One track on the Milan–Bologna high-speed line has been reopened. Delays of over two hours and cancellations
The cause is believed to be a fault on the power line. Trains are at a standstill in the Lodi area without air conditioning. Services are gradually resuming
by Marco Morino
It was another day of frustration for those who travelled by train today, Wednesday 17 June 2026, along one of Italia’s most important rail routes: the Milan–Bologna high-speed line. A fault on the overhead line, which occurred at around 10.20 am between Milan Rogoredo and Piacenza, led to the cancellation of services and delays of up to two hours. From the early hours of the morning until the early afternoon, numerous Frecciarossa and Italo trains suffered significant delays, whilst several services were cancelled altogether. To minimise disruption, trains were diverted onto the conventional line, but the reduced capacity inevitably led to a knock-on effect of delays along the entire north-south route. Regional trains were also affected.
And the Minister for Transport, Matteo Salvini, is reportedly annoyed with Trenitalia’s senior management, from whom – according to reports – he has requested a detailed report on the incident as well as a clear timeline for a return to normality. The minister is also said to have requested regular updates and checks on efficiency and punctuality for the coming summer period.
An electrical fault on the Milan–Bologna high-speed line caused a brush fire along the tracks. The fire brigade responded in force, deploying two fire engines and two wildfire-fighting units. The flames were contained and extinguished, but in the meantime the disruption brought rail services to a standstill.
There have been severe disruption at Bologna station, with hundreds of passengers waiting to find out what will happen to their journeys. A Frecciarossa train (the 9311 bound for Turin) was 280 minutes late. Delays of up to 300 minutes were also reported for an Italo train from Naples, which was due to arrive at Milano Centrale at 10.45 but reached its destination just before 4 pm. Other trains also experienced delays of more than two hours. Trenitalia has arranged for full refunds on tickets.
The Italo incident deserves a chapter of its own. The train was brought to a halt on the outskirts of Lodi, in the middle of the countryside. It was impossible to get off; the air conditioning was switched off, and the toilets’ electric doors were jammed, as were the carriage doors. The train manager was more than a little flustered: ‘I haven’t heard anything; all I know is that they’re trying to sort it out,’ she tells the passengers. At one point, the crew realise the situation is becoming unmanageable and manually open the toilet doors (‘but the flush operated by the electric button obviously isn’t working – you’ll have to sort it out yourselves’). But that’s not all; someone in another carriage is feeling unwell: “Is there a doctor or nurse on board?” The air conditioning comes back on too, but at 1.20 pm the train is still stationary. The train then backtracks to Piacenza (a 10-minute journey) before moving onto another track to reach Milan (one hour): three and a quarter hours have now passed.
