Siemens Mobility and Railpool will develop a state-of-the-art locomotive maintenance center in Verona, following a preliminary agreement to purchase a 15,000 m² plot of land from Consorzio ZAI. The new facility will be located within the Interporto Verona logistics hub – Italy’s largest integrated intermodal terminal and a strategic point on the Verona–Brenner corridor.
The two companies will invest approximately €20 million to build an open-access Partner Rail Service Center capable of servicing locomotives from various manufacturers.
The depot will include five lines for light maintenance and one line equipped with a lathe for wheel profiling, allowing for the testing and verification of multi-system (MS) and direct current (DC) locomotives, compatible with the main signaling systems in Europe.
Strategic hub for the growth of rail transport after the opening of the Brenner Tunnel
The project is designed with a view to the major changes expected by 2032, when the opening of the Brenner Tunnel will double the rail capacity for crossing the Alps.
Siemens Mobility and Railpool anticipate a significant increase in rail freight traffic, which will require modern service infrastructure near the main European logistics corridors.
“Together with Railpool, we are strengthening rail freight transport on the strategic Verona–Brenner corridor,” said Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility.
“This dedicated hub is equipped with state-of-the-art maintenance technology, offering maximum availability and efficiency for our customers. It will support the transfer of freight transport from road to rail with the opening of the Brenner Tunnel and will become an important part of our European depot network.”
Torsten Lehnert, CEO of Railpool, emphasized the importance of the investment for the European service network.
“With the new maintenance hub in Verona, we are strengthening our presence on Europe’s main logistics corridors. This investment reflects our long-term commitment to providing reliable locomotive leasing and service solutions tailored to the needs of customers across the continent.”
Light maintenance, high availability, and life cycle-oriented infrastructure
The Verona depot will be designed to optimize vehicle lifetime performance and ensure high operational availability.
The center will perform light maintenance, periodic inspections, and quick adjustments to keep locomotives in operation without major interruptions.
The investment underscores Siemens Mobility’s role as a strategic partner in the development of Italy’s rail infrastructure, providing local high-tech solutions that support more efficient and environmentally friendly transportation.
Expansion of the European depot network
The new hub will complement the Siemens Mobility center in Novara, which has been operating since 2015 on the Rhine-Alps TEN-T corridor and provides comprehensive service for more than 120 locomotives from European operators.
Globally, Siemens Mobility operates over 100 service centers in 30 countries, with approximately 7,000 specialists, ensuring up to 100% availability for its customers’ railway systems.
Railpool will contribute its experience gained in its six workshops, supported by its team in Italy and a warehouse with over 4,500 spare parts.
The two companies signed a framework agreement in 2024 for the supply of up to 250 Railpool locomotives, including Vectron multi-system variants, capable of operating in up to 16 countries and on various European rail corridors.
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