Five-day rail shutdown to disrupt Florence high-speed services in July

Thousands of rail passengers travelling through Florence are expected to face disruption next month as train services near Campo di Marte station are suspended from 11 p.m. on Sunday 5 July until 4 a.m. on Friday 10 July 2026.

The closure, ordered to allow the dismantling of the old Ponte al Pino railway overpass, will affect both high-speed and regional services and represents one of the most significant rail interruptions in Florence this year. Railway infrastructure manager RFI will remove the existing bridge using a 1,600-tonne crane before installing a new structure later in July.

High-speed trains affected

The most visible impact will be on high-speed services. During the interruption, passengers travelling on Italy’s high-speed network will be transferred between Campo di Marte and the Montelungo area next to Florence Santa Maria Novella station using dedicated replacement buses.

The shuttle fleet, which will include accessible vehicles for passengers with reduced mobility, will operate between 6 and 9 July under police escort to help maintain railway connections and reduce delays. Additional reserve buses will be available if needed.

City authorities have prepared a special traffic plan around both Campo di Marte and Santa Maria Novella to accommodate the replacement services, with restrictions on parking and vehicle access in several streets around the stations.

Free transfers for rail passengers

Passengers arriving at Campo di Marte with either high-speed or regional train tickets will be able to use a free FS shuttle bus connecting the station with Florence’s tram network and the city centre.

Ticket holders will also be allowed to travel free of charge on designated sections of Tramvia lines T1 and T2 while the rail closure is in effect. The measures are being funded by the City of Florence and are intended to facilitate access to Santa Maria Novella, the city’s main railway hub.

The shuttle service between Campo di Marte and the tram network will operate from 6 a.m. until midnight, with departures as frequent as every six minutes during peak periods.

Why trains are stopping

The interruption is necessary to remove the existing Ponte al Pino overpass, which crosses the railway tracks near Campo di Marte. Workers will cut the old structure into sections and lift them away using a giant crane positioned near Via degli Artisti.

The bridge replacement project is one of the most important infrastructure works currently underway in eastern Florence and is designed to modernise a key road link over one of the city’s busiest railway corridors.

Another closure at the end of July

Rail passengers should prepare for a second disruption later in the month. Train services will be suspended again from 11 p.m. on Sunday 26 July until 11 a.m. on Thursday 30 July, when crews are scheduled to install the new bridge deck.

City officials said replacement transport arrangements will be broadly similar to those planned for the early July closure, with further details to be announced before the works begin.

Practical information

Rail closure: 11 p.m. Sunday 5 July – 4 a.m. Friday 10 July

Affected station: Florence Campo di Marte

High-speed services: Replacement buses between Campo di Marte and the Montelungo area near Santa Maria Novella

Regional passengers: Free shuttle bus and free travel on selected tram routes with a valid rail ticket

Second closure: 11 p.m. Sunday 26 July – 11 a.m. Thursday 30 July.

(Cover photo: Bahnfrend via Wikipedia)

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