A new high-speed train link from Rome to Pompeii will start operating by the beginning of next year, according to euronews.travel.
Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano says the €35 million (R706m) project will offer visitors a quick and simple way to reach the tourist attraction. The route will also connect to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport.
The current rail route from Rome to Pompeii involves travelling to Naples and then using the two-hour Circumvesuviana regional service to get into the Pompeii Scavi-Villa dei Misteri Station.
The new route will form part of the existing train line connecting Rome to Naples and Salerno.
The route is part of the Great Pompeii Project founded in 2012 and funded by the EU. The project will also involve building a new railway station and transport hub near the ancient city.
Italian newspaper Il Mattino reported that the high-speed link could double daily visitor numbers at Pompeii from 20 000 to 40 000.
