Italy's high-speed trains operated by Trenitalia and Italo will take longer to reach their destinations in August, or will be cancelled, due to railway maintenance works.
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The works will be carried out on the busiest long-distance rail routes in Italy, including Milan-Bologna, Rome-Florence and Turin-Milan-Venice, with disruption also expected on the Alpine passes affecting cross-border connections with Switzerland.
Rail traffic is currently suspended between Verona and Vicenza until 20 August, causing inevitable repercussions on the Turin-Milan-Venice high-speed line.
For the duration of the works, Frecce, Eurocity and Euronight trains will be diverted between Verona and Padua via Bologna "with an increase in travel times of up to 120 minutes", as well as "variations and limitations" for regional trains, Trenitalia said on its website.
The Milan-Bologna high-speed line will take up to two hours longer than normal from 12-18 August, with trains also travelling at reduced speed from 19-25 August.
The changes will mainly affect Frecciarossa trains on the Turin-Milan-Rome-Naples-Salerno route, leading to longer journeys and cancellations.
The Florence-Rome "Direttissima" line will be interrupted from 12 to 23 August in the Chiusi-Orvieto section, leading to timetable changes, cancellations or diversions with longer travel times.
On 24 and 25 August there will be delays on the Direttissima line of between 5 and 60 minutes, depending on the train service.
On the line between Bologna and Prato, the section between Pianoro and San Benedetto will be interrupted until 8 September.
Trains will be cancelled and replaced with buses and there will be timetable changes and diversions for some Intercity and Intercity Night trains. ■
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