Marco Chitti
@chittimarco.bsky.social
Researcher on urban planning and public transportation.
https://marcochitti.substack.com/
https://marcochitti.substack.com/
Pinned
Marco Chitti
@chittimarco.bsky.social
· Jun 21
It took quite a while, but the paper about the history of high-speed rail planning in Italy that I co-authored with @beriapaolo.bsky.social is finally out!
It's open source, so you can read it at length (it is pretty long),
But here is a TL;DR: 🧵
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
It's open source, so you can read it at length (it is pretty long),
But here is a TL;DR: 🧵
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Fun fact: many Italians (including me in the past) believe that it can't snow when temperatures are way below zero.
It's only when I came in QC that I realized it was a myth.
It's only when I came in QC that I realized it was a myth.
January 25, 2026 at 12:33 AM
Fun fact: many Italians (including me in the past) believe that it can't snow when temperatures are way below zero.
It's only when I came in QC that I realized it was a myth.
It's only when I came in QC that I realized it was a myth.
Last week two lines reopened in Italy after long closures: the Pustertal line, which undergo extensive modernization of stations, OHLE replacement and works for the new Y connection to the Brenner line; the Isernia-Campobasso line which was (still partially) electrified and track-renewed.
January 24, 2026 at 3:16 PM
Last week two lines reopened in Italy after long closures: the Pustertal line, which undergo extensive modernization of stations, OHLE replacement and works for the new Y connection to the Brenner line; the Isernia-Campobasso line which was (still partially) electrified and track-renewed.
Today the northern rail access into Milan's Malpensa airport was inaugurated.
Initially, only one of the two half-hourly Regio-Express serving the airport (formerly the Malpensa Express) has been extended to Gallarate.
Initially, only one of the two half-hourly Regio-Express serving the airport (formerly the Malpensa Express) has been extended to Gallarate.
January 24, 2026 at 1:12 AM
Today the northern rail access into Milan's Malpensa airport was inaugurated.
Initially, only one of the two half-hourly Regio-Express serving the airport (formerly the Malpensa Express) has been extended to Gallarate.
Initially, only one of the two half-hourly Regio-Express serving the airport (formerly the Malpensa Express) has been extended to Gallarate.
Reposted by Marco Chitti
A country that has a lot of stations in different locations has apparently reached a conclusion on that matter: youtu.be/mavBKTue0IA?...
Guia rápida para que menos gente use el tren
YouTube video by André Marques 432
youtu.be
January 23, 2026 at 5:59 PM
A country that has a lot of stations in different locations has apparently reached a conclusion on that matter: youtu.be/mavBKTue0IA?...
That's a good argument, but as a person who think that we do not need to reanalyse every planning problem from first principles but rather look at what others did, I think that the fact that a wide majority of HSR systems worldwide has near-CBD stations tell us something.
And while I personally would benefit from a downtown HSR stop, can we step back for a second. Is the region better served by a downtown station, or one that has better access to GTHA as a whole?
January 23, 2026 at 5:41 PM
That's a good argument, but as a person who think that we do not need to reanalyse every planning problem from first principles but rather look at what others did, I think that the fact that a wide majority of HSR systems worldwide has near-CBD stations tell us something.
Milan's ATM published a new map of the metro + linee S for the urban area. It's way better than the previous one and one of the best in Italy (in truth, a very low bar to clear...)
January 23, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Milan's ATM published a new map of the metro + linee S for the urban area. It's way better than the previous one and one of the best in Italy (in truth, a very low bar to clear...)
It's nice to see that certain things remain unchanged a century apart 🫠
Toronto please, never change.
Toronto please, never change.
January 23, 2026 at 2:13 PM
It's nice to see that certain things remain unchanged a century apart 🫠
Toronto please, never change.
Toronto please, never change.
New pastime: fire-safety-spotting.
January 22, 2026 at 10:19 PM
New pastime: fire-safety-spotting.
Thos is true,.but for doing this you need a framework to do track sharing with Exo (no room to add separate tracks) and you also need funding to fully modernize Exo's St-Jerôme with high-performance EMU, stations with level boarding and full electrification even oitside the shared corridor.
Tunnels are very expensive and best avoided whenever possible. Parc to Central really ought to be enough to reach downtown with minimum community impact.
January 22, 2026 at 3:27 PM
Thos is true,.but for doing this you need a framework to do track sharing with Exo (no room to add separate tracks) and you also need funding to fully modernize Exo's St-Jerôme with high-performance EMU, stations with level boarding and full electrification even oitside the shared corridor.
