Torino Porta Nuova railway station

Torino Porta Nuova
View of the station building.
Location
Address Corso Vittorio Emanuele II
10125 Torino TO
Comune Turin
Province Turin
Region Piedmont
Country Italy
Line(s) Turin–Milan (high speed)
Turin–Milan (traditional)
Turin–Genoa
Turin–Modane, France
Turin–Torre Pellice
Turin Metro Line M1
Other information
Opened 1861 (1861)
Platforms 20
Owner Rete Ferroviaria Italiana
Manager Grandi Stazioni
Line operator(s) Trenitalia
Services
Connections
Metropolitana di Torino
Rete tranviaria di Torino
Urban, suburban and airport
Location map
Torino Porta Nuova railway station
Torino Porta Nuova railway station (Italy)

Torino Porta Nuova station is currently the main railway station of Turin. It is the third busiest station in Italy for passenger flow after Rome Termini and Milan Central, with about 192,000 journeys per day and 70 million travellers a year and a total of about 350 trains per day.[1] It is a terminal station, with trains arriving perpendicularly to the facade. The station is centrally located at the intersection of the streets of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Piazza Carlo Felice. A station on the Turin Subway (Metropolitana di Torino) has been built under the main station.

Trains between Turin and Milan start or finish at the station, including services using the Turin–Milan high-speed line. A rebuilt Porta Susa station is expected to become Turin's main station at the end of 2011.

Contents

History

Construction of the station began in 1861 under the direction of Alexander Mazzucchetti. The original structure included a clear distinction between the departure area (near Via Nizza) and the arrival area (near Via Sacchi). The departure area consisted of a large saloon, decorated with columns, stucco work and frescoes depicting the crests of 135 Italian cities showing their distance in kilometers from Turin. This building housed the ticket office, three waiting rooms (one for each of the three classes of railway travel), the Royal Hall and a cafe restaurant.

The station was officially inaugurated for the first time on 4 February 2009: in fact it was first opened to the public in December 1864—although the work was completed in 1868—without an official opening ceremony, partly because the capital of Italy had just been moved from Turin to Florence.[2] Enzo Ferrari 'frequented the Bar Del Nord, at Porta Nuova" where he met those connected with automobiles and racing when he was working in Torino as a young man, circa 1918-1919. Whether the bar is still there or not needs verification.

A station on the Turin Metro (Metropolitana di Torino) opened under the main station on 5 October 2007.

Upgrading

The station has been included in the program of upgrading of the main Italian stations, by Grandi Stazioni, a subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato. In the first stage of regeneration completed on 4 February 2009, 44,146 square metres of the 92,747 square meter area of the station buildings was redeveloped. The areas allocated to services for passengers, dining, shopping, culture and leisure was increased considerably.

Structure

The station is built on several levels. An underground level is occupied by local divisions of FS and businesses. The platforms are on the ground floor, along with passenger lounges and associated services for passengers and commercial activities. On the upper floors are offices and a post office.

Torino Porta Nuova Metro Station

Starting in 2006, when the Turin Metro was opened, the Torino Porta Nuova Metro Station has also served as one of the busiest metro stations in Torino. When the southern expansion of the Torino Metro is opened on March 6, 2011, the Torino metro will include 6 new stations running south along Via Nizza and connecting Porta Nuova with Lingotto.

See also

References

External links

Media related to Torino Porta Nuova railway station at Wikimedia Commons