FS Engineering implements infrastructure and technological upgrades across major urban areas to equip key railway nodes with systems capable of ensuring high capacity and traffic regularity, alongside seamless integration with the main lines converging onto the hub.
The Turin Hub has a strategic place in the national rail network, both for its central role in metropolitan mobility and its connectivity functions with the HS/HC system and the international Turin-Lyon Corridor, as well as being a key infrastructure for freight transport, thanks to its direct connection with the Orbassano intermodal terminal.
The infrastructure and technological upgrades developed by FS Engineering aim to comprehensively enhance the Node, by increasing its capacity and strengthening both intra-modal and intermodal integration. The implemented solutions are also designed to increase automation, improve operational efficiency, and guarantee full performance consistency—in terms of both quantity and quality—on all the lines converging into the Node.
The Milan Hub ranks as one of the primary hubs of the entire national rail network, acting as a strategic crossroads for the main routes connecting the country’s major national, regional and cross-border centres, as well as being the focal point of the High-Speed system.
FS Engineering is committed to the modernisation and enhancement of the Node’s infrastructure and technological setup, the aim being to develop an advanced operational model based on high-level intermodal and multi-modal integration. The planned projects will increase transport capacity, improve overall system efficiency, and guarantee high standards of service quality and reliability.
The overall scheme covers the detailed design and construction of the traffic command and control system for managing station and line signalling installations along the Monza–Chiasso rail section, which is a strategic axis for national and cross-border connections.
The remote control of lineside installations will be achieved through concentrated-logic computer-based electronic systems, specifically Multi-station Computer-Based Interlocking (ACC-M) at the Milan Greco Control Centre, which will also house the Multi-Station Command and Control System (SCC-M) as the supervision and traffic regulation layer for integrated remote control.
The Genoa Hub too is one of the most strategic infrastructure schemes on the national and international rail network, serving as a fundamental interchange node between the regional port system of Liguria and the main Genoa–Ventimiglia, Tyrrhenian, and Milan–Genoa routes.
Designing sustainable infrastructure in a complex environment
The project is situated in a highly complex geographical and environmental context and aims to combine infrastructure development, sustainability, and environmental protection through high-tech cutting-edge solutions.
The interventions developed by FS Engineering aim to segregate long-distance passenger and freight traffic flows from regional and metropolitan services, and to improve the connection between the Ligurian port system and the core national rail network, both along the east-west axis and, crucially, along the north-south axis. A strategic element of the scheme is the interconnection of the Genoa Hub with the new Giovi Pass Base Tunnel (Terzo Valico dei Giovi) line—part of the TEN-T Rhine–Alpine Corridor (Genoa–Rotterdam)—which will consolidate the city’s role as the primary Mediterranean rail gateway to Central and Northern Europe.
The overall scheme features the enhancement and automation of the Hub’s infrastructure and installations, aimed at developing and strengthening regional and metropolitan transport services. Other aspects include upgrading the station layouts and signalling installations at Genova Voltri, Genova Sampierdarena and Genova Brignole, alongside service improvements in the Genova Terralba area, to foster greater intra-modal and intermodal integration.
The scheme will enable the modal shift of significant volumes of freight traffic from road to rail, delivering substantial benefits in terms of environmental sustainability, operational safety and the reduction of social impacts within urban areas.
A highlight of the project is the Genova Campasso facility, designed to serve as the primary freight yard for the historic core of the Port of Genoa, effectively functioning as a rail-connected inland port (dry port). The facility will provide sufficient capacity for the formation of block trains routed directly to key national and European destinations, facilitated by the connection of the Bivio Fegino – Campasso – Historic Port rail section with the Terzo Valico base tunnel and the Giovi bypass line.
Key strategic interventions in Liguria
The Port of Trieste is a strategic commercial and industrial facility for the Northern Adriatic which, thanks to its geographical location, serves as a junction between the TEN-T Networks of the East-Mediterranean Motorways of the Sea and the European Baltic–Adriatic and Mediterranean Corridors. Its location provides a significant competitive edge in serving Central and Eastern European markets.
With a view to enhancing and modernising the Port of Trieste’s rail infrastructure, FS Engineering has planned a series of technological upgrades, some of which are already under construction, with others in advanced stages of design. The works are structured across distinct operational phases, with completion scheduled for 2027, and are aimed at improving rail accessibility, operational efficiency, and the intermodal integration of the port system overall.
The Venice Mestre Hub is located at a strategic intersection between two TEN-T Core Network Corridors—the Baltic–Adriatic Corridor (No. 1) and the Mediterranean Corridor (No. 3)—where major national rail routes converge, including the Milan–Venice and Venice–Bologna–Rome lines. The Hub also acts as the convergence point for key inter-regional mainlines (Venice–Trieste and Venice–Udine) and all local rail lines within the Veneto region.
