Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Florence Bridge Works Cut Train Capacity and Force National Reroutes

The replacement of the 140‑year‑old Ponte al Pino diverts RomeMilan services onto the slower Tirrenica, adding long delays to summer travel.

Overview

  • The removal of the old Ponte al Pino began Sunday night, closing the line between Firenze Santa Maria Novella and Campo di Marte and cutting train capacity in the Florence node by about 50 percent.
  • Many high‑speed RomeMilan and RomeTurin services have been rerouted via the coastal Tirrenica line, which cannot sustain full high‑speed running and is adding roughly 90 to 180 minutes to some journeys.
  • Separate technical faults on the Tirrenica near Follonica and an electrical problem at Milano Centrale produced extra delays and some cancellations on Monday but were cleared within hours.
  • RFI, Trenitalia and local authorities deployed escorted shuttle buses, navette and tram/bus connections with staff and Protezione Civile support, though passenger reports and consumer groups say information and capacity have been uneven.
  • A second, larger interruption is planned for July 26–30 to lift and set the new bridge with heavy cranes, which will again require major service reductions and prolonged journey times.