In the Italian port city of Genoa, a new railway gallery has opened in the San Benigno district. The structure is a key component of one of the region's largest infrastructure projects the planned Subportual Tunnel beneath the port.
The new line makes it possible to demolish the previously used Romairone Gallery, through which a portion of the port's freight traffic still runs today. In its place, construction will begin on the so-called launch shaft for the tunnel boring machine (TBM) that will be used to build the new road tunnel .
New rail route for port traffic
The work was carried out by Autostrade per l'Italia through its subsidiary Amplia, and was implemented in coordination with the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure. The goal of the measure is to reroute rail traffic in the port area to make room for construction of the Subportual Tunnel without disrupting ongoing port operations.
The new artificial railway gallery was built on the site of the former CSM building, which was demolished in March 2024. Construction began in May 2024 and was completed after approximately 22 months.
410-meter gallery with two tracks
The new gallery is approximately 410 meters long and about 14 meters wide. It was built using a total of 616 prefabricated concrete elements and accommodates two tracks along with the corresponding platforms. The interior clearance height is more than six meters, meaning the structure has already been designed to allow for future electrification of the line.
The entire new rail route is approximately 700 meters long and runs about 70 meters south of the existing line. It runs partly parallel to the elevated port road and passes beneath it in the final section.
New park planned above the tunnel route
Once tunnel construction is complete, a new public green space is planned above the new gallery: the "Parco della Lanterna." This park will connect the San Benigno area to the city's famous Lanterna di Genova the historic lighthouse, via a dedicated cycling and pedestrian path.
Further work related to the Subportual Tunnel
Alongside the new railway gallery, additional preparatory construction work for the Subportual Tunnel is underway in Genoa. This includes the completion of the port quays at Calata Concenter, the construction of a further section of the elevated port road, and the first construction phase of the launch shaft for the tunnel boring machine.
On the eastern side of the project, in the Foce area, preparatory construction work is currently under way. In the coming months, structural surveys of the historic city walls, archaeological investigations, and clearing work are planned for that location.