Reposted by Marco Chitti
Trump demands Carney give him his standing ovation from Davos
Trump demands Carney give him his standing ovation from Davos
DAVOS, SWITZERLAND - Following his poorly-received and rambling address at the World Economic Forum, U.S. President Donald Trump angrily demanded that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney personally gi...
www.thebeaverton.com
January 21, 2026 at 6:49 PM
Trump demands Carney give him his standing ovation from Davos
It's interesting that grade separation in urban contexts was essentially achieved in many cities throughout the developed world by WWII, but by the 1960s the grade separation effort was de facto almost abandoned in North America but continued elsewhere.
On January 21, 1930, Toronto’s high-level viaduct into Union Station was finally put into service.
After years of work and many millions of dollars, the first scheduled trains ran over the new upper-level tracks into the station.
#OnThisDay #TorontoHistory #1930s #Toronto #jeremyhopkin
After years of work and many millions of dollars, the first scheduled trains ran over the new upper-level tracks into the station.
#OnThisDay #TorontoHistory #1930s #Toronto #jeremyhopkin
January 22, 2026 at 3:20 AM
It's interesting that grade separation in urban contexts was essentially achieved in many cities throughout the developed world by WWII, but by the 1960s the grade separation effort was de facto almost abandoned in North America but continued elsewhere.
With the little guys or without the little guys. Which one is better?
January 21, 2026 at 9:17 PM
With the little guys or without the little guys. Which one is better?
The United States' president lashes out at historic allies, threatens Canada's prime minister, reiterates he's going to get Greenland one way or another, etc.
One of the most important politicians of the opposition party: "it was boring"
I'm speechless.
One of the most important politicians of the opposition party: "it was boring"
I'm speechless.
Newsom: "It was remarkably boring. It was remarkably insignificant. He was never going invade Greenland. It was never real."
January 21, 2026 at 5:27 PM
The United States' president lashes out at historic allies, threatens Canada's prime minister, reiterates he's going to get Greenland one way or another, etc.
One of the most important politicians of the opposition party: "it was boring"
I'm speechless.
One of the most important politicians of the opposition party: "it was boring"
I'm speechless.
Reposted by Marco Chitti
Where is transit expansion happening around the world? Basically everywhere!
Brand new on The Transport Politic: The hundreds of metro, light rail, bus, & aerial tram projects planned to open in 2026. 🛤️ 🚋 🚌
www.thetransportpolitic.com/2026/01/20/t...
Brand new on The Transport Politic: The hundreds of metro, light rail, bus, & aerial tram projects planned to open in 2026. 🛤️ 🚋 🚌
www.thetransportpolitic.com/2026/01/20/t...
January 20, 2026 at 2:11 PM
Where is transit expansion happening around the world? Basically everywhere!
Brand new on The Transport Politic: The hundreds of metro, light rail, bus, & aerial tram projects planned to open in 2026. 🛤️ 🚋 🚌
www.thetransportpolitic.com/2026/01/20/t...
Brand new on The Transport Politic: The hundreds of metro, light rail, bus, & aerial tram projects planned to open in 2026. 🛤️ 🚋 🚌
www.thetransportpolitic.com/2026/01/20/t...
Reposted by Marco Chitti
My understanding of the current political moment in Italy is that Meloni has been able to intercept the conservative petit-bourgeoise voting block that after the collapse of the postwar political order in 1992-93 first moved to Berlusoni, then erred home-less from Renzi to 5-star, to the Leaugue.
Italy remains an island of stability and predictability in an uncertain world.
You couldn't get voting intention estimates to shift much if you attacked them with a hammer!
You couldn't get voting intention estimates to shift much if you attacked them with a hammer!
January 20, 2026 at 6:37 PM
My understanding of the current political moment in Italy is that Meloni has been able to intercept the conservative petit-bourgeoise voting block that after the collapse of the postwar political order in 1992-93 first moved to Berlusoni, then erred home-less from Renzi to 5-star, to the Leaugue.
How many months away are we from a Rubio-Lavrov pact to stab in the back and carve out pieces of Europe?
January 18, 2026 at 3:15 PM
How many months away are we from a Rubio-Lavrov pact to stab in the back and carve out pieces of Europe?
The sort of NIMBYism I can get along: a multi-story parking was planned atop this existing parking in Bologna as part of the tramway works to "compensate" for the on-street one lost along the corridor.
It was NIMBYed by the neighbours and the city decided to drop it, saving several millions.
It was NIMBYed by the neighbours and the city decided to drop it, saving several millions.
