Paris-Milan Train Service Resumes After 19-Month Suspension Due to Landslide
The high-speed rail connection is set to restart on March 31, 2025, following extensive repair efforts after a significant landslide in the Maurienne Valley.
After a 19-month interruption caused by a landslide in the Maurienne Valley of the French Alps, the crucial rail link between Paris and Milan will be reinstated on March 31, 2025. The first TGV train is scheduled to depart from Lyon station in Paris at 09:46.
The disruption began on August 27, 2023, when heavy rainfall led to the collapse of approximately 15,000 cubic meters of rock onto the railway gallery, severing the busiest rail connection between France and Italy, as well as impacting a nearby departmental road and the A43 motorway.
This landslide occurred in a geologically unstable area and required extensive and complex repair work.
According to SNCF Réseau, securing the site was a significant undertaking.
In mid-2024, the discovery of additional "new cavities/unstable areas" extended the repair timeline by several months.
The restoration of the Paris-Milan route will enable SNCF Voyageurs to resume operations with three daily round trips.
Trenitalia, which has been operating in France for over three years, will provide two daily round trips as part of this service.
The anticipation for the resumption of this connection is underscored by the successful operation of a temporary daily service, which included a bus portion during the repairs.
The French company reported a passenger load rate exceeding 80% on this alternative service.
In the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, promotional offers have been introduced to encourage travelers to return to rail, including a special €3 ticket between Chambéry and Modane.
Prior to the landslide, more than 10,000 trains transited the Paris-Milan route annually, and its reopening is expected to also benefit freight traffic.
Alexandre Gallo, CEO of DB Cargo France and president of the French rail association AFRA, highlighted the significant demand for the service, stating, "It is extremely awaited." However, he cautioned that it may take until early 2026 to return to pre-lanslide traffic levels.
DB Cargo plans to operate eight round trips per week compared to 18 prior to the incident.
Hexafret, the successor of SNCF Fret, will resume operations on April 7 with around 20 weekly rotations, compared to approximately 30 before the disruption.
According to the public freight company, there has not been a significant modal shift to road transport, and the decline in freight was primarily due to the economic situation.
The disruption began on August 27, 2023, when heavy rainfall led to the collapse of approximately 15,000 cubic meters of rock onto the railway gallery, severing the busiest rail connection between France and Italy, as well as impacting a nearby departmental road and the A43 motorway.
This landslide occurred in a geologically unstable area and required extensive and complex repair work.
According to SNCF Réseau, securing the site was a significant undertaking.
In mid-2024, the discovery of additional "new cavities/unstable areas" extended the repair timeline by several months.
The restoration of the Paris-Milan route will enable SNCF Voyageurs to resume operations with three daily round trips.
Trenitalia, which has been operating in France for over three years, will provide two daily round trips as part of this service.
The anticipation for the resumption of this connection is underscored by the successful operation of a temporary daily service, which included a bus portion during the repairs.
The French company reported a passenger load rate exceeding 80% on this alternative service.
In the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, promotional offers have been introduced to encourage travelers to return to rail, including a special €3 ticket between Chambéry and Modane.
Prior to the landslide, more than 10,000 trains transited the Paris-Milan route annually, and its reopening is expected to also benefit freight traffic.
Alexandre Gallo, CEO of DB Cargo France and president of the French rail association AFRA, highlighted the significant demand for the service, stating, "It is extremely awaited." However, he cautioned that it may take until early 2026 to return to pre-lanslide traffic levels.
DB Cargo plans to operate eight round trips per week compared to 18 prior to the incident.
Hexafret, the successor of SNCF Fret, will resume operations on April 7 with around 20 weekly rotations, compared to approximately 30 before the disruption.
According to the public freight company, there has not been a significant modal shift to road transport, and the decline in freight was primarily due to the economic situation.
