The Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security has given the green light to a €9 billion investment for the high-speed rail line connecting Salerno to Reggio Calabria.
This approval, granted by the commission led by Germana Panzironi, covers two sections of the project, totaling 100 kilometers and crossing the regions of Campania, Basilicata, and Calabria.
The decision was made within the legal timeframe, reflecting the ministry's commitment to advancing infrastructure projects.
The Ministry of Infrastructure expressed great satisfaction with this progress.
The positive assessment from the Ministry of Environment is crucial for completing the environmental impact evaluation, paving the way for the final approval process once the Ministry of Culture's opinion is obtained.
The new high-speed line is seen as a strategic component for passenger and freight transport along Italy's south-north axis, significantly reducing travel times between Rome and Reggio Calabria.
The project aims to provide high-speed rail access to key areas such as Cilento, Vallo di Diano, the Ionian coast, and the regions around Gioia Tauro and Reggio Calabria.
It will also enhance connections to Potenza, Sicily, and the Ionian and Cosenza areas in Calabria, while boosting the freight corridor between Gioia Tauro, Paola, and Bari along the Adriatic route.
The total cost of the project is estimated at €30 billion, following adjustments for material cost increases.
The project is divided into multiple sections, with the Battipaglia-Praia section covering approximately 127 kilometers.
The Battipaglia-Romagnano segment is prioritized and included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Pnrr). Near Romagnano, a new interconnection will link the existing Battipaglia-Potenza-Metaponto-Taranto line.
The Romagnano-Praia sections will extend southward, connecting with the coastal line and ending at Praia in Calabria.
The design phase for the second section is ongoing, and authorization processes are underway for the Paola/San Lucido-Cosenza line doubling, including the new Santomarco Tunnel.
Completion of the project will reduce travel times between Rome and the South, saving approximately 20 minutes on the Taranto-Naples route.
It will also ensure interchange with the Tyrrhenian line at Praia station, enhance freight transport routes, and improve non-high-speed rail connections to and from Potenza/Taranto.