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Turin–Modane railway
An Italian train running through the Fréjus railway.
Route map Legend 0.000 Torino Porta Nuova 1.092 0.000 from Torino Lingotto, Genoa, Savona and Pinerolo 1.276   Linea Diretta to Milan Zappata junction from Milan 1.566 Torino San Paolo to Orbassano 4.112 Pronda junction 5.128 Grugliasco (opened 2009) 7.426 Collegno 300 m a.s.l. North Ring 11.643 Alpignano 338 m a.s.l. 16.861 Rosta 343 m a.s.l. 21.736 Avigliana 348 m a.s.l. 25.359 Sant'Ambrogio 352 m a.s.l. 28.945 Condove-Chiusa San Michele 367 m a.s.l. 32.196 Sant'Antonino-Vaie 380 m a.s.l. A32 Dora Riparia 35.729 Borgone 399 m a.s.l. 38.578 {Bruzolo di Susa 408 m a.s.l. 43.166 (0.000) Bussoleno 441 m a.s.l. Susa (see below) Dora Riparia to Mont d'Ambin Base Tunnel 50.523 (7.650) Meana 595 m a.s.l. Tagliata tunnel 57.097 (15.079) Chiomonte 771 m a.s.l. 63.070 (21.992) Exilles 933 m a.s.l. 64.176 Serre de la Voute tunnel (1096 m) 65.272 Dora Riparia 66.809 (25.945) Salbertrand 1007 m a.s.l. Dora Riparia A32 70.585 Ventoux bridge on Dora Riparia 72.748 Oulx-Cesana-Claviere-Sestriere 1067 m a.s.l. Dora di Bardonecchia 78.558 Beaulard 1145 m a.s.l. Dora di Bardonecchia 83.831 Bardonecchia 1258 m a.s.l. 84.425 Fréjus Rail Tunnel (13,657 m) 91.188 Frejus crossing loops 91.215 Italy France 1338 m a.s.l. 98.145 Terre Froides crossing loops 98.082 102.548 Modane (voltage change) 1057 m a.s.l. to Chambéry and Culoz Bussoleno–Susa branch from Turin 43.165 Bussoleno 440 m a.s.l. to Modane 50.692 Susa 503 m a.s.l. This diagram: view talk edit

The Turin–Modane railway is the international rail connection from Turin, Italy to Modane, France. It passes through the Susa Valley and the Fréjus Rail Tunnel. Together with the French Culoz–Modane railway it is often called "Fréjus Railway" or "Mont Cenis Railway". A major landslide in August 2023 forced its closure for over a year.

Despite running under the Fréjus Pass, it is sometimes called the Mont Cenis Railway because, from antiquity until the Fréjus Rail Tunnel was opened in 1871, most people used the Mont Cenis Pass to get between France and Italy. From 1868 to 1871 the temporary Mont Cenis Pass Railway ran over the Mont Cenis pass to link the French and Italian railways.

History

The Victor Emmanuel Railway, which included both the Culoz–Modane railway across Savoy and the Turin–Modane railway across Piedmont, was largely built in the 1850s by the Kingdom of Sardinia and named after its king, Victor Emmanuel II. Until 1860 Sardinia included both Savoy and Piedmont. The line from Turin to Susa was inaugurated on 22 May 1854. Work on the tunnel began on 31 August 1857 and was completed in September 1871. Work had begun on the line between Bussoleno and Bardonecchia in 1867 and was completed at the same time as the tunnel. The tunnel and line were opened on 16 October 1871. By that time, the Savoy side of the tunnel had become part of France. The decision of the engineers to begin the line at Bussoleno in order to reduce the gradient on the climb near Meana was much criticized for bypassing the city of Susa, which was left isolated on a short branch line. The opening of the tunnel also led to the closure of the short-lived Mont Cenis Pass Railway. In 1865 the line became part of the network of the Società per le strade ferrate dell'Alta Italia (Upper Italian Railways, SFAI) on its foundation in 1865 and was taken over by the Rete Mediterranea (Mediterranean Network) in 1885. Finally in 1905 it became part of the Ferrovie dello Stato network.

The line, originally a single track, was doubled in 1908 between Zappa Junction and Collegno in 1909, between Beaulard and Salbertrand in 1911, between Collegno and Alpignano in 1912, between Alpignano and Avigliana, between Avigliana and Bussoleno in 1915, and between Bussoleno and Salbertrand in 1984. Electrification at three phase was completed between 1912 and 1920, but this system was converted to 3,000 volts direct current in 1961.

1917 derailment

On 12 December 1917, a troop train containing 800-1000 French soldiers returning home on leave from fighting in North East Italy, having passed along this line and through the Fréjus Rail Tunnel into France, derailed at speed near Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne, killing several hundred soldiers.

