(Sept. 12) – The Group FS Italiane has confirmed its interest to participate in the tender project “Trem Bala” (bullet train) the first high-speed line of Brazil. The new infrastructure, more than 500 kilometers of tracks, of which more than 190 of tunnels and viaducts, will connect, using 300 km/h trains, to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo to Campinas, a city that hosts one the major airports of the country. The official announcement of FS Italiane took place during the first public consultation of the ANTT. Today’s meeting has initiated a series of meetings between stakeholders of the project to be held in seven cities touched by the line: Rio de Janeiro, Redonda/Mansa, Sao Jose Dos Campos, São Paulo, Campinas, Campinas. The project, worth 33 billion reais (13 billion euros), is divided into two stages, plus another one dedicated to engineering. The first one, which would be participated by the Group FS, is to select a dealer (Operation & Maintenance) also responsible for the provision of technology, signaling, power supply and telecommunications. The dealer will also manage the revenues from real estate development of the line and new stations. After this part will follow an intermediate stage of preliminary and final design, where FS Italiane would be present with Italferr, the engineering company of the Group. The project will end with the second phase dedicated to the construction of the line and infrastructure. The Brazilian government has estimated that 46 million passengers will travel high-speed railway in 2024, and the number is expected to grow to 69 million over the next decade. (red)
