An important meeting was held at the Province of Brescia’s headquarters to discuss the future of the railway service on the Brescia-Verona regional line, a crucial topic for the mobility of the Lake Garda area. Central to the debate was a public petition and proposals to improve the infrastructure in light of the anticipated changes in 2026. The goal is to respond to the growing demand for transport and alleviate the road network.
Presentation of the Petition and Dialogue with the Province
On Tuesday, April 29, at the Broletto Palace, the Vice President of the Province of Brescia responsible for local public transport, Fabio Rolfi, met with Giuseppe Borgese, President of the Municipal Council of Lonato, and Andrea Gallina, promoter of the “Brescia Verona Regional” page. During the meeting, the signature collection initiated by the two young residents of Lonato was formally presented, an initiative that has already gathered over 700 signatures and remains open. The meeting underscored the urgency of equipping the area with adequate services to manage the increasing mobility and avoid road congestion.
The Impact of the New AV/AC Brescia-Verona Line
2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the lower Garda corridor. With the activation of the new High-Speed/High-Capacity (AV/AC) Brescia-Verona line, high-speed train traffic will be diverted from the historic line. This shift opens up concrete possibilities for introducing more frequent and widespread regional rail services, surpassing the current limited offerings of Trenord’s RegioExpress trains, which do not serve intermediate stops such as Ponte San Marco, Lonato, and Castelnuovo.
Proposal for the Reopening of Closed Stations
During the discussion, the potential reactivation of previously closed railway stations was also addressed. With the December 2026 deadline approaching, there is a belief that there are opportunities to reopen strategic stops. Rezzato, for example, could become a crucial hub for the eastern area of Brescia, while San Martino would effectively serve regions such as Sirmione, Pozzolengo, and the municipalities of upper Mantua.
A Vision for a Suburban Service
Andrea Gallina proposed a broader vision for the future: “Our territory, and particularly the Lake Garda, needs transport services that meet the high demand for mobility, both local and tourist.” He emphasized how a system solely based on private traffic risks congesting the entire road network. The proposal envisions a regional or suburban railway service, similar to the Milanese S lines, with the addition of new stops in Rivoltella, the western area of Peschiera, and near the Feralpi hub in Lonato. According to estimates developed by Gallina, trains could cover the Brescia-Verona route in just over an hour, complementing the RegioExpress service that connects the two cities in 44 minutes.
Support and Next Steps
Giuseppe Borgese highlighted the ambition of the project: “The goal we have set is ambitious and far from immediate, but we have not limited ourselves to highlighting a problem: we have worked to propose concrete solutions that align with the real needs of the area. This is precisely the added value of the proposal we are advancing.” He also stressed the importance of community support through the petition, which lends strength and legitimacy to the initiative. Borgese views the meeting at the Province not as an endpoint, but as “the first step of a journey” towards a tangible outcome.
Public Conference in Lonato
To further delve into the matter, a public conference is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13, at 8:30 PM at the Lonato station, hosted by the Pro Loco. During the event, progress made in raising awareness among local authorities regarding the need to enhance rail transport in the lower Garda area will be discussed.
Italian Version
