Verona Maintenance Hub to Support European Rail Freight Growth

Siemens Mobility and Railpool have signed a preliminary agreement with Consorzio ZAI to acquire a 15,000 m² plot within the Verona Interporto logistics hub, the largest integrated intermodal terminal in Italy. The companies intend to jointly invest around €20 million to develop a new expert center dedicated to locomotive maintenance. Designed as an “open-access” depot, the facility will be capable of servicing locomotives from multiple manufacturers.

The hub will include five tracks for light maintenance and one track equipped with a wheel lathe, supporting testing and servicing of multisystem (MS) and direct current (DC) locomotives. The design also accommodates maintenance across major European signaling systems, aligning the site with cross-border freight requirements.

The project comes ahead of anticipated shifts in freight transport patterns. With the Brenner Base Tunnel expected to enter operation by 2032 and double rail freight capacity across the Alps, both companies expect increased demand for reliable locomotive availability and corridor-wide service coverage.

Strengthening the Verona–Brenner Corridor
According to Siemens Mobility, the new facility is intended to improve service readiness on the Verona–Brenner axis, a key north–south freight route. Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, noted that purpose-built maintenance infrastructure will support higher locomotive availability and contribute to the broader objective of shifting freight from road to rail as capacity through the Alps increases.

Railpool emphasized the site’s role in enhancing the company’s European service footprint. CEO Torsten Lehnert stated that the Verona hub will integrate into the company’s existing network and support long-term leasing customers through a more robust and locally accessible maintenance offering.

Maintenance Capabilities and Technical Scope
The Verona facility is planned as a site for light maintenance activities, including routine inspections, minor corrective work and readiness checks to support immediate redeployment of freight locomotives. Key technical capabilities include:

These functions are designed to improve lifecycle performance and system availability, particularly on high-traffic freight corridors.

Integration Into the European Depot Network
The Verona hub will complement Siemens Mobility’s existing Rail Service Center in Novara, which has provided full-service locomotive support on the Rhine–Alpine TEN-T corridor since 2015. That facility currently supports more than 120 locomotives operated by major European freight companies.