Italferr’s Palermo–Catania–Messina Railway Transformation
Organization: Italferr (in collaboration with national and regional rail stakeholders)
Project Name: New Palermo–Catania–Messina Railway Connection
Location: Sicily, Italy
Project Phase: Ongoing infrastructure modernization
Expected Completion Date: Currently in progress as part of large-scale national infrastructure program
Estimated Project Cost: EUR 12.7 billion
Bentley Software: ProjectWise, OpenRail, OpenRoads, MicroStation, SYNCHRO 4D Pro, Bentley LumenRT
Additional Context: This landmark railway upgrade will reduce key travel times by up to 40%, improve freight and passenger efficiency, create approximately 8,000 jobs, and support sustainability goals through reduced emissions and enhanced mobility. ProjectWise enabled the management of over 9,800 models across 20+ disciplines and accelerated federated model updates by 80%.
Project
Led by Italferr, the New Palermo–Catania–Messina railway connection in Sicily, Italy is designed to upgrade the rail corridor linking Palermo, Catania, and Messina. The project aims to significantly improve passenger and freight transport by reducing travel times, increasing reliability, and boosting service frequency. Once completed, travel time between Palermo and Catania will drop from three hours to two, and between Messina and Catania from 75 to 45 minutes. The project is expected to create around 8,000 jobs, involve over 600 companies, and will play a fundamental role in the development of the island as it connects three areas that account for more than half of the population. With a total investment of EUR 12.7 billion, sustainability is also central. Benefits will include reduced air and noise pollution, lower energy consumption, and support for sustainable mobility and urban decongestion.
Facts
- The project is expected to reduce travel times by up to 40% in some regions.
- The team managed and verified over 9,800 executive information models across over 20 different disciplines.
- ProjectWise has enabled an 80% reduction in the time it takes to update federated models.
"Bentley's ProjectWise was the hub of the data exchange for verification activities in this new railway, allowing multiple works to be organized and managed simultaneously. The user-friendly features of the software have also made it possible to collaborate with a large number of different users and professionals within a single platform."
Solution
Due to the complexity and importance of this project, the team prioritized quality assurance and regulatory compliance. To guarantee comprehensive traceability and easy access to project data, Italferr selected ProjectWise as its central data-sharing platform, establishing a unified source of truth across the entire initiative. The system successfully managed over 9,800 information models spanning more than 20 disciplines, facilitating effective collaboration among over 400 users. Employing ProjectWise deliverables management further optimized data transfer processes, handling upwards of 500 gigabytes of data and reducing the time required for contractors to send transmittals by 50%, while also improving data access efficiency by 30%.
Specialized design and analytical tasks were executed using additional Bentley software. Italferr developed more than 20 iModels with over 250 connections, integrating open-format models representing terrain, existing infrastructure, rail geometry, and construction works. OpenRail was used to generate track alignments from LandXML files. Survey data, CAD drawings, orthophotos, and floor plans were consolidated for browser-based review, supported by role and permission controls that included nontechnical stakeholders. Enhanced stakeholder engagement and communication were achieved through Bentley LumenRT-generated federated visualizations.MicroStation and OpenRoads facilitated cross-disciplinary design and model development, while SYNCHRO 4D Pro provided robust analysis for construction sequencing and scheduling.
Outcome
The comprehensive digital approach allowed the team to identify and resolve over 4,500 design interferences, improving overall project efficiency and quality. By using federated models for design verification, interface analysis, and 4D construction monitoring, Italferr achieved an 80% reduction in the time required to update models after revisions. Overall, ProjectWise enabled the team to collaborate efficiently while maximizing compliance and quality.
