After many years of political discussions and delays in planning and subsequent construction, Line 2 of the Florence tram has finally been brought closer to the historic city centre: Since 25 January 2025, it has been running over a new 2.5 km route from Alamanni Stazione central station to Fortezza on the tracks of line 1 and from there over a new 2.5 km route with five stops to San Marco Università. The previous terminus Unità will no longer be served in future. A network map can be found here: LINK.
The new tram line, the so-called Variante Alternativa Centro Storico, or VACS for short, was inaugurated and opened to passengers in the presence of the Mayor of Florence, Sara Funaro. This milestone was preceded by a test phase in which the entire vehicle fleet was trialled without passengers on the line.
There are currently no plans to integrate the tram even closer to the centre of the old town – this was the subject of public debate for a very long time. Instead, Line 2 will branch off from the Libertà Parterre intermediate station on the new line and continue to the south-east of Florence as far as Bagno a Ripoli – where a new depot will also be built.
A consortium led by CMB Società Cooperativa Muratori e Braccianti di Carpi, in which Hitachi Rail, Alstom, MERMEC STE (part of the MERMEC Group) and Com.net are involved, has been entrusted with the work on the overall project. The concession from the City of Florence covers the design, construction, supply of rolling stock and management of several lines of the Florentine tramway.
As part of the consortium, CMB is responsible for the technical management and coordination of all infrastructure works (civil works). As part of the future extension of the line, this also includes the construction of the new tram depot with workshop in Bagno a Ripoli as well as a new bridge over the Arno for car traffic. Hitachi Rail coordinated the planning of the other work and is supplying both the safety technology, including the signalling and route location system, and the vehicles, which have traction batteries for running on sections without overhead lines. Alstom is responsible for the construction of the tracks, overhead lines, substations and lighting.
The city’s first modern tram line was opened in 2010 as line T1. The first 5.3 km section of line T2, Unità – Peretola-Aeroporto, started operation on 11 February 2019; line T2 now continues to San Marco Università. The frequency is 4 to 5 minutes during rush hours.
27.01.2025
