Ionian Railway

The Ionian Railway (Ferrovia Jonica) is an Italian 472-kilometre (293-mile) long railway line that connects Taranto, with Sibari, Crotone and Reggio Calabria. The route operates through the regions of Apulia, Basilicata and Calabria. The route largely follows the coast of the Ionian Sea.

Ionian Railway
Train along the line in 2018.
Overview
Status	in use
Owner	RFI
Line number	135
Locale	Italy
Termini	Taranto railway station Reggio di Calabria Centrale railway station
Service
Type	Heavy rail
Operator(s)	Trenitalia
History
Opened	In stages between 1866 (1866) and 1875 (1875)
Technical
Line length	472 km (293 mi)
Number of tracks	Single track
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Electrified at 3000 V DC (Taranto to Sibari Melito di Porto Salvo to Reggio Calabria)
Route map Legend km elev from Brindisi from Martina Franca Taranto to Bari Palagiona-Chiatona Castellaneta Marina Ginosa Metaponto to Battipaglia via Potenza Scanzano Jonico-Montalbano Jonico Policoro-Tursi Nova Siri-Rotondella Rocca Imperiale Monte Giordano Roseto-Capo Spulico Amendolara-Oriolo Trebisacce Villapiana Lido Villapiana-Torre Cerchiara Sibari to Cosenza Corigliano Calabro Rossano Toscano Mirto-Crosia Calopezzati Pietrapaola Mandatoriccio-Campana Cariati Crucoli Cirò Torre Melissa Strongoli Crotone Cutro Roccabernarda Botricello Cropani Sellia Marina Simeri Crichi Catanzaro Lido to Lamezia Terme Squillace Montepaone-Montauro Soverato San Sostene Sant'Andrea dell'Jonio Badolato Santa Caterina dell'Jonio Guardavalle Monasterace-Stilo Riace Caulonia Roccella Jonica Gioiosa Jonica Siderno Locri Sant'Ilario del Jonio Ardore Bovalino Bianco Africo Nuovo Ferruzzano Brancaleone Capo Spartivento Palizzi Bova Marina Condofuri Marina di San Lorenzo Melito di Porto Salvo Annà Saline di Reggio O.G.R di Saline Joniche Motta San Giovanni-Lazzaro Reggio di Calabria Bocale Reggio di Calabria Pellaro Reggio di Calabria San Gregorio Reggio di Calabria Aeroporto Reggio di Calabria O.ME.CA. Reggio di Calabria Centrale to Battipaglia via Lamezia Terme km Source: Italian railway atlas[1] This diagram: view talk edit

History

The line was opened in stages between 1866 and 1875.^[2]

Date	Section
3 June 1866	Reggio Calabria - Lazzaro
1 October 1868	Lazzaro - Bianco
28 February 1869	Taranto – Marconia
18 August 1869	Marconia – Trebisacce
6 March 1870	Trebisacce – Rossano
16 June 1870	Rossano – Cariati
1 February 1871	Bianco – Roccella Jonica
1 June 1874	Cariati – Crotone
20 May 1875	Catanzaro Lido – Monasterace
15 November 1875	Crotone – Catanzaro Lido

Developments

On 13 November 1989 the line between Taranto and Sibari was electrified. The line has also been electrified between Melito di Porto Salvo and Reggio Calabria to allow for the operation of a suburban service.

On 12 December 2010 Gabella Grande, Isola Capo Rizzuto, Marconia, San Leonardo di Cutro and Thurio stations were downgraded to halts. On the same date O.G.R di Saline Joniche, Pietrapaola and San Sosthenes stations closed.^[3]

On 21 February 2013 the station serving Reggio Calabria Airport opened, linking it to the city. On 9 June 2013 the station Melito di Porto Salvo opened in Annà.

Usage

The line is used by the following service(s):

• Intercity services Rome - Naples - Salerno - Taranto
• Intercity services Reggio di Calabria - Siderno - Crotone - Sibari - Taranto
• Regional services (Treno regionale) Naples - Salerno - Potenza - Metaponto - Taranto
• Regional services (Treno regionale) Sibari - Monte Giordano - Metaponto
• Regional services (Treno regionale) Sibari - Crotone - Catanzaro Lido
• Regional services (Treno regionale) Catanzaro Lido - Roccela Jonica - Reggio di Calabria
• Regional services (Treno regionale) Melito di Porto Salvo - Reggio di Calabria - Villa San Giovanni

Stations currently without services

The following stations on the Ionian Railway are currently not served by any railway service:

• Scanzano Jonico-Montalbano Jonico (freight trains only)
• Sinni (dismissed)
• Nova Siri-Rotondella (without any train service)
• Rocca Imperiale (without any train service)
• Montegiordano (without any train service)
• Roseto-Capo Spulico (without any train service)
• Amendolara-Oriolo (without any train service)
• Toscano (dismissed - regional trains to/from Sibari, Crotone, and Catanzaro Lido call only on the opening days of the Odissea 2000 water park)
• Pietrapaola (dismissed)
• Roccabernarda (dismissed)
• San Sostiene (dismissed)
• Capo Spartivento (dismissed)

The following former railway stations on the line have been converted to signalling controls:

• Bosco Pineto
• Thurio
• Gabella Grande
• Isola di Capo Rizzuto
• San Leonardo di Cutro