by InTrieste
Rail travel between Trieste and Mestre will face major disruptions from May 19 to May 24 as infrastructure upgrades along the line force widespread cancellations and delays.
Rete Ferroviaria Italiana said all regional trains between Trieste and Portogruaro, as well as between Trieste and Venice, will be canceled during the six-day period. On May 23 and 24, cancellations will also extend to regional services between Portogruaro and Venice. Replacement bus service will operate in place of the trains.
High-speed Frecciarossa trains connecting Trieste and Milan are expected to run with delays of up to one hour, with some services terminating in Venice rather than continuing to Trieste. Intercity trains between Rome and Trieste will also be rerouted, resulting in longer travel times and skipped stops.
The works are part of a broader modernization plan intended to increase rail capacity and improve speeds along the Trieste-Mestre corridor. The current phase, valued at €10.5 million, includes new signaling systems, telecommunications infrastructure and computerized traffic-control technology. More than 20 construction sites and roughly 2,000 worker shifts are scheduled during the week of maintenance.
Despite the scale of the disruption, the improvements are expected to reduce travel times on the full Trieste-Mestre route by only seven minutes once completed. The wider rail upgrade project remains only partially funded, with €281 million currently allocated out of an estimated €2 billion required.
Rfi said passengers should expect schedule changes and possible delays to replacement bus services because of road traffic. Bicycles and large animals will not be permitted on the buses, except for guide dogs.
