A new milestone for mobility in Sicily

Palermo, 30 January 2026

On 30 January 2026, a significant milestone was reached as part of the project for doubling the Cefalù Ogliastrillo-Castelbuono section of the Palermo-Messina railway line, with the demolition of the diaphragm in the odd tube of the Cefalù Tunnel.

This event marked the completion of the mechanised excavation of the entire tunnel using a TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine), with a total length of 6,680 metres, a key stage in the tunnelling works.

The project

The project to double the Cefalù Ogliastrillo-Castelbuono railway line is part of the NRRP Plan of strategic importance for upgrading the Palermo-Messina line and, indeed, the entire rail network in Sicily. It involves building an entirely new separate double-track railway line, compared to the route of the old line, with a total length of approximately 12.3 km.

Specifically, the infrastructure project includes a challenging set of civil and technological works, such as two tunnels excavated using TBMs, two tunnels using conventional tunnelling methods, two railway stations, three viaducts, the removal of five level crossings, hydraulic structures in connection with interfering waterways, track equipment, and installing electric traction, signalling, telecommunications, LFM and SSE, and safety and security systems.

The railway section runs mainly underground in two long tunnels, the Cefalù Tunnel and the Sant'Ambrogio Tunnel. Plans also include the construction of the new Cefalù stop, built entirely underground, and the new Castelbuono station, which will have two passing and through tracks. Additionally, the line works will be adapted and completed.

The tunnel system will also include the Malpertugio Tunnel, which is built with a single-tube, double-track configuration and is approximately 138 m long. The project will also include railway viaducts in the Carbone area. This comprises two viaducts and an intermediate trench, with a total length of approximately 175 m.

Once the odd tube of the Cefalù Tunnel has been completed, the TBM will be dismantled, transferred and subsequently reassembled at the Ogliastrillo construction site, involving rather complex operations. Here, the TBM will resume excavating the second tube of the tunnel alongside the first. Progress on the second tube will enable the doubling of the section, as a further significant step towards upgrading the railway infrastructure as a whole and achieving the project's functional objectives.

Italferr, thanks to its Site Supervision team and the entire Project Group staff, is making a decisive contribution to the construction design and works for doubling the Cefalù Ogliastrillo-Castelbuono rail section. This includes the construction of the Cefalù, Sant'Ambrogio and Malpertugio tunnels. In particular, the Cefalù tunnel is one of the most delicate and challenging parts of the project, due to its engineering, environmental and urban complexity, since it is excavated underneath the historic centre of the town.

Thanks to a multidisciplinary approach, careful planning, and the adoption of innovative design and construction solutions, Italferr ensured the continuous monitoring of the existing structures and employs cutting-edge technology to minimise vibrations, environmental impacts, and risks to the stability of the buildings above. Moreover, safe and sustainable design decisions have minimised impact on the landscape and the local communities.

Overall, this project is an effective example of Italferr's ability to combine technical excellence and innovation with care for the heritage and will contribute to enhancing rail mobility in Sicily and creating modern, responsible infrastructure capable of generating shared value while respecting local identities.

The Cefalù Ogliastrillo – Castelbuono rail doubling project is an extremely complex technical and strategic infrastructure project, aimed at increasing the capacity and reliability of the Palermo – Messina line, improving rail services, and contributing to the development of sustainable mobility and the transport system in Sicily.