Italy marks a new milestone in the modernization of its high-speed rail network with the opening of the Naples–Cancello section, the first to be completed on the high-speed, high-capacity Naples–Bari line, built by Webuild for the infrastructure manager RFI (FS Italiane Group).
The new infrastructure significantly improves connectivity in the south of the country and integrates regional services with the national high-speed network via the Afragola hub.
With the opening of this section, operator Trenitalia is introducing new direct connections, including a direct Naples–Lecce service with a travel time of approximately 5 hours. At the same time, the Naples–Bari journey is reduced to about 3 hours and 30 minutes, the first step toward the ultimate goal of a travel time of approximately 2 hours between the two cities. More than 5 million residents are set to benefit from improved mobility along the Adriatic–Tyrrhenian corridor.
Strategic Urban Section and Intermodal Hub
The 15.6-km-long Naples–Cancello section crosses a densely urbanized area of the Naples metropolitan region and serves as a connection between the Naples–Bari line and the Naples Afragola station, considered a future gateway to Italy’s north–south high-speed rail network. The infrastructure is complemented by related works, including 12 road connections and the elimination of grade crossings, contributing to increased safety and smoother traffic flow.
At the same time, the Acerra station has also been put into service, improving access to the national rail network. The project includes large-scale works, including over 60 km of track, 182,000 metric tons of crushed stone, and 65,000 sleepers, as well as four viaducts with a total length of approximately 4 km.
A key technical feature is the Casalnuovo Tunnel, constructed over approximately 650 meters using a hyperbaric excavation method—a first in Italy and one of the few applications of this type in Europe—under complex hydrogeological conditions.
The Naples–Bari line, part of the Scandinavian–Mediterranean Corridor within the TEN-T network, represents one of the most significant railway investments in southern Italy. Upon completion, it will feature 145 km of new track, 15 tunnels, 25 viaducts, and 20 stations and stops, connecting 32 municipalities.
The Webuild Group is involved in four sections of the Naples–Bari line project (the Naples–Cancello, Apice–Hirpinia, Hirpinia–Orsara, and Orsara–Bovino sections), part of a portfolio of 21 projects in southern Italy with a total value of over 16 billion EUR.
The project supports approximately 10,200 direct and indirect jobs and a network of over 7,500 companies involved in the supply chain.
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