Doubling of the Messina-Catania line
Completion of the Forza d'Agrò Tunnel excavation
Messina, 17/02/2026
Work on the doubling of the Giampilieri - Fiumefreddo railway line (Lot 2) is continuing at a rapid pace. The project involves the construction of 42 km of double track on an entirely new route, approximately 85% of which runs underground, with the excavation of seven tunnels.
A significant milestone has been reached with the removal of the breakthrough wall of the even numbered barrel of the Forza d'Agrò Tunnel.
The tunnel, approximately 2.5 km long, has been excavated using a TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine).
Starting in January 2025, the cutter completed the tunnelling work in just one year, ensuring high standards of precision and safety, as well as synergy with related works such as the Fondaco Parrino viaduct.
While the tunnelling work was ongoing, the external construction works continued uninterrupted. At the tunnel entrance, work was carried out at full capacity to prepare and set up the construction site and in relation to the construction of the Fondaco Parrino viaduct. This will enable the TBM to be moved and to start tunnelling operations on the next 3.9 km-long Letojanni Tunnel.
This represents another step forward for improving the mobility network in Sicily and towards completing the Messina-Catania-Palermo mainline, which is a section of the European Scandinavia-Mediterranean Corridor.
The project to upgrade the Palermo-Catania-Messina line is part of the broader Cantieri Parlanti project of FS Group, in partnership with the MIT, aimed at transparently communicating the activities and benefits of the new strategic infrastructure works through public events, info points and a dedicated web page.
