Catania Metro

Catania Metro

Catania Metro train at Porto Station.
Overview
Locale Catania, Sicily, Italy
Transit type Rapid transit/light metro
Number of lines 1
Number of stations 6[1]
Operation
Began operation 27 June 1999[2]
Operator(s) Ferrovia Circumetnea
Number of vehicles 7 FCE M.88
Technical
System length 3.8 km (2.4 mi)[1]
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification 3 kV DC electric traction
System map

The Catania Metro (Italian: Metropolitana di Catania) is a classical metro system serving the city of Catania, Sicily, in southern Italy. It is the southernmost metro in Europe.

The Catania Metro has been in operation since 27 June 1999,[2] and consists of a single 3.84-kilometre (2.39 mi) line with six stations.[1] The line is underground for approximately half of its length (between the stations of Borgo and Galatea). Service frequency is limited to once every 15 minutes because the line is single-track for half of its length (over the at-grade section between stations Galatea and Porto), hence trains operate as shuttles.

History & construction

The section of the line between the stations of Borgo and Porto originally belonged to the Ferrovia Circumetnea narrow-gauge regional railway which was constructed in 1895.

For the operation of the metro, this portion of the rail line was converted to standard gauge and mostly moved underground into a double track 1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi)[2] cut-and-cover tunnel, except for the part of the route adjacent to the coast which runs on the surface for 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) and which is single tracked.[2] Thus, the narrow-gauge Circumetnea railway's original terminus at Catania Porto had to be moved to Borgo due to the development of the Catania Metro.

The Metropolitana and the Circumetnea railways are operated by the same company, which has its offices at Catania Borgo.

Current service

Catania Metro
Legend
 Borgo(interchange with FCE)
 Giuffrida
 Italia
 Galatea
FS Centrale(interchange with FS)
 Porto

The metro currently suffers from poor ridership, as its current route merely skirts the city centre and therefore does not reach many popular destinations. Another reason for this is the service frequency limit of one train every 15 minutes,[3] imposed by the single-track at-grade coastal section. The metro only operates on weekdays,[3] and does not run on public holidays.

List of Catania metro stations

Future service and planned extensions

An extension to the system was given the green light on March 30, 2006. It involves a branch from the existing line at Galatea westward through the city center, which is planned eventually to reach Catania's Fontanarossa airport to the south.[4] This solution was favored over proposals for an airport link by means of a new station on the Catania-Siracusa line, which runs past the airport and is part of the national rail network. New underground stations at Piazza Giovanni XXIII and Piazza Stesicoro, among others, will serve the city center.

Another extension, westward from the current terminal at Borgo, using the current Circumetnea right-of-way, is also under construction as far as Nesima, toward the north-western border of the city.

The completion and inauguration of both sections from Piazza Stesicono to Nesima is planned for the middle of 2016.[5]

Fleet

Elettrotreno FCE M.88
In service 2008–present
Manufacturer Firema Trasporti S.p.A.
Constructed 2008–2011
Number under construction 14 two-car trains
Number built 7
Formation 2-car permanently coupled sets
Capacity 442
Specifications
Car body construction aluminum
Doors 8 sets per car
Electric system(s) 3000 V DC overhead pantograph

The current Metro cars used are Elettrotreno FCE M.88 built by Firema S.p.A. delivered between 2001 and 2011. It replaced earlier Stanga cars from the Umbra Central Railroad. The cars consists of a married set of two cars. 7 of the 8 cars delivered were given names:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Schema di Rete" [Network diagram] (in Italian). Ferrovia Circumetnea. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Comune di Catania - Informazioni e servizi al cittadino - Ferrovia Circumetnea - Metropolitana di Catania - La Linea Metropolitana" [Municipality of Catania - Information and services for citizens - Circumetnea Railway - Metropolitan Catania - The Metropolitan Line] (in Italian). Comune di Catania. Archived from the original on 2014-05-18. Retrieved 2014-05-17.
  3. 1 2 "Tariffe e Orari della Metropolitana" [Rates and hours of the metro] (in Italian). Ferrovia Circumetnea. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
  4. ↑ Tartaglia, Andrea. "Catania Subway". URBAN RAILWAY - RETI FERROVIARIE ITALIANE. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  5. ↑ "Catania rinasce dal sottosuolo" (in Italian).
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