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Italy’s High-Speed Railway: A Lifeline for the South
SANT’AGATA DE’ GOTI, Italy – Italy’s ambitious plans for a high-speed railway are set to improve connectivity in the often-overlooked southern regions of the country. Funded in part by the European Union, this endeavor aims not only to enhance transportation but also to address the long-standing issues of depopulation and economic stagnation that have plagued the area.
The new railway, spanning 145 kilometers (90 miles), will link Naples on the Mediterranean coast with Bari on the Adriatic Sea, reducing travel time from four hours to just two. The upgraded line is scheduled for completion by 2028 and will be managed by the state railway company, Ferrovie dello Stato (FS).
“This project is groundbreaking; it will connect two Italian ports and two seas,” noted Alessio Forestieri, a representative from the construction firm Pizzarotti, which is working alongside Ghella and Itinera on the project.
With an estimated cost of over 6 billion euros ($6.48 billion), a significant portion of the funding comes from the EU’s COVID-19 recovery fund. While Italy faces scrutiny for its delayed funding utilization, this high-speed rail project is being perceived as a potential success amid ongoing challenges.
As part of a broader strategic plan, FS is looking to invest around 60 billion euros in rail infrastructure across the country over the next decade, aiming to strengthen and expand services throughout Italy.
Despite operating an extensive network of more than 17,000 kilometers of railway, Italy’s rail infrastructure has historically favored the northern regions, marginalizing southern areas like the Mezzogiorno. Although over 1,000 km of tracks support high-speed trains, progress southward has been hampered by consistent funding obstacles since reaching Salerno in 2009.
Transformative Impact on Local Economies
The new two-track line to Bari will replace the current slower single line, with existing stations set to be refurbished and a new station planned in the inland region of Irpinia, closer to Naples.
According to southern-focused think-tank Svimez, the construction phase alone is expected to generate over 4 billion euros in new business opportunities and create around 62,000 jobs.
Federica Favo, a 29-year-old civil engineering graduate working on one of the sites, expressed optimism about the impact the project will have on the local job market: “When I started studying civil engineering, everyone said it was a risky choice. Now, there is a genuine job market emerging in the region. The base camp is akin to a small town and presents numerous opportunities for the community.”
Addressing Population Decline
The southern regions of Italy are in urgent need of revitalization. Recent data from Svimez indicates that nearly 200,000 young graduates migrated from the south to central and northern Italy in the last decade, with an additional 138,000 leaving the country entirely. Projections suggest that by 2080, the southern population could decrease by over 8 million residents, with its share of the national demographic shrinking from 33.8% to 25.8%.
Giuseppe Cirillo, who oversees the high-speed project for FS’s infrastructure unit RFI, emphasized the significance of the new link in curbing outward migration: “The activation of this line is vital, particularly for inland areas and towns facing severe population decline.” He noted that improved rail connections will allow people to reside in their hometowns while easily commuting to larger cities for work.
Angela Lombardi, a resident of the village of Savignano Irpino, expressed enthusiasm about the newly planned station and the potential it holds for local residents. “This is a first for our area. This line will offer us choices,” she remarked.
Source
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