582 days. This is how long the main rail connection between France and Italy will have been closed for once it reopens on 31 March.
The reopening date was shared by Alain Krakovitch, Director for TGV-Intercités at SNCF, with a post on X. The Frejus Railway, which connects Turin to France in Modane, has been closed since 27 August 2023 due to a massive landslide in Saint-André à La Praz, which destroyed most of the infrastructure.
The event has been having a tremendous impact on the rail freight industry between Italy and France, as it served as the main artery for transport services. Losses were estimated in the realm of the tens of millions of euros per year, with industry associations from both countries urging for financial support from their governments.
More work than expected
Working to bring traffic back on track has been more difficult than initially anticipated, as 5,000 cubic metres of rock had to be purged from the mountains affected by the landslide. This even demanded the use of dynamite. On top of this damage, a 300-metre rail tunnel was completely buried and destroyed under the rockfall.
Throughout these 17 months of closure (which in total will be 19), estimations for a reopening date kept shifting, leaving operators in a complicated situation. Recent rumours claimed possible reopenings for March and now Krakovitch’s post clearing away any doubts. France-bound passenger trains from Italy should also restart traffic on 1 April, while there is not clear information regarding rail freight.
