The infrastructural and technological upgrading works on the Bologna-Prato conventional railway line continue. The intervention, carried out by the Italian Railway Network, is aimed at guaranteeing the connection of the ports of the Tuscan coastal logistics area and the Emilia-Romagna logistics and port system with central and northern Europe. The completion of the works is scheduled for the end of 2025 and the overall investment is over 530 million. There will be several active construction sites in the summer.
In detail: from Monday to Friday 9 August the Pianoro-Vernio section will be closed even if between S. Benedetto Val di Sambro and Vernio the passage of trains will be guaranteed in the time slots 5-8.30 and 15.30-22 while from Saturday 10 August On Sunday 8 September the same Pianoro-Vernio section will be closed for the whole day. During the closure periods of the line, interventions will be carried out on the infrastructure – tunnels, tracks, electricity line – and on the technological systems to allow the passage of freight trains used for the transport of semi-trailers and High Cube containers.
The most complex activities are those of widening the 17 tunnels within which 13 of the 31 kilometers that separate Pianoro from San Benedetto Val di Sambro run. The largest of the 17 tunnels is over 7 kilometers long. At the same time, work will begin on the expansion of the Great Apennines Tunnel, the 19 kilometer tunnel that connects Emilia-Romagna to Tuscany.
Following the infrastructural upgrading works there will be changes to the offer of Regional and Intercity trains between Bologna and Prato with the use of buses as well.
From Monday to Friday 9 August during the construction site activity hours the regional service – both towards Prato and towards Bologna – will be operated by train between Bologna and Pianoro, with direct buses between Bologna and Prato (some will make an intermediate stop at San Benedetto Val di Sambro), with buses to Monzuno/Grizzana/San Benedetto Val di Sambro departing from Sasso Marconi (interchange with Porrettana line trains), with buses between San Benedetto Val di Sambro and Prato and between Vernio/Vaiano and Prato.
