The European Investment Bank may finance the acquisition of 161 new train sets which will be put into operation on suburban and regional network in the Italian Lombardy Region. Ferrovienord Regione Lombardia’s project has a total value of EUR 1.6 billion, of which the proposed EIB finance is EUR 650 million. Lombardy intends to renew the entire rolling stock fleet by 2025.
The project will increase the quality of passenger rail services in Lombardy region and will allow more efficient operation and lower energy consumption. The renewal of rolling stock will help railways to compete with other transport modes, particularly private vehicles, so as to maintain or improve its modal share. Shifting passenger flows from other modes to rail may result in reduced vehicle operation costs, as well as safety and environmental benefits.
In 2017, Roberto Maroni, the Governor of the Lombardy region, unveiled the EUR 1.6 billion strategy on the rolling stock acquisition. According to the announcement, for regional transport services in the Milan area 104 double-decker suburban trains and 32 EMUs will be purchased, and 24 DMUs which will run on non-electrified lines around Pavia, Cremona and Brescia.
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