New AV Station Advances, But Connection to SMN Lacking

Work continues on Florence’s new high-speed railway station near Belfiore, part of a major infrastructure project set to reshape the city’s rail network. Trains are expected to begin using the new underground line by 2029. On Friday July 25, 2025, Tuscany Governor Eugenio Giani (in the photo) and Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini visited the construction site at Campo di Marte to review progress.

While construction advances, attention is turning to how the new Alta Velocità (AV) station — informally referred to as “Foster station” after its architect Norman Foster — will be connected to Florence’s main railway hub, Santa Maria Novella (SMN), located just 960 meters away.

A proposed solution is a people mover, a shuttle system designed to bridge the short distance between the two stations. The idea dates back to 2021, when a feasibility study was completed, but it was not included in the EU’s pandemic recovery plan due to time constraints. Regional authorities are now revisiting the plan, but funding remains an open issue.

Initial cost estimates for the people mover were around €165 million, though current figures are expected to be higher. Questions have been raised about the potential ticket price, especially given the construction costs, and whether the service would be economically sustainable and accessible for daily users.

The new underground rail link will eventually allow high-speed trains to bypass Florence’s surface tracks, currently shared with regional services. The aim is to reduce travel times and improve punctuality across the network, both for AV trains and for local and commuter traffic.

As the project moves forward, the challenge remains to ensure efficient integration between the new high-speed infrastructure and the city’s existing transport system.

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