Milan-Naples High-Speed Line, Florence Bypass
The Florence High Speed Rail Bypass is a critical part of the new High Speed/High Capacity rail line, featuring two parallel underground tunnels that run for approximately 7.47 kilometers beneath the city.
These tunnels are located approximately 20 meters below the surface and are designed to facilitate the passage of high-speed trains without interfering with regional and local traffic. The project also includes the construction of the new Firenze Belfiore station, located about 1 kilometer from Santa Maria Novella. This station will serve as a major interchange, connecting high-speed trains with the city’s tram and bus networks.
The excavation of the tunnels employs two advanced Earth Pressure Balance Tunnel Boring Machines (EPB TBMs), each with a diameter of about 9.4 meters. These machines start the excavation from the south entrance near Firenze Campo di Marte station and continue towards the North, ending between the Firenze Rifredi and Firenze Castello stations. The mechanized excavation process ensures precision and safety, minimizing the impact on the surface and the surrounding urban environment. The excavation of these tunnels takes place below the groundwater table and within a heterogeneous soil, presenting significant engineering challenges.
This underground structure will greatly enhance the efficiency of Florence's rail network by allowing high-speed trains to bypass the congested surface-level tracks. This separation of long-distance, regional, and freight traffic will improve the regularity and capacity of the entire system, particularly along the Firenze Rifredi-Firenze Campo di Marte section.