Features

The Turin–Modane railway line is 103 kilometres (64 mi) long, fully electrified and double track. It has the standard Italian automatic block signalling system. The mountain section starts at Bussoleno and the two tracks take different routes. Much of the uphill line to Bardonecchia runs through tunnel between Bussoleno and Salbertrand, while the line running downhill from Bardonecchia, has a lower proportion in tunnel and takes a slightly lower route. West of Salbertrand the two tracks follow the same route. The uphill line was designed with S-shaped tunnels in order to reduce the gradient, increasing its length. Between Bussoleno and Salbertrand the two tracks are at the same level at the intermediate stations, except at Exilles, where the platforms are on different levels. This station is no longer in regular use, being separated by the valley from the village of Exilles and its fort. It can still be used if required for historical trains, or to pick up or drop off groups. On the western edge of Bardonecchia is the mouth of the tunnel, with a monumental gateway, enclosed by two round towers, all topped by battlements. In the nearby village of Rochemolles there are signs of the first entrance to the tunnel; it is now bricked up but it has some holes where the tracks inside can be seen.

Since 2002, regional train services have ended at Bardonecchia; previously they crossed the border through the tunnel to Modane. This is to allow the enlargement of the tunnel to allow the passage of container trains. Now only TGV and Frecciarossa trains reach Modane from Italy. Instead of regional trains, there is a replacement bus service to carry passengers to Modane, although this is a limited service. Freight traffic is still well supported. In particular, special freight trains constitute the Alpine rolling road. Low flat wagons carry trucks through the Alps. These trains are fitted with a passenger carriage for the transport of truck drivers. Four pairs of daily trips each day connect Turin Orbassano goods yard and the French terminal at Aiton at the bottom of the Maurienne Valley.

The highest point of the line is 1,338 metres (4,390 ft), inside the Frejus tunnel. The maximum slope is 3.0%, and the tunnels have a width of 2.72 metres (8 ft 11 in) and a height of 3.96 or 4.11 metres (13 ft 0 in or 13 ft 6 in).

Future

The line is intended to be superseded for long-distance travel by the Turin–Lyon high-speed railway through the Mont d'Ambin base tunnel, currently under construction.

See also

• List of highest railways in Europe

References

1. Atlante ferroviario s'Italia e Slovenia [Italian and Slovenian railway atlas)] (1 ed.). Schweers + Wall. 2010. pp. 18, 30–1, 120. ISBN 978-3-89494-129-1.
2. "Éboulement en Maurienne : la voie ferrée et la RD1006 ne rouvriront pas « avant une petite année »". www.ledauphine.com.
3. "Les trains pourraient repasser par la Maurienne en novembre". www.ledauphine.com.
4. P. J. G. Ransom (1999), The Mont Cenis Fell Railway, Truro: Twelveheads Press, pp 13, 14
5. Kalla-Bishop, P. M. (1971). Italian Railways. Newton Abbott, Devon, England: David & Charles. p. 26. ISBN 0-7153-5168-0.
6. Kalla-Bishop, P. M. (1971). Italian Railways. Newton Abbott, Devon, England: David & Charles. pp. 41–42. ISBN 0-7153-5168-0.
7. Kalla-Bishop, P. M. (1971). Italian Railways. Newton Abbott, Devon, England: David & Charles. pp. 101–102. ISBN 0-7153-5168-0.

See also

• List of railway lines in Italy

v t e Major railway lines in Italy
High-speed	Turin–Milan Milan–Verona Milan–Bologna Bologna–Florence Florence–Rome Rome–Naples Naples–Salerno (Future: Tortona–Genoa, Venice–Trieste, Verona–Venice)
Standard-speed	Alessandria–Piacenza Ancona–Lecce Ancona–Orte Bologna–Ancona Bologna–Florence Verona–Brennero Florence–Rome Genoa–Pisa Genoa–Ventimiglia Florence–Pisa–Livorno Livorno–Rome Milan–Bologna Milan–Chiasso Milan–Genoa Milan–Domodossola Milan–Porto Ceresio Milan–Venice Naples–Foggia Naples–Salerno Padua–Bologna Parma–La Spezia Rome–Cassino–Naples Rome–Formia–Naples Salerno–Reggio Calabria Tarvisio–Udine Turin–Genoa Turin–Milan Turin–Modane Udine–Trieste Venice–Trieste Venice–Udine Verona–Bologna

• International railway lines
• Railway lines in Piedmont
• Railway lines in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
• Railway lines opened in 1871
• Cross-border railway lines in France
• Cross-border railway lines in Italy
• Transport in the Alps