ADVERTISEMENTFrom Japan's long experience in earthquake management comes a technological leap forward also for the Italian railway network. From 3 May 2025, the first national Earthquake Early Warning System (EWS) will be operational on the Rome-Naples high-speed line.
Implemented by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (FS Group), the project is the result of collaboration with the Railway Technical Research Institute (JR RTRI), a scientific body of the Japanese railways, and the Physics Department of the University of Naples Federico II.
Combining academic know-how and expertise gained in one of the most seismically active areas on the planet, the system now represents a concrete model of innovation in railway safety.
How does the new earthquake warning system work?
The new Seismic Early Warning system on the Rome-Naples high-speed line is based on a series of integrated technologies that work in a coordinated manner to ensure timely intervention in the event of an earthquake.
Accelerometer stations distributed along the line detect the first seismic waves, known as P waves, and send the data in real time via a high-capacity fibre optic network.
Advanced software intelligence instantly analyses the information received, assessing the seismic hazard and determining the area to be secured.
If a pre-determined risk threshold is exceeded, the system automatically acts on the railway signalling equipment, slowing down or stopping trains in transit in potentially affected areas.
Once the seismic event is over, RFI staff can proceed with the checks and, through a dedicated control dashboard, authorise the resumption of circulation in total safety.
Sensors along the entire route
The technological heart of the system is represented by the accelerometer stations, highly sensitive devices capable of detecting ground accelerations caused by earthquakes already in their initial phases.
These sensors are distributed along the entire Rome-Naples section, installed partly on the surface and partly in deep holes, so as to guarantee capillary coverage and minimise detection times.
Their connection via an SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) fibre optic network enables fast and reliable data transmission, which is essential to activate countermeasures within seconds.
Innovation and partnership
The collaboration between RFI, the Physics Department of the University of Naples Federico II, and JR RTRI provided technical and scientific advice and in-depth expertise in railway earthquake warning systems.
According to the operator RailTech, the system became operational on 3 May 2025 and, within two weeks, it was tested by a magnitude 4.4 earthquake. It saw trains on the Rome-Naples line were stopped as a precautionary measure.
The EWS is only the first operational application on a high-speed line. As part of RFI's innovation plan, extensions are planned on other high-speed lines and on conventional lines equipped with the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), with the aim of increasing the resilience of the national rail network.
The introduction of EWS on the Rome-Naples HS network marks a concrete integration between advanced sensors, artificial intelligence and critical infrastructure: it is the first Italian case of cooperation between universities, railway companies and international institutes for seismic safety. The real test shows that, in little more than a month, the technology has passed the experimental phase, offering a replicable model in other sensitive areas of the country.