Mercato San Severino
The Salerno-Mercato San Severino railway line
The Salerno-Mercato San Severino railway line is a non-electrified single-track railway that runs along the Irno Valley in the Campania region. The line was opened on January 14, 1902, as planned by the Baccarini law. In 1967, passenger rail service was suspended, while freight service remained active as a branch line. In 1990, the railway line was reopened as a suburban service, thanks to the relocation of the University of Salerno to the new campus in Fisciano.
History
The Salerno-Mercato San Severino railway line was already planned by the Baccarini law. On January 14, 1902, the line was opened and was only used for the transportation of goods. In 1967, passenger rail service was suspended, while freight service remained as a branch line. In 1990, the line was reopened as a suburban service, thanks to the University of Salerno's relocation to the new campus in Fisciano. A new station was created in Salerno Irno and later, in 2021, the station became an unstaffed stop and the Central Operations Manager was transferred to Naples.
Future Projects
Since the reopening of the Salerno-Mercato San Severino railway line, there has been a need to connect the University of Salerno campus area. In 2002, the "Baronissi-Università-Piazza di Pandola-Mercato San Severino" "track variant" was proposed, which was later explored and compared. Among the various projects for the connection, it has been proposed to create a railway branch or a people mover that directly connects the university to the Fisciano Station, with transshipment for passengers. The construction of two different "track variants" has also been evaluated. All these projects provide for the modernization of the entire infrastructure and electrification of the line.
Characteristics
The Salerno-Mercato San Severino railway line is a single non-electrified track, which includes the presence of regional trains in Italy, such as the Salerno-Avellino-Benevento and trains of the "Circumsalernitana" that stop at Salerno-Nocera Inferiore.
Notes
Bibliography
The Italian Railway Network, line 128 booklet, has released a technical sheet regarding the Salerno-Mercato San Severino railway line. Additionally, the magazine "I Treni" published an article titled "From Salerno to the East" in February 2000, which talks about this railway line.
Other Projects
For more information about the Salerno-Mercato San Severino railway line, informative material can be found on the official website of the Italian Railway Network.
