Italy brings new super train to Austria

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On Friday, Italian State Railways (FS—Ferrovie dello Stato) unveiled its latest high-speed train, the “Frecciarossa 1000.” The train, which can reach speeds of over 300 kilometers per hour, is capable of operating not only in Italy but also on seven European rail networks in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Spain.

The new train will officially go into service this coming Sunday. With an investment of over €1.3 billion, 36 Frecciarossa 1000 trains will be delivered, with an option for a further ten and a delivery schedule of an average of ten trains per year until 2029. The new Frecciarossa 1000 trains were designed by Hitachi Rail and built at its production facilities in Pistoia and Naples.

Up to 300 km/h

The new trains can reach a top speed of 300 km/h and are approved for 360 km/h. They also feature an advanced traction system that improves their efficiency. Electric motors are also used to reduce energy consumption to a minimum. There are also innovations in the interior and on-board instruments.

“Modernizing the train fleet to ensure an increasingly modern, innovative, and sustainable service is one of the key objectives of the FS Group’s 2025-2029 strategic plan,” explained railway boss Stefano Antonio Donnarumma at the train’s presentation on Friday.

Constructive cooperation with ÖBB

Railway boss Donnarumma emphasized the constructive cooperation with ÖBB. “We work very well with our Austrian colleagues; we plan to bring trains from Italy to Berlin, just as we travel to Paris, and hope to be able to travel to London through the tunnel. We are already active in Spain, Germany, and Greece. We are setting no limits on our growth in Europe,” said the railway chief.

“That’s why we are working on a larger project for a European rail network to connect the major European cities. We could never do this alone, but by working with other international operators, we can make it happen,” said Donnarumma.

Ferrovie dello Stato currently transports around 230 million passengers abroad each year. International revenues amounted to €3 billion in 2024, with total revenues of €16.5 billion. Over the next five years, the number of passengers abroad is expected to increase by 40 percent.