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Italy to Get Private Rail by 2011

July 16, 2008 at 4:30 PM | 0 Comments

Given the effectiveness of its government, Italy seems like an ideal candidate for private enterprise. But when it comes to the rail service there, we've honestly never been less than impressed. So we're a little surprised to learn that a new private company, Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori, will start running daily trips around Italy by 2011.

NTV plans to use so-called AGV trains developed in France, which are basically next-generation TGVs. In other words, they're fast. A trip from Rome to Milan--which today takes four-and-a-half hours--will be cut to just over three hours. The long haul from Rome to Venice will be shortened by 15 minutes.

Interestingly, the trains will run on existing tracks, which leaves us wondering which service will have priority, the private or the public. Two things the new NTV trains will offer that's certainly new? Internet connections and on-demand TV.

Related Stories:
· NTV [Official Site]
· Private Rail Service Starting in Italy [AP, via]
· Train Travel coverage [Jaunted]