The rail freight sector in Italy experienced a difficult year in 2024, according to the first estimates revealed by Giuseppe Rizzi, General Director of the rail freight association Fermerci.
Preliminary data indicate a loss of about one million train-kilometres compared to the previous year. This decrease adds to a negative trend that has been observed since 2021, with a cumulative reduction of 5.5% over the last three years, representing a total loss of about 3 million train-kilometres.
Despite these challenges, Rizzi highlighted two positive developments: the increase of the Ferrobonus contribution by the Italian government for the period 2025-2027, and the introduction of incentives for rail transport in ports.
However, the sector faces an uncertain outlook for 2025, with planned disruptions due to infrastructure works, rising energy costs and an unstable economic context. In addition, there has been a cut of approximately €70 million in the budget to support the purchase of locomotives, according to RailFreight.com.
