Milan–Domodossola railway

Simplon Tunnel at the northern end of the line

Domodossola station

Legend To Zermatt/Lausanne To Bern via Lötschberg Base Tunnel To Bern via Lötschberg Tunnel Brig (SBB-CFF-FFS/MGB) To Disentis/Mustér via Furka Oberalp Bahn Simplon Tunnel (20 km)/ Italian–Swiss border Iselle Tunnel (169 m) 0,00 Iselle Trasquera Tunnel (1.712 m) Varzo Spiral Tunnel (2.966 m) 0,00 Varzo Varzo Tunnel (81 m) Mognatta Tunnel (422 m) Gabbio Mollo Tunnel (568 m) San Giovanni Tunnel (425 m) Rio Rido–Preglia Tunnel (2.266 m) 0,00 Preglia 0.00 Domodossola / To Locarno To Novara Toce River Domodossola line 13,00 Vogogna Ossola 16,00 Premosello 20,00 Cuzzago To Novara 27,00 Mergozzo 30,00 Verbania-Pallanza Toce River 35,00 Baveno 39,00 Stresa 45,00 Belgirate 47,00 Lesa 51,00 Meina Arona To Santhià, Novara 61,00 Dormelletto From Novara Ticino River 65,00 Sesto Calende From Luino Autostrada A8/A26—European route E62 71,00 Vergiate 75,00 Somma Lombardo 78,00 Casorate Sempione From Luino From Varese and Porto Ceresio Gallarate 89,00 Busto Arsizio FNM Saronno-Novara line 94,00 Legnano 97,00 Canegrate 99,00 Parabiago 104,00 Vanzago-Pogliano From Turin 108,00 Rho Milan western ring road—European route E35–E62 Autostrada A4—Strada Europea E64 8+856 Rho Fiera Milano * 12.2008 Autostrada A8 116,00 Milano Certosa To Passante and Milano Porta Garibaldi Milan–Saronno railway Milan–Asso railway To Chiasso, Verona, Venice, Bologna and Genoa 125,00 Milano Centrale

The Domodossola–Milan railway line is a major Italian railway route and an important part of the European rail network. It is one of Italy's busiest lines for both passenger and freight trains. The line connects Milan and Domodossola with Brig, an important Swiss railway junction, via the Simplon Tunnel. Direct passenger trains run from Brig to Paris (via Lausanne), Geneva and Brussels (via Basel and Luxembourg). The line runs through lower Varese Province, the valley of Ossola and along the shore of Lake Maggiore.

History

The line was completed to Gallarate in the early 1860s and was extended over the Ticino River in 1882, reaching Domodossola in 1888. The Simplon Tunnel was completed and the line extended to it from Domodossola in 1906; it was duplicated in 1922.^[1] It was part of the Società per le strade ferrate dell'Alta Italia (Upper Italian Railways) from 1865, the Società per le Strade Ferrate del Mediterraneo (Mediterranean Railway Company) from 1885 and Ferrovie dello Stato from 1905.

Route

The line is fully electrified at 3,000 volts DC and is double track. In some stretches between Arona and Domodossola, the two tracks are not adjacent: the southbound line towards Milan runs directly along the shore of Lake Maggiore; the northbound line towards Domodossola is located a little inland because of the local geography. At Domodossola the electrification system changes to the Swiss system of 15,000 volts AC 16.7 Hz for the Simplon Tunnel.

The regional passenger rail service is operated by Trenord. The section between Gallarate and Milan is also served by suburban line S5. The railway is also served by long distance Eurocity and EuroNight trains, as well as the high-speed Cisalpino trains, which connect Milan to the Swiss cities of Lausanne, Geneva, Bern and Basel.

The Domodossola–Milan line is also used by freight trains operated by Trenitalia Cargo, SBB Cargo Italia and other private companies.

The line passes through the metropolitan area to the north-west of Milan, across the plain towards Gallarate. It continues through the forests of lower Varese Province towards Lake Maggiore. After Sesto Calende it crosses the Ticino River on an iron bridge, which was opened to traffic in 1882. State Highway 33 (the Milan–Simplon Pass road) uses the same bridge, above the railway. From Arona, the line largely runs along the western shore of Lake Maggiore, keeping above the shore, passing through the major tourist town of Stresa. After Baveno, it enters the Toce plain and runs for about 30 km up the Ossola valley to Domodossola. It then approaches the Simplon Tunnel through nine tunnels including the 2,966 metre-long Varzo Tunnel, which is built as a spiral in order to gain height.

References

1. ^ Kalla-Bishop, P. M. (1971). Italian Railways. Newton Abbott, Devon, England: David & Charles. p. 61.