In the broader Triveneto area, Venice Mestre represents the most important hub for long-distance rail traffic, which is predominantly passenger-focused, both along the east–west axis and towards the south. It also represents a key intersection point with the regional and metropolitan transport network.
To increase the transport capacity of the lines converging on the Hub and to meet the growing demand from the broader region—while simultaneously enhancing customer service standards and train performance levels throughout the regional metropolitan area—FS Engineering has launched a series of design studies and technological upgrades for infrastructure and lineside systems.
The Verona Hub is a strategic node in the national and European rail network for current and projected freight traffic volumes, due to its connectivity function between the Scandinavian–Mediterranean and Mediterranean Corridors of the TEN-T Network.
To achieve the Hub’s future configuration, FS Engineering has planned a series of infrastructure and technological upgrades—some of which are already under construction, with others in advanced design stages—to be commissioned in operational phases. These works are integrated with the West and East HS/HC junctions on the Brescia–Verona and Verona–Vicenza sections, with completion scheduled for the end of 2028.
The scheme pursues the objectives of enhancing passenger traffic, optimising freight traffic efficiency, and strengthening the role of the Verona Node as a major intermodal hub along European north-south and east-west axes.
Furthermore, FS Engineering is engaged in the detailed design and construction supervision for civil works, permanent way (track), overhead line equipment (OLE), and signalling/telecom systems at the Hub’s West Approach, contributing to the comprehensive upgrading of the system’s infrastructure and operational performance.
The Brescia Hub is an integral part of the Milan–Verona HS/HC line, as the continuation of the Brescia West interconnection and the corresponding urban approach, enabling full high-speed and high-capacity operational service within its facilities.
FS Engineering is engaged in the development of a series of infrastructure and technological upgrades that originate west of the Roggia Mandolossa irrigation channel, at the Brescia West interconnection. The works cross the Brescia freight yard area and tie back into the Milan–Verona HS/HC line, completing the layout of the interconnection.
The scheme extends for approximately 6.9 km and approaches the urban area running parallel to the southern side of the legacy Milan–Venice line. The new high-speed tracks initially run up to the River Mella crossing; downstream, the alignment continues on a segregated alignment relative to the existing infrastructure, before progressing further from the Mella onwards by widening the existing railway footprint.
The works predominantly affect the Municipality of Brescia and, for a short section, the Municipality of Roncadelle, within a highly urbanised context characterised by a dense network of existing infrastructure. Natural features are limited and mainly concentrated along riverbeds, requiring integrated design solutions consistent with local environmental integration.
The Bologna Hub is a primary interchange point for both the HS/HC and the long-distance mainline networks, along the north–south and east–west axes, as well as being a point of convergence of regional lines, serving as the central hub of the metropolitan rail network of Emilia-Romagna.
The construction of the HS/HC lines has freed up capacity on the legacy network, fostering the growth of regional, metropolitan, and freight traffic. The segregation of traffic flows, combined with infrastructure and technological upgrades within the Hub, has reduced conflicting movements, increasing overall capacity and improving service quality.
Following the phased rollout of the new infrastructure, in which FS Engineering was engaged in the design, delivery, and construction supervision of the complex HS through-tunnels and the new underground HS Station, Bologna – and, indeed, national mobility as a whole – can now benefit from an advanced operational model characterised by high levels of intermodal and multi-modal integration, increased overall capacity, and high service standards.
The Florence Hub plays a strategic role along the Milan–Rome HS/HC route and is concerned by an extensive programme of infrastructure works linked to the development of the HS/HC network as a whole. At the same time, it is the primary convergence point for regional lines in the central Tuscan area, serving as the focal point of the metropolitan rail network, integrated with other urban transport modes, particularly trams and road networks.
The planned works will transform Florence HS Station into a through-station for high-speed trains, with the construction of a new underground link between the Bologna–Florence HS/HC line and the Florence–Rome Direttissima line. This will allow the segregation of traffic flows by route and service level, reducing conflicting movements between different types of train operations and freeing up capacity on the legacy network to be allocated to regional and metropolitan traffic.
Once fully operational, the Hub’s infrastructure and technological configuration will enable the adoption of an advanced operational model. This transport system will be geared towards high levels of intermodal and multi-modal integration, characterised by an increase in overall capacity and an improvement in the quality and reliability standards of customer service.
The Rome Hub is one of the key nodes of the entire national rail network, serving as a crossroads for the main lines originating from other national and regional centres and acting as a strategic node for the High-Speed system.
The construction of the high-speed lines, integrated with the enhancement and reorganisation of the legacy rail network, will free up capacity for developing regional, metropolitan and freight traffic. Furthermore, the new infrastructure configuration will guarantee more effective segregation and management of traffic flows by route and service level, reducing conflicting movements between long-distance, regional and freight traffic.