January 17, 2026 at 4:41 PM
The sort of NIMBYism I can get along: a multi-story parking was planned atop this existing parking in Bologna as part of the tramway works to "compensate" for the on-street one lost along the corridor.
It was NIMBYed by the neighbours and the city decided to drop it, saving several millions.
It was NIMBYed by the neighbours and the city decided to drop it, saving several millions.
In 2025, Florence's tramway hit a new record ridership, at 45.2 million, a 15.4% increase over 2024 (39 million) and 29% than pre-pandemic levels.
Most of the increase was on T2 (+36%), that opened a short but important extension, while line T1 grew by 4.7%
www.firenzetramvia.it/node/478
Most of the increase was on T2 (+36%), that opened a short but important extension, while line T1 grew by 4.7%
www.firenzetramvia.it/node/478
- Nuovo record per la tramvia, nel 2025 superati i 45 milioni di passeggeri | FIRENZE TRAMVIA
Un nuovo anno record per la tramvia fiorentina. Dopo i risultati eccellenti del 2024, anche il 2025 si è chiuso con numeri davvero eccezionali. È stato infatti superata la soglia dei 45 milioni di pas...
www.firenzetramvia.it
January 17, 2026 at 4:11 PM
In 2025, Florence's tramway hit a new record ridership, at 45.2 million, a 15.4% increase over 2024 (39 million) and 29% than pre-pandemic levels.
Most of the increase was on T2 (+36%), that opened a short but important extension, while line T1 grew by 4.7%
www.firenzetramvia.it/node/478
Most of the increase was on T2 (+36%), that opened a short but important extension, while line T1 grew by 4.7%
www.firenzetramvia.it/node/478
Folks, any help with populating this map of bus and tram boarding policies in South America would be most welcome!
I suspect that 99% of cities are front-door boarding-only outside of BRT systems (so B*) and eventually trams (the few existing systems) but I'd appreciate more detail!
I suspect that 99% of cities are front-door boarding-only outside of BRT systems (so B*) and eventually trams (the few existing systems) but I'd appreciate more detail!
January 16, 2026 at 9:19 PM
Folks, any help with populating this map of bus and tram boarding policies in South America would be most welcome!
I suspect that 99% of cities are front-door boarding-only outside of BRT systems (so B*) and eventually trams (the few existing systems) but I'd appreciate more detail!
I suspect that 99% of cities are front-door boarding-only outside of BRT systems (so B*) and eventually trams (the few existing systems) but I'd appreciate more detail!
"El sueño de la razón (del burócrata) produce monstruos"
alternative title
"the road to hell is paved with good intentions"
alternative title
"the road to hell is paved with good intentions"
January 16, 2026 at 8:03 PM
"El sueño de la razón (del burócrata) produce monstruos"
alternative title
"the road to hell is paved with good intentions"
alternative title
"the road to hell is paved with good intentions"
Interesting fly through of the almost finished part of line 18 of the GPE.
The French confirm once again they are the best at designing viaducts.
youtu.be/2n7unxhk_Ew?...
The French confirm once again they are the best at designing viaducts.
youtu.be/2n7unxhk_Ew?...
Ligne 18 - Survol du futur parcours du Grand Paris Express
YouTube video by Société des grands projets
youtu.be
January 16, 2026 at 5:24 PM
Interesting fly through of the almost finished part of line 18 of the GPE.
The French confirm once again they are the best at designing viaducts.
youtu.be/2n7unxhk_Ew?...
The French confirm once again they are the best at designing viaducts.
youtu.be/2n7unxhk_Ew?...
Raffaella Carra - Torna da me - Millemilioni Mosca (13)
YouTube video by Antonio Carrà
youtu.be
January 16, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Italians: we have too many police forces, what's the point of having both the Police and the Carabinieri? Two is too much.
Americans: hold my beer
Americans: hold my beer
January 15, 2026 at 9:21 PM
Italians: we have too many police forces, what's the point of having both the Police and the Carabinieri? Two is too much.
Americans: hold my beer
Americans: hold my beer
So far, my biggest takeaway from this released corridors is that CN and CP are more powerful than God itself, in Canada.
Alto published a few more info in its website ahead of the first round of public consultations that will start next week, and we have an initial idea of the broader corridor they are identifying.
en.consultation.altotrain.ca/reinventing-...
en.consultation.altotrain.ca/reinventing-...
January 15, 2026 at 1:31 PM
So far, my biggest takeaway from this released corridors is that CN and CP are more powerful than God itself, in Canada.