Webuild completes excavation of Rocchetta Tunnel for Naples–Bari High-Speed Railway

At 6.5 km, Rocchetta Tunnel is second to be completed on section following Grottaminarda, with work on Melito Tunnel to start by summer

TBM “Futura” advanced through Apennines at an average speed of 16 metres per day, with peaks exceeding 29 metres, installing over 32,500 segments for tunnel lining

Webuild is carrying out 21 projects in Southern Italy, employing over 10,200 people 

MILAN, May 5, 2026 – Webuild has completed the excavation of the Rocchetta Tunnel along the southern Apennine mountain range, which at 6.5 kilometres is the longest tunnel on the Apice–Hirpinia section of the high-speed/high-capacity railway line being built between Naples and Bari. The works are being carried out on behalf of RFI (FS Italiane Group). The star of the excavation was “Futura”, a gigantic, innovative and eco-friendly tunnel-boring machine (TBM). 

“Futura” completed the tunnel in just 18 months, working round the clock, seven days a week, thanks to the dedication of over 140 specialised technicians. Powered by 18 motors with a total output of 6.3 MW and equipped with a rotating cutting-head over 12 metres in diametre, the TBM installed over 32,500 precast concrete segments for the tunnel’s final lining. 

The Rocchetta is the second tunnel to be completed on the section, following the first one at Grottaminarda. It marks a decisive step forward in the construction of one of the most important infrastructure projects underway in Southern Italy. The future line between Naples and Bari – part of the Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), a strategic axis connecting Southern Italy with the Northern Italy and the rest of Europe – will include 145 kilometres of new railway tracks, with 15 tunnels and 25 viaducts. It will have 20 stations and stops along its route. 

The Apice–Hirpinia section will run 18.7 kilometres across the provinces of Avellino and Benevento, 13 kilometres of which through tunnels. It constitutes the central part of the Naples–Bari line, crossing a region that is particularly complex in structural and geomorphological terms. To complete this lot, the Webuild Group currently employs approximately 700 people, including direct and third-party staff, while over 650 suppliers have been involved since the start of the project, highlighting the significant economic and employment impact generated by RFI's investment in the region. On this section, construction of access roads to the future Hirpinia station – a strategic hub connecting inland areas to the high-speed rail network – is at an advanced stage. The work includes four roundabouts, eight roadways, and a parking lot. Excavation work on the third and final tunnel of the section – the 4.4-kilometre Melito Tunnel – will begin by summer.

Webuild’s work on other sections of the Naples–Bari line is progressing. On the Naples–Cancello section, the laying of the tracks has been completed. Technical testing is underway, with the aim of putting the line into service by the summer. It will set a new milestone with trains able to reach the Naples–Afragola station. Built by Webuild, the station will be the main hub on the North–South corridor between Rome and Salerno, as well as the line to Puglia and the regional transport system, providing access to high-speed rail travel to approximately three million residents in the area.

With the four lots on the Naples–Bari line, Webuild is carrying out 21 projects in Southern Italy, with a total awarded value of over €16 billion. It provides employment for 10,200 people, including direct and third-party staff, and involving a supply chain of 7,500 companies since the start of construction.