The train in Lombardy is worth 2.9 billion euros

from Brevi railwaye of 25 June 2024

Trenord press release

In 2023, the train generated a value of 2.9 billion euros in Lombardy and seven neighboring provinces, up 10% compared to 2022. This is what emerges from the “True Value”, a model developed by KPMG which quantifies the social impacts , environmental, economic generated directly and indirectly for people, institutions and territory by the regional railway system. In 2023, Trenord transported 190 million passengers on 726 thousand trips, avoiding 3 billion km of car journeys and 286 thousand tonnes of CO₂ emissions. It is the equivalent of what 61 thousand people produced.

The social value

As revealed by the “True Value”, which Trenord was the first transport company to adopt already in 2019, in 2023 the Lombardy train system generated social impacts of 1.9 billion euros; it is 65% of the total value.

In this calculation, the most relevant element is the capillarity of the service offering for passengers: more than 2,200 trips per day connecting 460 stations in Lombardy and seven neighboring provinces, for a total of over 726 thousand trips in the year and 40.7 million train-km.

Added to this are the reduction of traffic on the roads, the training provided, the benefits derived for passengers from discounts and dedicated agreements, the value generated in tourist locations, which grows hand in hand with the flows in free time, reaching +20% compared to 2022. The results of the Malpensa Express airport connection, chosen in 2023 by 4.7 million people, also contribute to the social impact.

The environmental value

For the environmental dimension, the analysis considers both the impacts generated and those avoided; Trenord, in 2023, created a value for the environment and the community of 30 million euros. In 2023, the Lombardy railway company made it possible to avoid 286 thousand tonnes of CO₂ emissions, equal to those produced in a year by approximately 61,000 people.

The company’s commitment to sustainability is also reflected in the ongoing fleet renewal plan: at the end of 2023 there were 150 new trains in service, of the 214 that will circulate by 2025. Comfortable, accessible trains that consume 30 % less than previous means.

In addition to this, the company implements various actions to reduce the impact of maintenance facilities and offices. Overall, in 2023, total energy consumption relating to assets was reduced by approximately 3% compared to 2022, thanks to savings and efficiency measures.

The maintenance sites in Novate Milanese, Camnago and Iseo are supplied 100% by electricity from renewable sources. In Novate there is also a rainwater recovery plant useful for washing and cleaning trains: in 2023 the recycled water made available thanks to this system increased by 44%.

Furthermore, also in 2023, the activities of “Piantalalì” continued, the reforestation project launched by Trenord and FNM, in collaboration with the Lombardy Foundation for the Environment, which involves the planting of 10 thousand new trees and shrubs on 41 thousand hectares crossed by FerrovieNord railway lines that branch north from Milan Cadorna station. The municipalities already reached by the project are 6: Cormano, Paderno Dugnano, Castellanza, Rescaldina, Novate Milanese and Gerenzano.

The economic value

Overall, the economic impacts generated during 2023 approached one billion euros, reaching a total of 995 million euros, up compared to 934 million in 2022.

Also contributing to this value is the expenditure generated thanks to the income of employees, which in 2023 reached 4720 units. During the year, Trenord hired 254 people, 47% of these under 30; overall, there have been more than 1,000 hires in the last three years.

The data described is contained in the 2023 Sustainability Report; an extract of the document is available at the link https://www.trenord.it/bds/