First Germany, from June 2028. Then the focus will shift to Belgium and the Netherlands, though not before 2030–2031. Italo, the private high-speed rail operator, is thinking big and aims to expand across Europe. It is capitalising on its new Siemens trains, built for the German market but capable of running on railway lines in other European countries too. This was stated by Italo’s chief executive, Gianbattista La Rocca, in an interview with *Il Sole 24 Ore*. ‘The announced investment of 3.6 billion for the German market,’ explains La Rocca, ‘is now 100 per cent underway and there is no turning back. In July, we signed a purchase contract with Siemens for 26 high-speed trains and a 30-year maintenance contract, which provides for comprehensive maintenance of the trains. We are starting to build everything needed to have the first four trains running on German tracks from 1 June 2028.”
Its entry into the European market has led Italo to embark on a major reorganisation of the group. La Rocca continues: “Italo Holding has been established, comprising two subsidiaries: on the one hand, Italo Italia, which also controls Itabus. On the other, Italo International, which oversees the German operating company that will compete with the monopoly holder Deutsche Bahn (DB). We are currently finalising the appointment of the managing director. For us, the German project is one in which Italia – and therefore Italians – will contribute their know-how and experience. For the rest, it will be an entirely German company, staffed by German personnel.”
One of the main barriers a railway company faces when seeking to expand abroad is interoperability: that is, the ability to have a train which, from a technical and regulatory point of view, is capable of running on the networks of other countries. And Siemens trains possess these characteristics. The CEO continues: ‘We are currently focusing on Germany. From there, we can reach Belgium, the Netherlands and France if we look westwards; and Poland and the countries of Eastern Europe if we look eastwards. Our agreement with Siemens will enable us to be competitive not only within Germany but also internationally. When the trains are launched, they will not only be certified for Germany but will also already be certified for Belgium and the Netherlands. Not before 2030–2031, however.’ So, for Italo, Germany will not be a destination but a starting point.
It is the size of the market that is driving Italo beyond the Alps: “German demand for long-distance travel is already twice that of Italy’s and, according to our analysis, opening up the market to competition could see it grow by a further 40–50 per cent,” notes La Rocca. In Germany, Italo will launch services on two routes: Munich–Cologne–Frankfurt and Munich–Berlin–Hamburg. And it is precisely Hamburg that offers a glimpse of another strand of the strategy. MSC’s entry into the shareholding structure paves the way for the development of multimodal links between rail and sea. “MSC’s involvement,” emphasises La Rocca, “also allows us to consider multimodal synergies, ranging from ferries – such as those operated by SNAV and GNV in Italia – to cruise ships.” Hamburg is one of the ports called at by MSC cruises, and for Italo’s CEO, the aim is for “multimodal travel for passengers to become the norm and a matter of routine”.
Finally, technology. The Siemens trains destined for Germany will be fitted with Starlink from the outset, drawing on the experience gained during this period with the Italian fleet (the first market to have begun trialling train connections via the satellite network, with the system currently being rolled out across the entire Italo fleet). As for rail transport in general, ‘I see it growing in Europe – massively’.