Spanish-Italian JV picked for €650m railway round Mount Etna
The project is part of the 110km Ferrovia Circumetnea that circles Mount Etna near the city of Catania. It was built in 1898, and is operated by a company of the same name that is separate from Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, which runs the rest of the island’s network.
SIS, a joint venture between Turin-based investment company Fininc and Spanish public–private partnership specialist Sacyr, will share the project, with the former owning 51% of the equity.
The line will run through the city of Catania in eastern Sicily, from Misterbianco station and the Ardizzone tunnel. This element is worth €532m. There will be an additional 900m section from the tunnel to Paternò station, which is expected to cost €113m.
Altogether, the line will have four underground sections and above-ground sections; including five stations: Giaconia, Belpasso, Valcorrente, Gullotta and Paternò. There will also be two train sheds.
