(ANSA) Rimini, August 26 - Infrastructure Minister Maurizio
Lupi signed Tuesday an agreement with Italian State Railways
managing Director Michele Elia to link Italy's high-speed train
network to airports in Rome, Milan and Venice at a cost of some
3,000 million euros.
In all, linking the high-speed train network to Rome's
Leonardo da Vinci Airport and Milan's Malpensa Airport will cost
1,000 million euros each with a link to Venice's Tessera Airport
expected to cost slightly less.
"By the end of 2014 we want the feasibility from the FS
(State Railways)," said Lupi, "this is an agreement in line with
the action of the government".
"We have to pass from words to facts and go beyond just
making announcements. It has been shameful that our main
airports were not linked to the high-speed trains".
The first step involves analysis of the plans by
transport ministry officials, to be completed by the end of
February 2015, including designs of the service, as well as
financial arrangements.
The agreement, "was born of the need to facilitate quick and
efficient links between the three airports and major cities, as
happens in other European Union countries, and for the
development of international tourism all over the country," said
Lupi's office Monday in a joint statement with Trenitalia.
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