The tunnel’s operator has scheduled maintenance work during this period to improve safety within the facility.
The work began on Monday, 2 September 2024, and will continue throughout the month, lasting four weeks.
During the night, traffic in the Frejus Tunnel will be limited to one direction alternately. This arrangement will be in place on the following dates: 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27 September.
On the specified dates, from 22:30 to 4:45 the next morning, the traffic organisation will be as follows:
| Direction | Opening Time | Closing Time |
|---|---|---|
| France > Italy | 22:30 | 00:00 |
| 00:45 | 01:45 | |
| 02:15 | 03:15 | |
| 03:45 | 04:45 | |
| Italy > France | 22:30 | 23:00 |
| 23:45 | 01:00 | |
| 01:30 | 02:30 | |
| 03:00 | 04:00 | |
| 04:15 | 04:45 |
However, on the night of 13 to 14 September (Friday to Saturday), there will be a complete closure in addition to the shuttle system.
| Direction | Opening Time | Closing Time |
| France > Italy | 22:30 | From 00:00 to 01:00 – complete closure |
| 01:00 | 01:45 | |
| From 02:00 to 03:00 – complete closure | ||
| 03:15 | 03:45 | |
| 04:45 | ||
| Italy > France | 22:30 | 22:00 |
| 23:45 | From 00:00 to 01:00 – complete closure | |
| 01:00 | 01:45 | |
| From 02:00 to 03:00 – complete closure | ||
| 04:00 | 04:15 | |
| 04:45 |
Concerns of Italian carriers
It is worth recalling that the Frejus Tunnel serves as an alternative route through the Alps for the Mont Blanc Tunnel, which was closed on 2 September and will remain impassable until 16 December. As a result, it is expected that most heavy goods traffic will pass through the Frejus Tunnel.
“It is estimated that 1,500 lorries will use the Bardonecchia–Modane route every day. There is also concern about congestion on the Turin bypass,” reported Italian industry media.
This situation is causing concern among the Italian transport industry.
“The exchange of goods between Italy and European countries is threatened with paralysis, considering the usual problems at Brenner,” said Paolo Uggè, president of Fai-Conftrasporto, as quoted by the portal trasportoeuropa.it.
Meanwhile, Andrea Amalberto, president of the industrial association Confindustria Piemonte, specifies that “any change of route involves costs that result in the loss of competitiveness of our goods.” He added, “France is one of Italy’s main trading partners, with 45 million tonnes of goods exchanged annually, not counting what is destined for other locations.”
“If problems start to arise with traffic in the Frejus Tunnel, we will all lose,” Amalberto warns.
Photo credits @ Florian Pépellin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons