Editing Rail transport in Italy (section)

==The network==
{{See also|Narrow-gauge railways in Italy}}
[[File:Italy TAV.png|thumb|Map of Italian high-speed and higher speed rail network]]
''[[Rete Ferroviaria Italiana|RFI]]'' (''Rete Ferroviaria Italiana'', Italian Rail Network), a state owned [[Railway infrastructure manager|infrastructure manager]] which administers most of the Italian rail infrastructure. The Italian railway system has a length of {{convert|19394|km|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|18071|km|abbr=on}} [[standard gauge]]. The active lines are {{convert|16723|km|abbr=on}},<ref name=rete_rfi /> of which {{convert|7505|km|abbr=on}} are double tracks.<ref name=rete_rfi /> Italy has 2,507 people and 12.46&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> per kilometre of rail track, giving Italy the world's 13th-largest rail network.<ref name="network-size">Compare [[List of countries by rail transport network size]].</ref>

Lines are divided into 3 categories: 
*''fundamental lines'' (''fondamentali''), which have high traffic and good infrastructure quality, comprise all the main lines between major cities throughout the country. Fundamental lines are {{convert|6460|km|abbr=on}} long;
*''complementary lines'' (''complementari''), which have less traffic and are responsible for connecting medium or small regional centres. Most of these lines are single track and some are not electrified;
*''node lines'' (''di nodo''), which link complementary and fundamental lines near metropolitan areas for a total {{convert|950|km|abbr=on}}.<ref name=rete_rfi />

Most of the Italian network is electrified ({{convert|11921|km|abbr=on}}). The electric system is 3 kV [[Direct Current|DC]] on conventional lines and [[25 kV AC railway electrification|25 kV AC]] on high-speed lines.<ref name=elet_rfi>{{cite web|title=Il sistema di elettrificazione a 25kV c.a.|url=http://www.rfi.it/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=781701f79697b110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD|publisher=RFI Rete Ferroviaria Italiana|access-date=16 November 2011}}</ref>

A major part of the Italian rail network is managed and operated by ''[[Rete Ferroviaria Italiana|RFI]]'' (''Rete Ferroviaria Italiana'', Italian Rail Network). Other regional agencies, mostly owned by public entities such as [[Regions of Italy|regional governments]], operate on the Italian network.

Travellers who often make use of the railway during their stay in Italy might use [[rail pass]]es, such as the European [[Interrail]] / [[Eurail]] passes or Italy's national and regional passes. These rail passes allow travellers the freedom to use regional trains during the validity period, but all high-speed and intercity trains require up to a 15-euro reservation fee.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Domestic train fees per country |url=https://www.eurail.com/en/book-reservations/reservation-fees/domestic-train-reservation-fees |access-date=2024-12-07 |website=Eurail |language=en-US}}</ref> Regional passes, such as "Io viaggio ovunque Lombardia", offer one-day, multiple-day and monthly periods of validity. There are also saver passes for adults, who travel as a group, with savings up to 20%. Foreign travellers should purchase these passes in advance so that the passes can be delivered by post prior to the trip. When using the rail passes, the date of travel needs to be filled in before boarding the trains.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.italiarail.com/rail-passes|title=Rail Passes - ItaliaRail - Italy Train Ticket and Rail Pass Experts|website=italiarail.com}}</ref>
[[File:Main branch map of the Ferrovie Nord Milano railway line.gif|thumb|Map of the main branch of the [[Ferrovie Nord Milano]] lines]]
[[File:Rete Ferrovie Emilia-Romagna.png|thumb|Marked in red, [[Ferrovie Emilia Romagna]]'s railroad network]]

Companies certified to run railways in Italy are:

;From 2000
* [[Ferrovie dello Stato]] S.p. A.
* [[Trenitalia]] S.p. A.

;From 2001
* [[Metronapoli]] S.p. A.
* [[Ferrovie Nord Milano]] Esercizio S.p. A. 
* [[Rail Traction Company]] S.p. A.

;From 2002
* [[Del Fungo Giera Servizi Ferroviari]] S.p. A. 
* [[Gruppo Torinese Trasporti]] S.p. A.(ex [[SATTI]]) 
* [[SERFER Servizi Ferroviari]] S.r.l. 
* [[Hupac]] S.p. A.

;From 2003
* [[Ferrovie Emilia Romagna]] S.r.l. 
* [[La Ferroviaria Italiana]] S.p. A. 
* [[Cargo Nord]] S.r.l. 
* [[Ferrovia Sangritana|Ferrovie Adriatico Sangritana]] S.r.l.
* [[Sistemi Territoriali]] S.p. A.
* [[Strade Ferrate del Mediterraneo]] S.r.l. 
* [[Swiss Rail Cargo Italy]] S.r.l.

;From 2004
* [[SBB Cargo Italia]] S.r.l. 
* [[Ferrovie Nord Cargo]] S.r.l.
* [[Azienda Consorziale Trasporti di Reggio Emilia]]
* [[Ferrovia Alifana e Benevento Napoli]] S.r.l.
* [[Ferrovie Nord Milano]] Trasporti S.r.l.

;From 2005
* [[Trasporto Ferroviario Toscano]] S.p. A. (La Ferroviaria Italiana S.p. A.)
* [[Ferrovie Centrali Umbre]] S.r.l. 
* [[Railion Italia]] S.r.l. (ex S.F.M.) 
* [[Rail One]] S.p. A. 
* [[Azienda Trasporti Collettivi e Mobilità]] S.p. A. 
* [[A.T.C. Bologna]] S.p. A. 
* [[Monferail]] S.r.l.

;From 2006
* SAD - Trasporto Locale S.p.A.
* [[Nord Cargo]] S.r.l. (ex Ferrovie Nord Cargo S.r.l.)
* [[Arenaways]] S.p.A.