Italian rail Traction Company has obtained an extension of its single safety certificate, enabling it to operate in Austria and Germany and formally expanding its area of operation beyond Italy’s borders. The authorisation was granted by the European Union Agency for Railways, the body responsible for developing a single European railway area, and represents a significant step for the company’s cross-border activities along one of the continent’s main freight corridors.
The extension of the certificate allows Rtc to carry out rail traction services directly in the two Alpine countries, strengthening operational continuity along the Brenner axis. According to the company, the result forms part of an industrial pathway already under way, which includes the acquisition of locomotives authorised to operate on a substantial portion of the European rail network and the completion of training for drivers qualified to work in Austria. These elements provide the operational basis to address the forthcoming start-up of the Brenner Base Tunnel.
From a regulatory perspective, the opening of the tunnel will require freight trains to run with a single railway undertaking along the entire route, overcoming the current operational fragmentation between different national operators. In this context, extending the operating area to Austria and Germany responds to the need to ensure service continuity and greater efficiency in the management of international connections, reducing traction change times and operational complexity.
Rtc’s strategy also reflects the transformations under way in the European rail freight market, characterised by growing integration of international corridors and increased attention to environmental sustainability. The Brenner axis represents one of the most sensitive points in this process, both in terms of volumes handled and the policies promoting modal shift from road to rail at EU level.
In this scenario, collaboration with Lokomotion plays a central role. The industrial partner is supporting Rtc in preparing for the launch of new cross-border services, within a framework of operational integration that also involves Inrail and is part of the group controlled by Autostrada del Brennero. The latter now ranks as Italy’s second-largest rail freight group, with an industrial model that integrates motorway infrastructure and rail traction.
Founded in February 2000 following the liberalisation of rail transport in Italy and Europe, Rail Traction Company operates in national and international freight transport, providing traction services to logistics operators that organise full trains. Its activities cover both the intermodal segment and the conventional and industrial segment, areas in which cross-border continuity and operational reliability are becoming increasingly decisive factors.
