Rete Ferroviaria Italiana announced on 19 August 2025 that it had awarded the contract for the new Santomarco tunnel on the Cosenza–Paola San Lucido line, part of the planned high speed high capacity Salerno–Reggio Calabria route. The project, worth around 1.6 billion euros, has been entrusted to the Santomarco consortium, formed by Webuild, Ghella, Impresa Pizzarotti &C and Seli Overseas.
The plan foresees a new 22 kilometre double track line, of which 17 kilometres will run underground and 5 on the surface, crossing the municipalities of Paola, San Lucido, Rende, Montalto Uffugo, San Vincenzo la Costa and San Fili, all in the province of Cosenza. Near the Cosenza side entrance of the tunnel, in the Montalto Uffugo area, a new railway station will be built, connected to the road network and intended to serve not only the local population but also the university hub in Rende.
The Santomarco tunnel is part of a wider programme of works along the entire Salerno–Reggio Calabria axis. Work is already underway on lot 1A Battipaglia–Romagnano, financed in part with resources from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, while authorisation procedures are progressing for lots 1B and 1C, covering the stretches from Romagnano to Buonabitacolo and from Buonabitacolo to Praia.
Rfi has also announced the allocation of 773 million euros for maintenance and renewal of command and control systems within railway signalling. The company has awarded a contract under a three year framework agreement. The works, divided into 38 lots, will allow maximum coverage of interventions across the country. The activities will include the restoration of systems and installations following malfunctions caused by damage, adverse weather or vandalism. The agreement also covers preparatory works in station yards linked to the accelerated Ertms plan, as well as technological upgrades to signalling equipment for train spacing and the renewal of command devices, control cabins and level crossings.
