Hitachi Rail, as part of the IRICAV DUE consortium, has signed a €1.8 billion contract to design and supply the track and digital signalling that will cross the city of Vicenza with a new high-speed line.
Although only 6.2 km long, the line will transform the journey for passengers wishing to travel between Verona and Padua. As part of the project, Hitachi Rail will supply its European Rail Transport Management System (ERTMS) digital signalling to create the HS/C line.
Luca D'Aquila, COO of Hitachi Rail Group and CEO of Hitachi Rail Italy, said: "We are particularly proud of this order: our ERTMS digital signalling will benefit the customer and passengers alike. Once installed, the system will enable a service that can run safely at higher speeds and with increased capacity on the line".
The ERTMS Level 2 system is a major step forward in railway interoperability, simplifying and optimising train control on international rail networks. Traditional track-based signalling is replaced by radio communication between trains and the Radio Block Centre (RBC). This simplifies the railway environment by reducing the cost of installing and maintaining traditional signalling systems. This technology will also allow trains from neighbouring European countries to operate without interruption on Italian railway lines, with the aim of creating a harmonious and integrated system throughout Europe.
The new contract follows the award of the first phase (Verona-Bivio-Vicenza), signed in August 2020 and worth over €2.4 billion. The new railway line will have a total length of 76.4 km and, in addition to connecting the two cities, will complete the rail link between Milan and Venice.
