Reopening of Paris-Milan Train Service Marks End of 19-Month Hiatus
Following a significant landslide in the Maurienne Valley, the high-speed train link between Paris and Milan resumes service, enhancing connectivity for passengers and freight.
The high-speed train service connecting Paris and Milan is set to resume on Monday, April 1, 2025, after an interruption lasting 19 months due to a landslide in the Maurienne Valley, located in the French Alps.
The first TGV train is scheduled to depart from Gare de Lyon in Paris at 09:46.
The landslide, which occurred on August 27, 2023, involved the collapse of 15,000 cubic meters of rock onto a railway gallery, disrupting the most heavily trafficked rail link between France and Italy, as well as obstructing a departmental road and the A43 motorway.
This incident took place in a region recognized for its fragile geological structures and necessitated extensive reconstruction efforts.
According to SNCF Réseau, the safety operations to stabilize the site were monumental.
Mid-2024 revealed additional unstable cavities, extending the timetable for repairs by several months.
With the restoration of this critical rail link, SNCF Voyageurs will reinstate three round trips per day, while Trenitalia, which has been operating in France for over three years, plans to offer two daily round trips.
The anticipation surrounding the resumption of this service is underscored by the performance of the interim travel arrangements, where a portion of the journey was conducted by bus throughout the closure period.
SNCF Voyageurs reported a notable occupancy rate exceeding 80% during this time.
In the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, promotional offers have been introduced, such as a €3 ticket between Chambéry and Modane, aimed at encouraging passenger return to rail travel.
Prior to the landslide, over 10,000 trains utilized the Paris-Milan route each year, and its reopening is expected to revitalize rail freight as well.
Alexandre Gallo, CEO of DB Cargo France and president of the French Rail Association (Afra), described the reopening as 'extremely anticipated,' although he cautioned that a complete restoration of pre-incident traffic levels would not be seen until early 2026. DB Cargo has announced plans for eight weekly round trips, a decrease from the 18 previously scheduled.
Hexafret, the successor to Fret SNCF, will resume operations on April 7, conducting approximately twenty rotations per week as compared to thirty prior to the incident.
Hexafret noted that there has not been a significant modal shift toward road transport, attributing the decline in freight to the broader economic conditions.
The first TGV train is scheduled to depart from Gare de Lyon in Paris at 09:46.
The landslide, which occurred on August 27, 2023, involved the collapse of 15,000 cubic meters of rock onto a railway gallery, disrupting the most heavily trafficked rail link between France and Italy, as well as obstructing a departmental road and the A43 motorway.
This incident took place in a region recognized for its fragile geological structures and necessitated extensive reconstruction efforts.
According to SNCF Réseau, the safety operations to stabilize the site were monumental.
Mid-2024 revealed additional unstable cavities, extending the timetable for repairs by several months.
With the restoration of this critical rail link, SNCF Voyageurs will reinstate three round trips per day, while Trenitalia, which has been operating in France for over three years, plans to offer two daily round trips.
The anticipation surrounding the resumption of this service is underscored by the performance of the interim travel arrangements, where a portion of the journey was conducted by bus throughout the closure period.
SNCF Voyageurs reported a notable occupancy rate exceeding 80% during this time.
In the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, promotional offers have been introduced, such as a €3 ticket between Chambéry and Modane, aimed at encouraging passenger return to rail travel.
Prior to the landslide, over 10,000 trains utilized the Paris-Milan route each year, and its reopening is expected to revitalize rail freight as well.
Alexandre Gallo, CEO of DB Cargo France and president of the French Rail Association (Afra), described the reopening as 'extremely anticipated,' although he cautioned that a complete restoration of pre-incident traffic levels would not be seen until early 2026. DB Cargo has announced plans for eight weekly round trips, a decrease from the 18 previously scheduled.
Hexafret, the successor to Fret SNCF, will resume operations on April 7, conducting approximately twenty rotations per week as compared to thirty prior to the incident.
Hexafret noted that there has not been a significant modal shift toward road transport, attributing the decline in freight to the broader economic conditions.
