Three new high-speed rail services linking Rome Fiumicino Airport to train stations in Naples and Florence were launched this week, creating a direct connection between the hub airport and southern Italy.
The new Trenitalia ‘frecciarossa’ (high speed) services began on 11 July, connecting the airport to Napoli Centrale, Napoli Afragola and Florence Santa Maria Novella stations. In an effort to make the airport a ‘smart hub’, train timetables were formulated to correspond with intercontinental flight arrival and departure times.
The new connections were established following a sustainable mobility agreement signed in March between Rome Airports CEO Marco Troncone and Luigi Ferraris, CEO of FS Italiane Group, which owns Trenitalia.
The agreement also aims to make passenger and baggage check-in services available at the train station ‘in the near future’.
According to FS Group, the new services will enhance rail and air service integration in central and southern Italy, and are in line with the EU’s sustainable transport initiative to develop and promote intermodal travel.
The ability for passengers to check-in directly at the train station, while not yet available, will be added to ground operations ‘in the near future’.
The new connections are in addition to the 32-minute Leonardo Express service between Fiumicino airport and Rome Termini railway station.