The IRICAV DUE consortium consisting of Webuild (82.95%) and Hitachi Rail (17.05%) has won a 1.8 billion EUR contract to deliver the track and digital signalling systems for a section of high-speed railway between Verona and Padua.
This phase will focus on a 6.2km section of high-speed/capacity (HS/C) line that will cross the city of Vicenza.
The contract was awarded by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) and will see Hitachi Rail supply its European Rail Transport Management System (ERTMS) digital signalling to create the HS/C line.
ERTMS uses radio signals between the train and track to monitor speed and automatically activate the train’s emergency brakes if required. This system allows trains to run faster and closer together to improve service speed and reliability on the line.
In addition, the technology will also allow trains from nearby European countries to seamlessly operate on Italian railway lines.
“We are particularly proud of this order: our ERTMS digital signalling will deliver for the customer and the passenger alike. Once installed, the system will enable a service that can safely travel at greater speed and with increased capacity on the line.”
The new contract follows the phase one award signed in August 2020 for the consortium to establish a high-speed line from Verona-Bivio Vicenza. This previous award was valued at over 2.4 billion EUR.
In total, the new railway line will be 76.4 kilometres long and will complete the rail link between Milan and Venice.
