Terzo Valico dei Giovi: project completion by the end of the year

The completion of the Terzo Valico dei Giovi enters its decisive phase, marking a fundamental step for the upgrading of the North-West railway infrastructure and for the strengthening of Genoa's strategic role in European connections. With the breakthrough of the final diaphragm, the excavation of the tunnels for the Novi Ligure railway interconnection has been completed, the final section of the Genoa-Milan high-capacity and high-speed line, making it possible to reach approximately 96% of the total excavations along an 87.7-kilometer route. A significant result, achieved thanks to work carried out simultaneously on four fronts, which highlights the complexity of the project and the intensity of the technical and organizational commitment required.

The project involves the territories of the municipalities of Novi Ligure, Pozzolo Formigaro, and Tortona, in the province of Alessandria, stretching from the northern portal of the Serravalle tunnel to the junction with the historic Alessandria-Piacenza line. All construction sites are currently active, despite the difficult geological conditions faced over the years, including the presence of gas and asbestos, critical issues overcome through the use of advanced technologies.

The Terzo Valico represents a key infrastructure for improving connections between Liguria and Piedmont, increasing the capacity and efficiency of both freight and passenger transport. Included in the Rhine-Alpine European corridor, the project is destined to decisively enhance the connection between the port of Genoa and the main logistics hubs of Northern Italy and Central Europe, helping to make the entire production and logistics system more competitive.

The result achieved is the fruit of a strong synergy among the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the FS Group, and the Liguria and Piedmont Regions, within the framework of projects funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. An institutional collaboration that has made it possible to support a strategic intervention for economic growth and the attractiveness of the territory, creating the conditions for new investments and development opportunities.

The schedule envisions further progress shortly: by mid-May, the breakthrough of the tunnel diaphragm between Vallemme and Castagnola is expected, a further step towards the completion of civil works. The final excavation sections remain to be carried out, amounting to approximately 1.3 kilometers in total, while the completion of the entire project is expected between the end of the year and the first weeks of January 2027. This will be followed by the phases of track laying, the installation of technological systems, testing, and commissioning.

Work on the historic Novi Ligure-Tortona line will be carried out in phases to ensure the operational continuity of the Rivalta Scrivia freight yard and avoid interrupting railway traffic, while simultaneously safeguarding the full functionality of the Alessandria-Piacenza line.

At the same time, interventions on the Genoa Hub and along the entire Milan-Genoa route are continuing, with a total investment exceeding 13.5 billion euros. This is a strategic choice aimed at promoting a more sustainable and efficient mobility model. Rail transport allows, in fact, a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to road and air transport, contributing not only to environmental protection but also to a decrease in social and health costs linked to mobility.

In this scenario, the Terzo Valico dei Giovi takes shape as an enabling infrastructure for a new integrated and sustainable logistics, capable of meeting the needs of the production world and the challenges of the ecological transition. Genoa and Liguria thus confirm their desire to position themselves at the center of European trade flows, strengthening their role as a gateway to the continent and consolidating their attractiveness for investments and high value-added activities.