Milan has used preparations for the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics to accelerate a series of investments in public transportation, regional connectivity, and urban rail infrastructure, according to an analysis published by Vossloh, a German group specializing in rail infrastructure and track maintenance technologies.
The stakes went far beyond the strictly sporting dimension of the event. In northern Italy, where the Alpine terrain, narrow valleys, and limited space for traffic put pressure on infrastructure, the Games were treated as a true stress test for mobility, both under the peak conditions generated by the event and in day-to-day operations.
The Olympic Games, a catalyst for investment
Italian authorities pursued two major objectives: on the one hand, reducing pressure on road traffic and sensitive natural areas, and on the other hand, better integrating the provinces of northern Italy into the European rail network.
In this context, the expansion of public transportation and cross-border rail connections was presented as an essential component of the infrastructure legacy left by Milan-Cortina 2026.
For Milan, one of the most significant urban interventions targeted the former Porta Romana rail yard, which was transformed into an Olympic Village for approximately 1,500 athletes during the Games. After the competition concludes, the area is set to be repurposed into student housing and affordable housing, reinforcing the concept of long-term utilization of the investments made for the event.
Milan, a hub between the Alps and the Po Valley
Milan, the capital of the Lombardy region, plays a key role as a transportation hub between the Alps and the Po Valley, with extensive connections via rail as well as urban and metropolitan transit systems.
An extensive metropolitan area surrounds the city, including provinces such as Monza and Brianza, Bergamo, Brescia, and Como, and the Games served as a catalyst for the development of road and rail networks in northern Italy, with the aim of reducing travel times.
At the urban level, Milan also expanded its public transportation offerings, including by extending operating hours until 2:00 a.m., to support mobility during the event and in high-traffic areas.
A mobility model strongly oriented toward rail
One of the central ideas of the analysis is that Milan’s public transport system is built around a very clear rail-based logic. The city combines a historic tram network, one of the most extensive in Italy, with a modern metro, including fully automated lines, and a suburban network well integrated into the urban infrastructure.
At the heart of this model lies the Passante Ferroviario di Milano, the underground rail link that crosses the city center and connects the suburban and regional lines in the northwest with those in the southeast. Through Milan’s suburban rail service, 13 lines serve the metropolitan area within a radius of up to 60 kilometers, via a network of 124 stations.
This system increases capacity, reduces the number of transfers, and allows for headways comparable to those of an S-Bahn, of up to six minutes in central sections.
Automated Metro and Expanded Tram Network
The Milan Metro network, with five lines, is closely connected to suburban and regional rail stations. Particular emphasis is placed on lines M4 and M5, which are fully automated and driverless, as well as the role of key stations such as Milano Porta Garibaldi and Cadorna, which function as multimodal interfaces between long-distance, regional, and urban transit.
Line M4 is presented as a relevant example of a recent investment: completed in October 2024, it connects Linate Airport to the city center in 12 minutes and offers very high frequencies, of 75–90 seconds during peak hours.
At the same time, the tram network remains a key pillar of urban mobility. With approximately 160 kilometers of track, Milan has one of the largest tram networks in Italy and one of the few major networks in Europe that has never been completely dismantled or drastically reduced. The 18 tram lines operate from early morning until late at night and provide both fine-mesh distribution within the city and connections to areas without direct access to the metro.
Expansions and Investments After 2026
The operator ATM (Azienda Trasporti Milanesi) aims, through its measures, to increase connectivity, accessibility, sustainability, and maintenance efficiency.
Specific mention is made of the integration of new stations, such as Dateo and Forlanini, into the suburban network, as well as metro expansion projects. The most significant of these is the extension of the M5 line toward Monza, covering approximately 13 kilometers, with 11 new stations. Additionally, the M4 line is slated to be extended eastward toward Segrate.
At the same time, the new lines utilize modern technologies, including platform doors, and to reduce noise, slab track and elastic rail fastening systems are increasingly being used.
In this context, Vossloh also highlights its own contribution to the maintenance of Milan’s rail infrastructure, particularly through nighttime work on the tram and metro networks.
The company notes that ATM uses the smart HSG-city machine for scheduled rail grinding campaigns aimed at eliminating rail undulations and reducing noise. The collaboration has been expanded starting in 2022, centered on a smart maintenance approach based on measurements, data processing, visualization, and targeted interventions.
According to Vossloh, the system enables:
- monitoring of track condition across extensive sections;
- more proactive work planning;
- more efficient use of budgets;
- the creation of a defect and wear history based on periodic measurements.
Precise data for targeted interventions
Measurements are taken using laser triangulation sensors, which allow for the analysis of the rail’s cross-section, wear, and tram track depth, as well as the longitudinal profile and gauge.
The data is located with metric precision using a distance and positioning measurement system via GNSS, and is then used to generate intervention recommendations.
In practice, each grinding campaign is tailored to the actual condition of the track, so that undulations are eliminated and profile corrections are made exactly where needed.
The Railway Legacy After the Games
In Milan, preparations for the 2026 Winter Olympics have been used to accelerate investments with long-term benefits, extending beyond the needs of the competition.
Thus, the legacy left by Milan-Cortina 2026 is not limited to the sporting component, but also includes a series of gains in the area of urban and regional mobility: better-integrated public transport, faster rail connections, more efficiently maintained infrastructure, and a more sustainable use of existing networks.
For a city that was already heavily reliant on metro, tram, and suburban rail, the Games served more as a catalyst for projects already in development.
In this context, rail infrastructure maintenance also played an important role—a less visible but essential element for the day-to-day operation of public transportation.
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