In the battle for high speed in Italy, someone has overtaken Renfe on the right. That someone is called France

SNCF has been cleared to enter Italy’s high-speed rail market from September 2027, after a regulatory dispute with RFI ended in its favor at the AGCM.

The French operator plans services on the Turin-Naples and Turin-Venice corridors using TGV M trains and aims to capture about 15% of the market with lower fares.

Renfe has not formally announced its own high-speed launch in Italy, although it has already moved in by buying Arenaways and securing operating certifications.

The move by SNCF is set to sharpen European rail competition and further highlight Renfe’s slower international expansion.