System length 39.1 km (24.3 mi) Number of stations 16 Began operation 1990 | Electrification 3 kV DC, overhead line Number of lines 2 Transit type Commuter rail | |
![]() | ||
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The Palermo metropolitan railway service is a commuter rail system operated by Trenitalia. It serves the city of Palermo in Sicily, Italy.
Contents
Lines
There are two lines:
Both lines are served by a train every 30 minutes, although on the Palermo Centrale – Punta Raisi line some stops are served by half of the trains.
For a complete list of Palermo Metro stations, see: List of Palermo metropolitan railway stations.
History
The first section of the Palermo "metropolitana" was opened in 1990, a month before the beginning of Italia 90, the football World Cup. The line had only six stations: Palermo Centrale, Vespri, Palermo Notarbartolo, Federico, Fiera and Giachery. The line used the tracks of the old Palermo – Trapani railway, running across the city until Notarbartolo station, and from there it followed the branch to the port, along which new stops were built.
This line was also used to reach the Stadio Renzo Barbera (Stadio della Favorita) football stadium.
In November 1993 a new branch was opened, on the tracks of the railway to Trapani, running diesel railcars type ALn 668. The first two stops were San Lorenzo-Colli and Tommaso Natale. In 1994 stops at Francia and Cardillo-Zen were opened.
In 2001 a new tunnel station (Palazzo Reale-Orleans) was opened, serving the city centre. The metropolitan service was extended to Punta Raisi railway station, serving the Falcone Borsellino Airport.
Palermo Centrale – Punta Raisi
Improvements on this line began 22 February 2008.
Palermo Notarbartolo – Giachery
This route was repaired in 1993.