Milan Transportation System

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The Milan transportation system (Italian: Rete metropolitana di Milano) is the transport network of Milan, Italy. It connects the city with the rest of Lombardy and with the national railway system. The network is composed by the Subway (Milan Metro - M lines), the Suburban Railway Service (S lines), the Urban Railway Service (Metro-S), and the Regional Railway Service (R lines).

Logos of Milan's transportation system
Logos of Milan's transportation system

Contents

[edit] Subway (Milan Metro)

Milan Metro
Locale Milan
Transit type Rapid transit
Began operation 1964
System length 76 km (47 mi)
No. of lines 3
No. of stations 86
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) (standard gauge)
Map of the Milan metro.
Map of the Milan metro.
  • Line M1 Red - 24.9 km - 37 stations
  • Line M2 Green - 34 km - 33 stations
  • Line M3 Yellow - 13.7 km - 17 stations
  • Metrò San Raffaele Gobba/S.Raffaele (people mover) - 0.7 km - 2 stations

[edit] Technical details

Lines M2 and M3 of the Milan Metro use overhead lines to supply the electric current to the train. Line M1 uses a special system with two third rails, although the same line also uses overhead lines in its northern stretch. The track gauge for all lines is 1435 mm.

[edit] History

Proposals for a subway system in Milan were made as early as 1848, for a horse-drawn tramway. Other projects were drawn up in 1914 and 1925. In 1938 planning actually proceeded for actual construction of a system of 7 lines, but this too halted after the start of World War II. Construction finally began in 1957.

In 1906, an Elevated Light Rail was built for the World's Fair Exhibition. The line linked the two main areas of the Fair between the Piazza d'Armi and the Arena Stadium close to the city centre. The line was dismantled 8 years later. It can be considered as the first Italian electric public transport line totally independent from other railway lines.

The first line (Line M1) of the subway was opened in Milan in 1964 after 7 years of work, from Lotto to Sesto Marelli (21 stations). In 1969 the second line (Line M2) from Caiazzo to Cascina Gobba (7 stations) was opened. In the 1960s and 1970s the network of 2 lines was completed, and both lines have 2 different spurs. Line M1 has a west branch from Pagano Station, and Line M2 has an east branch from Cascina Gobba to Gessate, running far away in the metropolitan area with 10 stations.

In 1990 the third line (Line M3) was opened, with 5 stations. The other 9 stations on Line M3 opened to the southeast in 1991, and northwest to Maciachini Station in 2004.

In 1997 opened the Passante Ferroviario, an underground railway line of 11 km, with 9 stations, where different trains run (Trenitalia and FNM).

Finally, in 1999 a shuttle line based on a people mover system opened between Cascina Gobba station and the San Raffaele Hospital, called Metrò San Raffaele (light green) with 2 stations.

In March 2005 the Line M2 station at Abbiategrasso (south branch from Famagosta) opened.

The Line M1 station of Rho-Fiera Milano also opened to passengers on 30 March 2005 (just before Regional Elections on 3-4 April), but it was closed again on 3 April, and re-opened in September 2005. The intermediate station of Pero (between Molino Dorino and Rho-Fiera) opened on December 2005.

[edit] The future network

[edit] Expansions

  • Line M1 from Sesto 1° Maggio to Monza Bettola - 2.0 km with intermediate station at Sesto Restellone (2009).
  • Line M2 from Famagosta to Forum di Assago - 4.7 km with intermediate station at Milanofiori Nord/Rozzano (2007).
  • Line M3 from Maciachini to Comasina - 4.0 km with intermediate stations at Dergano, Affori Centro and Affori Nord (2008).

[edit] Long-term Expansions

  • Line M1 will be extended from Bisceglie to Baggio neighborhood; 3 km with intermediate station at Valsesia.
  • Line M2 will be extended from Cologno Nord to Vimercate Centro; 7 km with 4 or 5 stations.
  • Line M2 will have a new station called C.na Melghera between Cascina Burrona and Cernusco S/N stations.
  • Line M3 will be extended south-east from San Donato Milanese to Paullo; 6 km with intermediate stations in the city of San Donato, Peschiera Borromeo and Mediglia.
  • The North-West branch of Line M1, from Rho-Fiera/TAV to Pagano, could be transformed into an independent Line, and then extended south to Sant'Ambrogio station on M2

[edit] Planned Lines

Since Milan won the bid for the World Exposition in 2015, the city received special funds for the construction of the new lines, which are going to be completed between 2010 and 2012.

