Listen to the audio version of the article
The end-of-year alliance between State Railways e You would compete projects 2026 by Trenitalia towards the France. But behind the agreement between the state company and the American investment fund, which sees Paris as its fulcrum, there is a strategy that also looks at the other side of the English Channel: bring the Frecciarossa under the busiest (and richest) tunnel in Europe between London and Paris. That has been the project of Stefano Donnarumma, FS number one, for a long time. Stuck on the English side, in favor of their compatriots Virgin Trainsnow the Italians could still enter the coveted route.
The London-Paris route
Trenitalia entered the United Kingdom in force way back in 2019 when it won against the English billionaire Richard Branson and his Virgin Trains, the tender for the London-Manchester-Glasgow route: it debuted at the end of that year with trains Forward West Coast. The route had a double strategic value: in addition to entry into the country, the move also meant putting a foot in the future High Speed railway between London and the north of the country, with the state project of HS2 of which Avanti was the “shadow operator” awaiting the construction of the tracks, which will be ready around 2030.
Renationalisation
Last year, the new government dropped the ax on all 26 fully privatized railway companies in the UK: it renationalised the railways, kicking out (as the various concessions expire) all the companies operating in the country. As a counter move, Trenitalia UK attempted to enter the TAV London-Paristhe only fast route currently existing in the country: the Eurostar company, monopolist of the route for 25 years, must open its train depots to competition. However, the British transport authority granted the space, essential to operate on the route, to the reborn Virgin Trains, preferring it to Trenitalia UK.
The Paris opportunity
The exclusion from the English railway depots immediately seemed to have cut off the FS from the route which, after Covid, recorded an increase in passengers and today the Eurostar trains always travel full. But here comes France to the rescue: the route has two terminus and if London has been excluded, nothing prevents Trenitalia from being able to make its Frecciarossa trains travel with Paris as its base where Trenitalia already enjoys space at the Lyon station and operates the route Milan-Paris.
The agreement with the American investor, specialized in infrastructure, will be able to provide the necessary capital to finally bring the Frecciarossa under the Channel and from 2029 compete with the ten-year-old Eurostar (which has promised new double-decker trains on the route) and to the new entrant Virgin Trains.
Related News :