FS Italy: EUR 20B Rail Digitalization & ERTMS Transformation

Introduction

Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) will invest EUR 20 billion in rail digitalisation projects over the next ten years, according to an announcement made by CEO Stefano Antonio Donnarumma.

Digitalisation Investment

Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) plans to invest EUR 20 billion in rail digitalisation projects over the next decade. This investment was announced by FS CEO Stefano Antonio Donnarumma during the presentation of the 2026 Strategic Report by the Centre for Digital Economy. The investment will focus on installing the ERTMS onboard “10,000 trains that travel 17,000 km of network every day.”

ERTMS Implementation

A key objective of the FS Strategic Plan involves the installation of the ERTMS across the entire extended core network of the TEN-T. This upgrade will also be applied to rolling stock. FS intends to install the ERTMS on 382 Trenitalia trains and 60 FS Logistix locomotives in the coming years. By 2030, the goal is to equip the entire Trenitalia fleet, which comprises around 2,000 trains. The plan extends to the FS Logistix fleet, aiming for complete installation by 2033.

Interoperability and Service Quality

Stefano Antonio Donnarumma highlighted that installing the ERTMS on trains and along the network is crucial for ensuring interoperability between onboard and infrastructure technologies. This integration is expected to significantly improve service quality.

Digitalisation and Data Management

Donnarumma emphasized the importance of digitalisation and artificial intelligence in rail transport management. Approximately 10,000 trains operate daily in Italy, transporting over 2 million passengers, which equates to over 570 million passengers annually. Each passenger generates numerous data points, and each train generates hundreds of data points hourly. Digitalisation is considered essential for efficiently managing rail transport due to these high volumes of data.

Conclusion

Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) will invest EUR 20 billion in rail digitalisation projects over the next decade, with a focus on ERTMS installation and advanced data management. The company aims to equip its entire Trenitalia fleet with ERTMS by 2030 and the FS Logistix fleet by 2033.

Company Summary

Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS): Italian state-owned holding company that operates within the railway and transport sectors.

Trenitalia: A subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) that operates passenger train services in Italy.

FS Logistix: A subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) that focuses on logistics and freight transport.

Technology

ERTMS: European Rail Traffic Management System is a signaling and train control system designed to replace the many different signaling systems currently used by European railways.