  • Line M4 (light blue)

It will run from the western suburb of Lorenteggio to the eastern side of the city to Linate Airport Line approved from Italian Government in March 2006. The first stage will be under construction from mid 2007 from San Cristoforo station to Crocetta M3. The second stage will be built from Crocetta to Linate Airport after 2010. A south-eastern branch was projected running from Forlanini station to Santa Giulia new neighborhood. On the other side the line will be extended from San Cristoforo to Corsico, Cesano Boscone and Trezzano sul Naviglio suburbs.

  • Line M5 (purple)

The first half of the line will run from Garibaldi station (links with Line M2 and "Passante Ferroviario") north to Monza city centre. The construction of the first part of the Line, from Garibaldi to Cà Granda, with intermediate stations at Isola, Zara, Marche, Istria, started in October 2007. The second part of Line M5, from Cà Granda to Bignami, will have an intermediate station at Bicocca Università II°. The second part of Line M5, from Bignami to Monza, will have stations at Sesto Parco Nord, Cinisello Valtellina, Monza Bettola, Monza Centro.

After the merge of the former plans for the lines M5 and M6, the new project for the line M6 will be planned as a separation from the northern branch of line M1, in order to relieve it of the expected amount of visitors travelling to the World Exposition pavilion. The line will be separated from Pagano station, going to Baggio on the west and Tibaldi on the south.

  • People Mover/Monorail

In the summer 2006 was presented the project about a monorail people-mover on the southern side of the city, running from the I..E.O. along Via Ripamonti to the district of Gratosoglio.

[edit] Suburban Railway Service (S Lines)

S-lines of Milan
S-lines of Milan

The Suburban Railway Service (called S) consists of 8 lines that connect Milan to the greater metropolitan area:

  • S1 Milano Porta Vittoria - Saronno
  • S2 Milano Porta Vittoria - Mariano
  • S3 Milano Cadorna - Saronno
  • S4 Milano Cadorna - Camnago-Lentate
  • S5 Varese - Milano - Pioltello
  • S6 Milano Porta Vittoria - Novara
  • S9 Milano San Cristoforo - Seregno
  • S10 Milano Bovisa - Milano Porta Vittoria
  • Total 338 km (at January 2005)

[edit] Expansions

In the 2008 the "S" network will be completed and extended. The 10 Lines will be:

  • S1 Saronno - Milano - Lodi
  • S2 Mariano Comense - Milano - Pavia
  • S3 Saronno - Milano Cadorna
  • S4 Camnago - Milano Cadorna
  • S5 Varese - Milano - Pioltello
  • S6 Novara - Milano - Treviglio
  • S7 Milano Garibaldi - Besana - Lecco
  • S8 Milano Garibaldi - Carnate/Usmate - Lecco
  • S9 Usmate - Milano San Cristoforo - Mortara
  • S10 Milano Bovisa - Milano Porta Vittoria

[edit] Ferrovie Nord Milano

Main article: Ferrovie Nord Milano

Ferrovie Nord Milano ("Northern Milan Railways") is the second busiest railway company of Italy. The city terminal for all 6 Lines is the Cadorna Station (in Milan city centre), linked to Lines M1 and M2 of the Subway.

The FNM Network is long more than 310 Kilometers, with 120 stations and 750 trains per day (frequency of 3 minutes in the morning and evening rush hours). In the year 2004 the FNM transported more than 51 millions of passengers.

Ferrovie Nord Milano (FNM) Lines:

  • Milano Cadorna - Como Lago
  • Milano Cadorna - Novara
  • Milano Cadorna - Varese/Lago Maggiore
  • Milano Cadorna - Canzo/Asso
  • Milano Cadorna - Mariano Comense
  • Milano Cadorna - Malpensa International Airport (Malpensa Express)

The FNM has six stations in the city of Milan:

  • Cadorna
  • Domodossola - Fiera Polo Urbano
  • Bovisa
  • Quarto Oggiaro
  • Affori Nord
  • Bruzzano

[edit] See also

[edit] External links