Ente Autonomo Volturno (EAV), the Campania Region’s railway management authority, awarded Stadler the 8-year framework agreement for the production, supply and maintenance of 40 electric trains for Vesuvian lines. The firm order covers the delivery of 23 vehicles. The agreement also includes the full-service maintenance of the trains for a period of 5 years after their commissioning.
The new electric trains consist of three cars made of aluminum and designed to reduce the overall weight of the vehicle, in order to significantly reduce energy consumption. With an overall length of around 40 metres, the new trains offer five doors on each side to allow rapid passenger interchange in stations. An optimal passenger flow on board will be granted by a modern and flush design of the interiors. These features are particularly advantageous for the passengers with reduced mobility, who will be able to move easily throughout the interior of the train thanks to the wide corridor.
With the acquisition of the new fleet, the oldest vehicles will be progressively replaced, and the quality and range of transport services will be increased, improving the travel experience of passengers by usage of modern vehicles that meet the latest standards in terms of reliability and safety.
“Satisfaction with the start of the collaboration with Stadler which will finally allow for the construction of forty new trains enriching the fleet of Vesuvian lines. We are therefore launching the process of renewing the fleet which will allow us, in the coming years, to respond adequately to the demand for mobility of a particularly significant territory for the Campania region such as the Vesuvius,” EAV President Umberto De Gregorio said.
In January 2020, the European Investment Bank provided EAV a EUR 68 million loan for the procurement of these new trains estimated at EUR 220 million.
The Vesuvian lines, known as Circumvesuviana railway network comprises six 950 mm narrow-gauge lines in Naples metropolitan and suburban areas. The lines serve one of the most densely populated areas in Europe comprising 47 municipalities with around 2.5 million inhabitants. The busiest line is the Naples-Sorrento line which, besides being a commuter line, also serves a large number of tourist destinations and cultural heritage sites such as Herculaneum and Pompeii.
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