Excavation of the 2km-long Polcevera ventilation tunnel – part of the Terzo Valico dei Giovi–Genoa Junction Single Project in Italy – has been completed.
COSSI Costruzioni (Webuild Group) used a traditional method and worked on four fronts simultaneously to construct the tunnel.
The company, which is delivering the project for RFI (FS Italiane Group), said the approach optimised timing while ensuring high operational and safety standards.
Work on the tunnel, which began in late October 2024, had to overcome significant technical and logistical challenges. The first excavation front passed 18m beneath the Genova–Milan railway while the line remained in service.
To optimise the schedule, from February 2025 two additional excavation fronts were opened, operating simultaneously in opposite directions along the tunnel axis. At the same time, a fourth excavation front focused on enlarging the tunnel section and creating underground chambers to house the future ventilation system.
The Terzo Valico dei Giovi–Genoa Junction Single Project is part of the European Rhine-Alpine Corridor of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), one of the continent’s busiest routes. The project is designed to enhance connectivity between Ligurian ports, northern Italy’s industrial base, and the rest of Europe.
Once completed, it will reduce travel time between Genoa and Milan to approximately 50 minutes, increasing both capacity and network reliability. The project will interconnect with the existing railway at Voltri, Genova Parco Campasso, Novi Ligure, and Tortona.
