Cargo ferroviario, nel 2026 nuovo calo dei traffici (-4%)

In 2026, the Italian freight rail transport industry is expected to experience a significant decline in traffic by 4%, according to Clemente Carta, the president of Fermerci, an association representing over 80% of Italy's freight rail businesses. This dire situation was discussed at the "Mercintreno" event held in Rome on November 5, 2026.

The main causes of the crisis include the lingering effects of the Covid pandemic in 2020, soaring energy costs, a slowdown in European industrial production, Alpine pass limitations, and numerous network interruptions due to the 1,300 Pnrr construction sites. These factors have had a severe operational impact on freight traffic, which could undermine the results achieved through ten years of public policies supporting freight rail transport.

Carta emphasized that freight rail transport ensures the country's logistical continuity even under extremely challenging conditions and requires certain and coordinated support policies. However, companies are often waiting for long-term contributions on which they have built their plans, while national and regional tools are not always coordinated.

In 2025, the freight rail sector saw a 3.5% decline, marking the third consecutive year of contraction. Carta projected that 2026 could see a further decline of 4% in train-kilometers (-4% compared to 2025). To address these challenges, Fermerci has submitted a legislative proposal for a reinvigoration of freight rail transport, which aims to make existing resources more effective and simplify procedures.

This proposal, without additional public expenses, seeks to ensure that the sector retains its necessary industrial capacity once the Pnrr construction sites are completed. Fermerci is seeking the support of the government and Parliament in the upcoming budget law to ensure continuity and adequacy of resources for the sector. Carta concluded that for an export-oriented manufacturing and exporting economy like Italy, the quality of connections is crucial for competitiveness, and the rail sector plays an essential role in connecting productive territories to continental markets, expanding the area served by ports, and enabling companies to diversify their logistics solutions.