A terrifying landslide on Sunday 27 August 2023 near the French border with Italy meant no trains running along the Frejus Railway, the main axis between the two countries. The railway has reopened today, 31 March 2025, but the impact of its closure might have left a significant scar.
With limited and costly rerouting options, many shippers turned to the road. Throughout 2024, 1,1 million trucks crossed the road section of the Frejus Tunnel, which reopened a few weeks after the landslide. The figure is 183,000 units higher than in 2023, an increase of almost 20 per cent.
This was also confirmed by Alexendre Gallo, CEO of DB Cargo France, one of the most active companies along the Frejus Railway. In a recent interview with RailFreight.com, Gallo explained that many shippers made agreements with road hauliers until the end of this year. Thus, the company will run a significantly reduced number of trains during the initial months after the reopening.
Italy most impacted
The interruption of traffic along the Frejus Railway was particularly impactful for Italy. This is especially true considering that less than three weeks before the landslide in France, a train derailment in the Gotthard Base Tunnel significantly impaired traffic between Italy and Switzerland until September last year.
According to estimates, the closures of the Frejus and Gotthard axes led to 50 million euros in losses per year. The halt along the line between Italy and France has had the highest impact, experts noted, as the Gotthard Tunnel was at least partially available. Considering the difficulties in bringing customers back to the rail, these losses may be even greater.