Latest news with #FerroviedelloStatoItaliane
The Sun
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Greek ex-transport minister to be investigated over train tragedy
ATHENS: Greece's parliament voted Thursday to investigate a former transport minister over the country's worst rail tragedy that left 57 dead in 2023. Government lawmakers approved the probe into the actions of Kostas Karamanlis, who has welcomed the investigation as an opportunity to clear his name. Fifty-seven people, most of them young students, were killed in February 2023 when a passenger train and a freight train collided in Tempe, central Greece, having been allowed to run on the same track for 12 minutes. The tragedy sparked sweeping strikes and hundreds of protests in Greece and abroad. Karamanlis, a member of one of Greece's most influential political families, told lawmakers that he would 'never forget' the night of the accident. He insisted he had done 'everything' in his power to improve the state of Greek railways. 'I did not neglect, I did not ignore the railways, quite the opposite,' Karamanlis said during the debate that began Wednesday. 'I too want justice... I fully support the proposal' to set up a special inquiry committee, he added. A parliamentary committee will now examine whether Karamanlis should be referred to justice for breach of duty, a misdemeanour-level offence. Opposition parties, who had sought criminal charges for Karamanlis, accused the conservative government of seeking to 'launder' its responsibilities by backing a probe into a lesser charge. Some parties had sought to implicate Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself. Taking the floor on Wednesday, Mitsotakis dismissed as 'disgraceful' a proposal by leftist and far-right parties to have him investigated for high treason. Over 40 people have been prosecuted over the collision, including the station master responsible for routing the trains that night. Lawmakers already voted to refer a former junior minister, Christos Triantopoulos, to justice on possible misdemeanour charges for breach of duty in connection with the aftermath of the accident. Opposition parties say Triantopoulos, who was dispatched by the prime minister to the scene after the accident, authorised the bulldozing of the crash site, which led to the loss of vital evidence. Triantopoulos denies wrongdoing. Greece's intercity trains came under private management in 2017, when state-owned Greek rail operator TrainOSE was privatised and sold to Italy's Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, becoming Hellenic Train. In April, a bomb exploded outside Hellenic Train's offices, without causing any injuries.
The Sun
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Greek rail drivers strike over safety concerns
ATHENS: Greek rail drivers on Tuesday held a 24-hour strike to demand sweeping safety improvements, ahead of a parliamentary vote on investigating top officials for the country's worst train tragedy, a 2023 collision that killed 57 people. The train drivers' union called for the 'immediate' installation of a train protection system known as ETCS and increased spending on modernising trains. Rail operator Hellenic Train said in a statement reduced services would continue to operate. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in April said a 15-month project was underway for a 'drastic' upgrade to train services, safety and quality. As part of the project, the prime minister told the cabinet the ETCS train protection system would be operational on 'every train' on Greece's main railway from Athens to Thessaloniki by September. Greek lawmakers on Wednesday are to vote on whether to investigate government ministers over the February 2023 train collision, which left 57 dead, mostly young students. A majority of at least 151 lawmakers is required to open an investigation into any of the officials. The accident occurred when a passenger train and freight train collided in Tempe, central Greece, after being allowed to run on the same track. It has sparked sweeping strikes and hundreds of protests in Greece and abroad. In April, a bomb exploded outside Hellenic Train's offices, without causing any injuries. Over 40 people have been prosecuted over the collision, including the local station master responsible for routing the trains. Lawmakers have already voted to refer a former junior minister, Christos Triantopoulos, to justice on possible misdemeanour charges for breach of duty in connection with the aftermath of the accident. Opposition parties say Triantopoulos, who was dispatched by the prime minister to the scene after the accident, authorised the bulldozing of the crash site, which led to the loss of vital evidence. Triantopoulos denies wrongdoing. Greece's intercity trains came under private management in 2017, when state-owned Greek rail operator TrainOSE was privatised and sold to Italy's Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, becoming Hellenic Train.
