Genoa Node of the Terzo Valico dei Giovi – a high-speed railway pass that has been under construction since 2013. The project is at 77% of completion and once finalized (presumably in 2025) it will allow for travel time between the cities of Genoa and Milan to be reduced by 33%.

In other words, it will be possible to reach one of these cities in as little as 50 minutes by mostly going under the mountainous and complex terrain that characterizes Liguria and Piedmont.

Central to TEN-T connectivity

The project represents an important link of the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T). More specifically, it is meant to form a part of the Rhine-Alpine corridor linking Northern and Southern Europe through a large system of tunnels.

The railway between the two major Italian cities will be 53 kilometres long, of which 36 kilometres will be tunnels (or 70% of the total).

Once completed, it will increase Italy's competitiveness, giving it greater centrality in trans-European connections. This will allow the integration of the Genoa network and its port in a way that makes it increasingly functional as an international hub, thanks to interconnections towards Turin, Milan and the rest of Europe.

Webuild, the company that has been contracted to do the excavating works (which are reportedly going at a non-stop, 24-7 rate) indicated that the construction process has been thought out according to all the latest standards of sustainability.

This ranges in details from construction sites integrated with the environment, to systems for the reuse of excavated materials, to the protection of water sources. 

What’s more, apart from savings in travel time, the high-speed rail will also bring about a 29% reduction in energy consumption and a 55% reduction in CO2 emissions.