A train service called Italo is said to be launching soon in Italy. The high speed, Italo which is operated by Nuovo Transporto Viaggiatori (NTV) will begin its services on the 28 of April after which it will be a connector between Milan, Rome and Naples. The new and fangled locomotive is being touted as the most advanced train in Europe. While the train’s top speed of 186 mph is nowhere near the highest speed of commercial trains like the Maglev Train from Shanghai, China that can run at 268 mph, it certainly is no slouch.
The cars have a Ferrari-esque touch about them and the fact that the automobile company Chairman Luca de Montezomoto is not only also the chairman for the NTV, but also a major shareholder. The train cars are painted Ferrari-red and feature a stylized hare on the side. The 25-train strong fleet is being manufactured by French company Alstom and will use the same traction system used on the famed TGV train which reportedly set a speed record of 357 mph in 2007. The trains will serve with 11 carriages and will be able to carry 460 passengers at any one time.
The class category that will be used for the high-speed train service consists of Club, Prima and Smart (first, business and economy) classes and will feature leather seats, free Wi-Fi connectivity and ceiling-mounted screens in selected carriages. The service which will be pitting itself against alternate high speed Railway Company, Trenitalia hopes to attract a 9 million annual passenger load by the year 2014. The cheapest ticket from Milan to Rome which is 300 miles away will set potential customers back about $60.
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