Although it would be an exaggeration to speak of obstructionism, the French authorities have never appeared, at least outwardly, to prioritise the full and timely reopening of the international Frejus railway. Following the landslide of 10 August 2023 on French territory, Sncf Réseau launched a recovery plan that many have considered overly cautious. Citing technical reasons and safety concerns during the reconstruction, the repair of the line resulted in an almost nineteen-month shutdown. The reopening on 31 March 2025 was limited to high-speed passenger trains, namely Frecciarossa and Tgv. Even the partial resumption of freight services had to wait until the second week of April.
Now a further development suggests a questionable approach to the project timeline management by the French rail network operator. Sncf Réseau had long planned extraordinary maintenance work on the line, including track renewal, which typically has a major impact on train traffic. These works often necessitate partial closures at specific times of day or the unavailability of one of the two running tracks, increasing the risk of numerous train cancellations, especially among freight services.
Despite Sncf Réseau’s past record of efficient extraordinary maintenance through its Suite Rapide programme, this time it seems the timing of the work was not carefully considered. Logically, the maintenance could have been carried out during the prolonged closure, taking advantage of the inactive line and avoiding disruptions to traffic. Instead, it appears that only minor works were completed during the shutdown. The more substantial interventions will now be executed with the line already open, inevitably causing disruptions. Reports suggest that the construction will continue for at least a year.
Compounding the issue is the loss of a significant share of freight traffic, diverted to road transport during the closure and unlikely to be recovered in the short term. This raises questions about the future of the Alpine rail motorway (Afa), the intermodal service operating between the terminals of Orbassano in Italy and Aiton in France. The Rola, mainly used for transporting goods classified as hazardous, has always been subsidised to offset the costs relative to the service tariffs.
These subsidies have expired, and Sncf Réseau has not yet confirmed whether it intends to maintain the service. In addition, any renewed funding must be approved by the authorities in Brussels, making a swift resolution unlikely. According to industry operators, no official confirmation of service suspension has been issued, so the sector remains in a state of uncertainty. In any case, even in the best scenario, a restart of the service is not expected before autumn 2025.
Piermario Curti Sacchi
