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TRAVEL NEWS

Mont Blanc tunnel to close for several weeks

The Mont Blanc tunnel, which runs between France and Italy, will close to all traffic for 15 weeks for the first phase of a major renovation project starting in September.

Published: 26 August 2024 13:43 CEST
The Mont Blanc tunnel
The Mont Blanc tunnel. (Photo by JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT / AFP)

The tunnel will close to traffic at 5pm on September 2nd, and it will not reopen until 5pm on December 16th.

This date of closure and its duration were chosen following a meeting between the Prefect of Haute-Savoie and the President of the Aosta Valley region, according to TMB, the Franco-Italian company responsible for managing the tunnel.

“The autumn period was chosen because of its lower traffic volumes, particularly for light vehicles, the tunnel’s main users. Light vehicles accounted for 68 percent of total traffic in 2023,” the company said in a press release.

During the works, heavy goods vehicles travelling from France will be diverted to the Fréjus tunnel in Savoie. Remaining traffic will use the Fréjus tunnel and the Grand and Petit Saint-Bernard, Mont Cenis and Montgenèvre Alpine passes.

What about people who have bought multiple tickets?

Drivers have to pay to travel through the tunnel and many opt to buy multiple tickets at a reduced price (10 or 20 journeys). Holders who have valid passes when the tunnel closes have no need to do anything. Their tickets will still be valid when the tunnel reopens and the time period they will remain valid for will be extended, the company that operates the tunnel said. 

Why is it closing?

During the works, a 600m stretch of the tunnel’s vault will be renovated. If the work is considered a success, a second 15-week renovation phase on another 600m stretch of the tunnel is planned for 2025.

Work on the vault is the next stage of the renovation process for the 11.6km tunnel that connects France and Italy.

Since 2018, it has regularly been closed overnight to renovate the structure supporting the carriageway. The final phase of that renovation phase was completed at the end of June 2024.

“These test worksites will enable us to identify the best operating mode, in particular the duration, the technology employed, the impact of closure over a long period and on alternative routes”, TMB’s press release continued.

If the test works are successful, the French and Italian governments will discuss the next steps – options include total closure of the tunnel for four years to renovate the vault along the entire tunnel, or annual four-month closures for up to 18 years to carry out works.

Member comments

  1. It’s amazing that a tunnel that was closed for four years after the fire in 1999 needs a full renovation so soon. Perhaps it would be more honest if they just admitted that there was asbestos in the tunnel, as has been reported on Italian logistics websites and as most people who live near the tunnel already know, but then one would have to hold somebody accountable

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TRAVEL NEWS

The tram and metro closures to expect in Rome in autumn 2024

With preparations underway for the 2025 Jubilee, all of Rome’s tram lines are scheduled to shut for seven weeks this autumn, with the Metro A line also set to be subject to closures and limitations.

Published: 29 August 2024 11:50 CEST
The tram and metro closures to expect in Rome in autumn 2024

As Rome prepares itself for an influx of millions of additional tourists for the upcoming 2025 Jubilee year, the city is carrying out substantial work on its public transport system.

In particular, the 100-year-old Porta Maggiore tram depot will be upgraded to accommodate the city’s new 33-metre trams, according to Rome’s public transport operator Atac.

All 27 stops on the city’s most popular line, Metro A, are also undergoing renovations as part of a €55-million investment that will see some of the stations fitted with a ‘vertical forest’ wall, new LED lights and overhead mirrors.

Rome’s Transport Councillor Eugenio Patanè said the interventions are “fundamental to allow public transport to return to its full efficiency”.

Here’s what to look out for this month:

Trams

September 1st to September 15th: Line 3 will only run from Porta Maggiore to Valle Giulia, with replacement bus services operating between Trastevere station and Porta Maggiore.

Line 5 services on the Via Prenestina-Piazza dei Gerani section will be replaced by bus 519. 

Line 8 will be completely replaced by buses.

Lines 2 and 14 will be running as usual.

September 16th to November 3rd: All of Rome’s tram lines will be out of service and replaced by buses, according to Atac.

Closures will last longer for lines 2, 5 and 8, which will be completely out of service until December 1st.

Metro

The Ottaviano stop, on the Metro A line, is scheduled to reopen on September 9th after closing for renovation work on July 22nd.

The Spagna stop, on the same line, will reopen on October 3rd after being closed for over two months.

The Furio Camillo stop, once again on the Metro A line, will remain closed until November 6th.

Metro A services will continue to end at 9.00pm instead of 11.30pm from Sunday to Thursday until December 5th. Replacement buses are already in service.

Public transport strikes

Multiple nationwide public transport strikes have been called for the coming weeks, with the first walkout planned for Sunday, September 8th. 

These protests may affect the normal operation of Rome’s public transport network.

However, under Italian law, public transport companies are required to guarantee a number of essential services (servizi minimi) during walkouts. 

These generally run at peak commute times, meaning that, even in the case of highly disruptive strikes, commuters can still reach their destination (though services may be far more crowded than usual). 

For more information on Rome’s public transport closures, see the Atac website.

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