Naples starts to build new tram line

As part of a project called ‘Seaside Tramway’ (Tram del Mare), the Italian city of Napoli started reconstructing its historic tram line from Via Acton to Piazza Sannazaro on 7 April. The 10km line will also be extended along a short northern section along Via Stadera to the tram depot on Via Nazionale delle Puglia. This is the start of a project that will see the route to Mergellina restored in future. The city wants to improve urban public transport on routes with high traffic. The coastal route would be serviced by vehicles with high capacity and high frequency of services. This is to translate into improved efficiency and quality of services. Production of 11 new trams purchased by Naples with the participation of EU funds is already underway . The vehicles will be supplied by Bozankaya from Ankara, which defeated Hitachi Rail (formerly the Italian company Ansaldo) in the tender. Both infrastructure interventions are co-financed by EU funds PNRR, i.e. the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and must be completed by June 2026. 

 

Napoli has operated trams since 1875 but only 11.8km survives in use today. 

 

Nino Simeone, President of the Commission for Mobility and Infrastructure, also spoke about the investment, referring to the “Seaside Tramway” project as an “important element” for urban mobility. “The completion of the link between the Piazza Municipio metro station and the port of Naples, with direct access to the port area, allows us to now start the first important section of the tram: from Piazza Municipio to Piazza Vittoria, via Via Acton and Galleria Vittoria. The tracks are already there, they just need to be uncovered and some roadworks done. In three or four months, this first section will be fully operational.”