by InTrieste
Travelers across Italy’s high-speed rail network are bracing for significant delays and cancelations this August as Trenitalia and Italo undertake extensive railway maintenance. The disruptions will affect some of the country’s busiest routes, including key connections between Milan, Bologna, Florence, and Rome, as well as cross-border services through the Alps.
Major Routes Affected
The Milan-Venice high-speed corridor faces immediate impacts as rail traffic is halted between Verona and Vicenza until August 20. This suspension will result in significant delays for Frecce, Eurocity, and Euronight trains, which will be rerouted through Bologna. Travelers can expect journey extensions of up to two hours and modified schedules for regional trains, according to Trenitalia’s website.
The Milan-Bologna line will also experience delays, with trains taking up to two hours longer than usual between August 12 and 18. From August 19 to 25, the high-speed services will operate at reduced speeds, causing further travel delays and potential cancellations, particularly affecting the Frecciarossa trains running the Turin-Milan-Rome-Naples-Salerno route.
For the Florence-Rome “Direttissima” line, service interruptions are scheduled from August 12 to 23 between Chiusi and Orvieto. Travelers should anticipate timetable adjustments, cancellations, or diversions leading to increased travel times. On August 24 and 25, delays of up to 60 minutes are expected on this route.
Additionally, the Bologna-Prato line will be interrupted between Pianoro and San Benedetto until September 8. During this period, affected trains will be replaced by buses, and there will be timetable changes and diversions for some Intercity and Intercity Night services.
Refunds and Customer Notifications
FS Italiane, the parent company of Trenitalia, has emphasized that the maintenance work aims to enhance rail service quality and frequency. The company has proactively contacted travelers with booked tickets, sending over 17,000 emails and 800 text messages to inform them of the changes.
Passengers facing delays exceeding one hour or cancellations have the option to either reschedule their journey or receive a full refund for their tickets.
Consumer Criticism
The timing of these maintenance works has drawn criticism from Italian consumer watchdog Codacons, which described the period as “the worst time” for such disruptions. The organization expressed appreciation for Trenitalia’s efforts to uphold passenger rights but noted the significant inconvenience to both holidaymakers and tourists. Codacons pointed out that travelers have already faced numerous delays and suspensions, with 74 reported cases of service interruptions in July alone.
