Ferrovie dello Stato celebrates 10 years of high speed, announcing record numbers: 350 million travellers, 380 million kilometers traveled and over 80 cities connected, in 2019, with a fleet of 144 Arrows.
Thanks to these performances, the group led by Gianfranco Battisti managed to create 500 jobs from 1998 to 2018 and to develop a business increasingly focused on environmental sustainability: 20 million tonnes less carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere between 2008 and 2018, thanks to the shift modal from the private car and from the plane to the train, the ecological means par excellence.
The results were illustrated on 5 December by the managing director of the Group, Gianfranco Battisti, during the celebrations for 10 years of high-speed rail. Also present were Gianluigi Castelli, president of the FS Italiane Group, Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, president of the Senate of the Republic, Giuseppe Conte, president of the Council of Ministers, Paola De Micheli, minister of Infrastructure and Transport.
“Italian high-speed rail has revolutionized people's lifestyles and mobility in Italy. It has reduced distances, shortening the country and bringing citizens closer together. In 2018, every person who traveled on a high-speed train saved an average of one hour a day, compared to a trip to the same destinations made in 2005. Overall, 18,5 million hours were saved in 10 years", underlines the company in a note.
The model of the Italian high-speed train was also exported abroad. Starting from Great Britain where Trenitalia, through its subsidiary Trenitalia UK, will manage i services InterCity from London to Glasgow/Edinburgh (NEXT West Coast), the main railway line of the United Kingdom. And then also Spain, where the Ilsa consortium, made up of Trenitalia and Air Nostrum, has been selected by ADIF as the first private operator to access the Spanish and French markets where tests are underway for the Milan – Paris international high-speed connection with the Frecciarossa 1000. The service is expected to start next year.
“International markets recognize the results that the high-speed system has achieved in Italy in 10 years, producing tangible effects for the economy. The 32 billion euro investments in the HS network system had an average annual incidence on GDP of 0,15% between 1998 and 2018”, highlights FS.
