Photo credits @ K.Weise, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Fréjus rail tunnel to reopen at end of March after 19-month closure

The Fréjus railway tunnel, a key cross-border link between France and Italy, is set to reopen at the end of March 2025. Meanwhile, hauliers should be aware that the Fréjus Road Tunnel will be completely closed in both directions during the weekend of 25–27 January 2025.

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The landslide in the Maurienne Valley buried a 300-metre section of the railway tunnel under thousands of tons of rock. Restoration efforts included clearing 5,000 cubic metres of unstable material, securing the cliff face, and repairing the damaged infrastructure.

French rail operator SNCF and Italian counterpart Trenitalia have announced the resumption of high-speed rail services:

  • SNCF will restart three daily round trips on its TGV trains on 31 March 2025.
  • Trenitalia will follow on 1 April 2025 with two daily round trips on its Frecciarossa trains.

The announcements from SNCF and Trenitalia focus on the resumption of passenger services, restoring faster journey times on this key cross-border route. Information regarding the impact of the reopening on freight transport has yet to be provided.

Scheduled road tunnel closure

Meanwhile, the Fréjus Road Tunnel, which runs under the French-Italian border, will be completely closed in both directions during the weekend of 25–27 January 2025 for scheduled maintenance work. The closure is expected to affect travel between the two countries over that period.

The reopening of the rail tunnel and the planned road tunnel maintenance highlight the importance of resilient cross-border transport infrastructure in the Alpine region.

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