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TILO train number 524 105, at Lugano station. Photo: Wikipedia photo, credit: Alfenaar

Rail link at Swiss – Italian border to open

Published: Mon, 2014-12-08 14:26

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The link carries 9 million passengers a year

The first section of the FMV cross-border rail link will open for revenue service on December 15.

To some extent funded by the federal government, the Ferrovia Mendrisio – Varese is intended to convey direct cross-border services between Lugano and Milano’s Malpensa Airport, as well as local trains between Como and Varese.

The short Swiss section departs from the Gotthard corridor at Mendrisio and runs to Stabio, near the Italian border, where a new station with a large park-and-ride facility has been completed.

- The opening of the S40/S50 is the first big footstep towards full operation, Regional trains encourage development; both domestically and across national boundaries and encourage modal transfer from road to rail, said Anna Barbara Remund, SBB’s Director of Regional Services.

According to SBB, regional traffic in Ticino has almost doubled since the start of TILO operations in 2005; the services are now carrying almost 9 million passengers a year. TILO is the cross-border transport operator for Ticino and Lombardia.

SBB said it had completed the Mendrisio – Stabio section on time and on budget, thanks to innovative engineering techniques including the use of helicopters to install more than 500 catenary masts.

Nevertheless, labor on the Italian portion has apparently been suspended following a dispute between infrastructure manager RFI and the civil works contractor.

From the timetable change, the Italian rail company TILO will introduce a limited interim service during morning and evening peak periods.

Source: SBB and TILO

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Ferrovia Mendrisio – Varese

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FMV cross-border rail link

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