Tram 3 Inaugurates July 16

According to Florence mayor Dario Nardella, it’s official:  tram line 3 linking the Santa Maria Novella station to Careggi hospital will finally begin service on Monday, July 16.  With the inauguration the line will change its name to T1 Careggi – Villa Costanza as the former line 1 to Scandicci will be absorbed as part of the new route.

The inauguration was postponed from June 30 because city government waited for final approval from Rome’s Ministry of Transportation which decided that 10 days of test runs without passengers on board along the new track were necessary before giving the go-ahead.

The mayor had previously announced that, due to the inconveniences caused by the construction — which took longer than planned — residents and visitors can ride for free of charge for the first week.

The new T1 extension has stops in via Valfonda, the Fortezza da Basso, via dello Statuto, Poggetto, (stopping in Piazza Dalmazia and Rifredi when returning to downtown Florence)  via Vittorio Emanuele, via Santo Stefano in Pane, viale Morgagni and Careggi.

Construction is continuing on tram line 2 to viale Redi, Novoli and the Florence airport at Peretola, which will not be completed before Christmas.

To read more in Italian, visit Florence’s La Repubblica news site.