Disruption to affect Trenitalia and Italo services.

Italy's high-speed trains operated by Trenitalia and Italo will take longer to reach their destinations in August, or will be cancelled, due to railway maintenance works.

The works will be carried out on the busiest long-distance rail routes in Italy, including Milan-Bologna, Rome-Florence and Turin-Milan-Venice, with disruption also expected on the Alpine passes affecting cross-border connections with Switzerland.

Milan-Venice

Rail traffic is currently suspended between Verona and Vicenza until 20 August, causing inevitable repercussions on the Turin-Milan-Venice high-speed line.

For the duration of the works, Frecce, Eurocity and Euronight trains will be diverted between Verona and Padua via Bologna "with an increase in travel times of up to 120 minutes", as well as "variations and limitations" for regional trains, Trenitalia said on its website.

Milan-Bologna

The Milan-Bologna high-speed line will take up to two hours longer than normal from 12-18 August, with trains also travelling at reduced speed from 19-25 August.

The changes will mainly affect Frecciarossa trains on the Turin-Milan-Rome-Naples-Salerno route, leading to longer journeys and cancellations. 

Florence-Rome

The Florence-Rome "Direttissima" line will be interrupted from 12 to 23 August in the Chiusi-Orvieto section, leading to timetable changes, cancellations or diversions with longer travel times.

On 24 and 25 August there will be delays on the Direttissima line of between 5 and 60 minutes, depending on the train service.

Bologna-Prato

On the line between Bologna and Prato, the section between Pianoro and San Benedetto will be interrupted until 8 September.

Trains will be cancelled and replaced with buses and there will be timetable changes and diversions for some Intercity and Intercity Night trains.

Refunds

FS Italiane said the aim of the works is to increase the frequency and quality of rail services, noting that in recent days "Trenitalia has sent 17,000 emails and 800 text messages" to notify travellers who have already bought tickets of the changes.

In cases of delays of more than one hour or cancellations, customers are reminded that it is possible to reschedule the trip or abandon it, obtaining a full refund of the travel ticket purchased.

Criticism

Italian consumer watchdog Codacons said the works scheduled during the height of summer come at "the worst time" however it appreciated Trenitalia's efforts "to guarantee passenger rights and limit inconvenience to users."

"It is undeniable that the changes to the circulation of long-distance trains will cause inconvenience to those who had planned to reach the holiday resorts by train and to the many tourists who will visit our country in August", Codacons said in a statement, noting the "74 cases of slowdowns or suspensions" of rail traffic already faced by travellers in July.

Photo credit: bellena / Shutterstock.com.