Local Germany
22-05-2025
- Business
- Local Germany
Italy confirms high-speed rail links with Germany and Austria 'by 2026'
Trenitalia's famed Frecciarossa ('red arrow') high-speed trains are set to operate on international routes as soon as next year, Italy's national rail operator Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Group) said on Wednesday as it confirmed long-discussed plans to Italian media. 'The new cross-border high speed connections from Milan to Munich and Rome to Munich will be active by 2026,' FS Group management said in a statement , following agreements made with German railway company Deutsche Bahn and Austrian operator ÖBB. 'Services will be gradually extended to Berlin and Naples from December 2028.' The European Commission had chosen the rail link between Italy, Austria and Germany as a pilot scheme for a wider 'European Metro' improved high-speed rail network, the company said. The Milan-Munich route is expected to take 6.5 hours, with stops in Brescia, Verona, Rovereto, Trento, Bolzano and Innsbruck. The Rome-Munich route, taking 8.5 hours, will stop in Florence, Bologna, Verona, Rovereto, Trento, Bolzano and Innsbruck. Travel time is expected to be cut by an hour in future with the reopening of the Brenner Base Tunnel rail link, the statement said. Advertisement From December 2028, the company plans to operate a total of ten high-speed routes between Italy and Germany: Milan and Munich; Milan and Berlin; Rome and Munich; Naples and Munich; and Naples and Berlin. 'The new Frecciarossa connection will offer a direct service between Italy and Germany, passing through Austria, and will have a significant impact on rail connections between the two countries,' the company stated. 'With the support of German infrastructure, which connects to numerous other countries, the line will also fill a transport demand for other destinations such as Frankfurt and Krakow.' Trenitalia already operates several non-high-speed cross-border routes, including Venice-Vienna, Trieste-Ljubljana, Milan-Zurich and Verona-Innsbruck. The latest announcement came after FS Group revealed in April that it also aims to launch a London-Paris service in competition with Eurostar by 2029. "Evaluations are underway for possible extensions of the London-Paris service through Lille, Ashford, Lyon, Marseille and Milan," it said.
Local Italy
22-05-2025
- Business
- Local Italy
Italy confirms high-speed rail links with Germany and Austria 'by 2026'
Trenitalia's famed Frecciarossa ('red arrow') high-speed trains are set to operate on international routes as soon as next year, Italy's national rail operator Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Group) said on Wednesday as it confirmed long-discussed plans to Italian media. 'The new cross-border high speed connections from Milan to Munich and Rome to Munich will be active by 2026,' FS Group management said in a statement, following agreements made with German railway company Deutsche Bahn and Austrian operator ÖBB. 'Services will be gradually extended to Berlin and Naples from December 2028.' The European Commission had chosen the rail link between Italy, Austria and Germany as a pilot scheme for a wider 'European Metro' improved high-speed rail network, the company said. The Milan-Munich route is expected to take 6.5 hours, with stops in Brescia, Verona, Rovereto, Trento, Bolzano and Innsbruck. The Rome-Munich route, taking 8.5 hours, will stop in Florence, Bologna, Verona, Rovereto, Trento, Bolzano and Innsbruck. Travel time is expected to be cut by an hour in future with the reopening of the Brenner Base Tunnel rail link, the statement said. From December 2028, the company plans to operate a total of ten high-speed routes between Italy and Germany: Milan and Munich; Milan and Berlin; Rome and Munich; Naples and Munich; and Naples and Berlin. 'The new Frecciarossa connection will offer a direct service between Italy and Germany, passing through Austria, and will have a significant impact on rail connections between the two countries,' the company stated. 'With the support of German infrastructure, which connects to numerous other countries, the line will also fill a transport demand for other destinations such as Frankfurt and Krakow.' Trenitalia already operates several non-high-speed cross-border routes, including Venice-Vienna, Trieste-Ljubljana, Milan-Zurich and Verona-Innsbruck. The latest announcement came after FS Group revealed in April that it also aims to launch a London-Paris service in competition with Eurostar by 2029. "Evaluations are underway for possible extensions of the London-Paris service through Lille, Ashford, Lyon, Marseille and Milan," it said.
Local Italy
09-04-2025
- Business
- Local Italy
Italy announces plans for high-speed train route linking Milan to London
State operator Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Group) said on Tuesday it was planning to launch a London-Paris service in competition with Eurostar by 2029. "In addition to the London-Paris connection, the FS Group is studying further opportunities for the expansion of High Speed in Europe," the group said in a press release published on its website. "Evaluations are underway for possible extensions of the London-Paris service through Lille, Ashford, Lyon, Marseille and Milan," it added. FS Group said it intended to model the trains serving the line on its high-speed Frecciarossa ('red arrow') trains operated by subsidiary Trenitalia. The company plans to invest €1 billion in the project, which is intended to "increase rail competitiveness between London and Paris," it said. FS Group has also recently signed an agreement with Spanish high-speed rail start-up Evolyn, the statement said, without providing further details. "This investment represents a decisive step in the FS Group's vision to build a more integrated, competitive and sustainable European railway network," said FS Group head Stefano Antonio Donnarumma. "High-speed rail is the backbone of efficient and environmentally friendly mobility and, by expanding our presence on key corridors, we are not only investing in infrastructure and innovation, but also in the future of European transport." unveiled plans to increase international high-speed rail travel between London and continental Europe in partnership with French operator Getlink. Media reports at the time suggested this could open the door for a direct London to Milan train route.
