On April 9, 2025, a significant milestone was reached on the Naples-Bari high-speed/high-capacity (HS/HC) railway line with the completion of excavation works for two major tunnels. The final diaphragm of the 3 km cut-and-cover Telese tunnel, located on the Frasso Telesino–Telese section, and the 150 m Reventa rock tunnel, situated on the Telese–Vitulano section, was successfully broken through.
The Frasso Telesino–Telese section, awarded by RFI in 2019 to the Frasso Scarl Consortium—which includes Pizzarotti, Ghella, Itinera, Salcef, and EdS Infrastrutture—was contracted for EUR 245 million. This 11.2 km stretch features approximately 5 km running parallel to the existing line, while the remaining 6 km follows a new alignment. The project includes construction of the new Amorosi stop, expansion of Telese station, and a 765 m viaduct crossing the Calore River. The Telese tunnel, designed to enhance access to Telese Terme while diverting rail traffic from the town centre, was built using the Milan cut-and-cover method, with excavation carried out simultaneously from four points.
The Telese–San Lorenzo–Vitulano sections were awarded in 2020 to the Telese Scarl Consortium, composed of Ghella, Itinera, Salcef, and Coget Impianti, under a EUR 500 million contract. Spanning 19 km, this segment connects to the already operational Vitulano–Benevento line. The plan includes three new stations—Solopaca, San Lorenzo, and Ponte Casalduni. Of the 19 km, approximately 1.5 km parallels the historical line, while the remainder follows a newly designed route with 14 viaducts and 7 rock tunnels. In alignment with the goals of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), major viaduct construction is complete and excavation continues at 18 fronts. The Reventa tunnel, at 215 m, was the first rock tunnel to be completed.
The overall Naples-Bari HS/HC project—valued at around EUR 6 billion and partially funded by the PNRR—is a flagship initiative by the FS Group to enhance transportation in Southern Italy. With the first section (Bovino–Cervaro) operational since 2017, construction is currently active across all remaining segments. Once fully completed, the line will significantly reduce travel times, providing a direct Bari–Naples connection in just 2 hours, and reaching Rome in 3 hours. Travelers from Lecce and Taranto will be able to reach the capital in only 4 hours.
This strategic rail corridor, part of the European TEN-T network linking Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, is also featured in the Cantieri Parlanti initiative—an FS Group and Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport collaboration aimed at fostering transparency and public engagement on key infrastructure projects. The upcoming activation of the Cancello–Frasso Telesino section by the end of 2025 will mark another important step in this transformative journey. For further information click here and it/251 for the tunnelbuilder archive
Visit https://www.italferr.it/ and https://www.rfi.it/. 15/25.
