Catania Metro

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Catania Metro
Nesima
San Nullo
Cibali
Milo
Borgo
Giuffrida
Italia
Galatea
Giovanni XXIII
Porto
(
temporarily
closed 2016
)
Stesicoro

The Catania Metro (Italian: Metropolitana di Catania) is a rapid transit system serving the coastal city of Catania, Sicily, in Southern Italy. One of Italy’s seven metro systems, it is the only one in Sicily and Europe’s southernmost system. It was also the first metro on an island in the Mediterranean Sea, and is now one of two, with the Palma Metro becoming the second in 2007, although it was only the sixth in a city on the Mediterranean, after Athens (1904), Barcelona (1924), Marseille (1977), Valencia (1988) and Naples (1993).

The Catania Metro has been in operation since 27 June 1999.

History and construction

The section of the line between the stations of

narrow-gauge
regional railway which opened to traffic in 1895.

For the operation of the metro, this portion of the rail line was converted to

single-tracked.[2]
Thus, the narrow-gauge Circumetnea railway's original terminus at Catania Porto had to be moved to Borgo due to the development of the Catania Metro.

The Metropolitana and the Circumetnea railways are operated by the same company, which has its offices at Catania Borgo.

Current service

Route map used inside the stations
Station Year
of opening
interchange Current
state
Monte Po under construction
Fontana under construction
Nesima 2017 Stazione FCE Nesima in service
San Nullo 2017 in service
Cibali 2021 Stazione FCE Cibali in service
Milo 2017 in service
Borgo 1999 Stazione FCE Borgo in service
Giuffrida 1999 In service
Italia 1999 in service
Galatea 1999 In service
Ramo porto
Porto 1898 suspended
FS 1898 Catania Centrale Closed
Ramo aeroporto
Giovanni XXIII 2016 Catania Centrale in service
Stesicoro 2016 in service
San Domenico under construction
Vittorio Emanuele under construction
Palestro under construction

During the first years of operation, this metro suffered from poor ridership, as its former route (from 1999 to 2016) merely skirted the city centre and therefore did not reach many popular destinations. However, ridership increased significantly in 2017.[4] The metro usually operates every day. Trains run every 10 minutes until 3:00 p.m. and then every 15 minutes until the end of the service, at 10 p.m.[5]

Tickets

All tickets (except MetroBus tickets) may be purchased at ticket machines at every station.[citation needed]

  • 90min: €1
  • DayTicket: €2
  • MetroBus Ticket: €1.20
  • 30days Ticket: €15

Future service and planned extensions

Map of proposed Catania Metro expansion as of 2010. Current service in black, proposed in red

An extension to the system was approved on 30 March 2006. It involves a branch from the existing line at Galatea westward through the city centre, which is planned eventually to reach Catania's

Fontanarossa airport to the south.[6] This solution was favored over proposals for an airport link by means of a new station on the Catania-Siracusa
line, which runs past the airport and is part of the national rail network. Recent underground stations at Piazza Papa Giovanni XXIII and Corso Sicilia, near Piazza Stesicoro among others, have served the city center since 20 December 2016, while the new track Borgo-Nesima (four new stations) opened in March 2017.

Another extension, westward from the current terminal at Nesima, is also under construction as far as Misterbianco, toward the north-western border of the city. It is planned to open in 2020.

Rolling stock