Once fully operational, the Hub’s infrastructure and technological configuration will enable an advanced operational model. This system will be based on greater intermodal and multi-modal integration, an increase in overall capacity, and a significant improvement in the quality, efficiency and reliability of services offered to customers.
The Naples Hub is one of the key nodes of the entire national rail network, serving as a crossroads for the main lines originating from other national and regional centres and acting as a strategic node for the High-Speed/High-Capacity system.
The construction of the new HS/HC lines, integrated with the legacy rail network, will free up capacity for regional and metropolitan passenger traffic, as well as freight traffic. Furthermore, the Hub’s infrastructure and technological configuration will allows for more efficient management of traffic flows, reducing conflicting movements between different service types.
Once fully operational, the new configuration will enable an advanced operational model. This system will be geared towards high levels of intermodal and multi-modal integration, an increase in overall capacity, and an improvement in the quality, efficiency and reliability levels of the service offered to customers.
The Falconara Hub is part of the capacity enhancement project of the Orte–Falconara rail link with the Adriatic Mainline, improving connections between the Tyrrhenian Mainline and the North-East of the country, offering an alternative route to the Rome–Milan axis and strengthening integration between the main national transport corridors.
FS Engineering is engaged in a comprehensive set of interventions aimed at redesigning the rail layout in the area between Falconara and Jesi. This includes the construction of the Falconara Bypass, the first Operational Phase of the Bologna–Lecce (Adriatic) mainline, consisting of a double-track alignment stretching approximately 4.4 km between Montemarciano and Falconara Marittima stations. The project also comprises the construction of a 1.5 km single-track chord linking the Orte–Falconara line with the Falconara Bypass heading north, complete with permanent way, civil works, and technological systems, including overhead line equipment (OLE), safety systems, signalling, telecommunications, and lighting and power infrastructure.
The overall reconfiguration scheme also includes the remodelling of Falconara Marittima station, featuring the relocation of the existing electrical substation, as well as the construction of the new Osimo station, contributing to a more efficient management of rail traffic flows and an improvement in service standards.
Upon completion of the works, the new infrastructure and technological configuration will increase system capacity and reliability, improving passenger and freight traffic integration and strengthening the strategic role of the Falconara Hub within the national rail network. This upgrade will enhance the node's overall position within the Italian rail network.
The Bari Hub is a key node in the national rail network being crossed by freight traffic running along the Adriatic Corridor—which connects Gioia Tauro, Taranto and Bari with Northern Italy and Northern Europe—and serves as the focal point of numerous lines predominantly dedicated to regional and metropolitan rail services.
FS Engineering is engaged in a comprehensive programme of infrastructure and technological upgrades aimed at the overall enhancement of the node. The planned works aim to increase the capacity of the metropolitan transport network, meeting quantitative and qualitative standards aligned with mobility demand, and establishing dedicated configurations for freight traffic flows capable of reducing conflicts and interference with metropolitan, regional and long-distance traffic.
The scheme also aims to improve the Hub’s intermodal and intra-modal integration, resolving specific geographical and environmental constraints both north and south of the urban area, and introducing technological innovation through facility automation and control-and-command systems.
Once fully operational, the new configuration will strengthen the strategic role of the Bari Hub within the national and European rail network, improving the efficiency, reliability and sustainability of the services offered to passengers and businesses.
The Palermo Hub covers the double-track electrified link between the city and the "Falcone e Borsellino" Punta Raisi International Airport, alongside the completion of the urban Rail Ring, representing strategic interventions for the enhancement of metropolitan and regional mobility.
A profound transformation of the public transport system is underway, based on the strengthening of the metropolitan rail service and its integration with the tram network, road transport, and park-and-ride facilities. At the core of this process is the Cross-City Rail Link (Passante Ferroviario) which, thanks to track-doubling works and the technological upgrading of the Palermo–Messina line, will enable a seamless rail link from Cefalù to Punta Raisi Airport. The infrastructure is approximately 90 km long, in total, 24 km of which run within the urban area of Palermo, served by 17 stations and 22 passenger stops.
A decisive contribution is provided by the scheme to complete the Palermo Rail Ring, in two operational phases. Phase 1, currently underway, comprises the extension of the line between Palermo Notarbartolo and Giachery up to the Politeama area, featuring the construction of the new Libertà, Porto and Politeama underground stops. The construction drawings relative to Phase 2 of the project, covering the Politeama–Notarbartolo section required to complete the Ring, are currently being finalised. This latter 1.3 km section will feature the construction of a tunnel with TBMs between the Politeama and the new Giuseppina Turrisi Colonna stops, with the subsequent tie-in to Notarbartolo station.
Once fully operational, the new infrastructure configuration will improve urban accessibility, modal integration, and overall service quality, reinforcing the role of the Palermo Hub as the focal point of sustainable mobility within the metropolitan area.