Italy’s main north–south rail corridor disrupted in Florence for 24 hours

Train traffic on Italy’s main north–south rail corridor will be disrupted for 24 hours in Florence from 3 p.m. on Saturday, 24 January to 3 p.m. on Sunday, 25 January, as works temporarily shut down a key section of the city’s rail network.

The interruption affects the stretch between Firenze Campo di Marte and Firenze Rifredi, a crucial link through which most long-distance trains travelling between northern and southern Italy normally pass. The measures were announced by the Prefecture of Florence after a coordination meeting with Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI).

Impact on long-distance and high-speed trains

Because Florence is a central hub in the national rail system, the closure will affect high-speed, long-distance and regional services across Italy, not only local travel.

High-speed trains operated by Trenitalia and Italo will be rerouted or split:

• Services arriving from southern Italy will terminate at Campo di Marte.
• Services arriving from northern Italy will terminate at Rifredi.

Where needed, passengers will continue their journey between the two stations using replacement buses.

Several long-distance and regional routes linking Florence with Rome, Arezzo and the Mugello area will also be rescheduled or partially cancelled.

Shuttle buses and passenger assistance

Rail operators will run a replacement service between Campo di Marte and Rifredi using three fleets of shuttle buses, each made up of six buses with 50 seats.

Passenger assistance will be reinforced at Florence stations throughout the disruption, with additional staff on hand to provide information and manage flows.

Extra measures on Saturday evening

Additional crowd-management measures will be in place on Saturday afternoon, when a Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Cagliari Calcio is scheduled at Stadio Artemio Franchi, close to the affected railway line.

Railway staff, security personnel and Civil Protection volunteers will guide passengers from platforms to shuttle buses, with dedicated routes and temporary signage to keep football supporters and other travellers separated.

Links to Santa Maria Novella

Passengers holding a valid train ticket will be able to travel free of charge from Campo di Marte to Firenze Santa Maria Novella using the FS replacement shuttles and Florence’s Tramvia T2.

Works and timeline

The 24-hour shutdown will allow the installation of a temporary pedestrian footbridge for local residents and preparatory works for the replacement of an ageing railway overpass near Campo di Marte. According to current plans, the new structure is expected to be completed in September 2026.

Train timetables and sales channels have already been updated, and passengers are advised to check their journey in advance, especially for long-distance travel between northern and southern Italy over the weekend.

(Cover photo: Image generated with artificial intelligence)

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