Metro of Naples

Metros in Italy: The Naples subway

The first step of the project was open to the public in 1993. In that moment, connecting Vanvitelli and Colli Aminei stations; today this line arrives to the newly opened Municipio station. The Naples subway is administered for ANM (Azienda Napoletana Mobilitá), public company owned by the Municipality of Naples, who manages the public transportation in the capital of the region of Campania.

Its 19 stations extend 18km through the city center. In addition, it has 2.3km of light rail distributed along four stations, totaling 23 stops and 20.3 km between subway and light rail. Both working with the name Metropolitana di Napoli. The Naples subway is worldwide known for its beautiful architecture, and for the huge variety of artistic creations that you can observe in every station. Stazioni dell’arte is the name of this project where the subway becomes an underground museum.

Lines of Metropolitana di Napoli

The Naples subway is divided into two lines. The first, “Línea 1” or Collinare (mountainous) inaugurated in 1993, is an underground rail line that connects the city center with the mountainous zone of Vomero. Collinare received the Most Innovative Approach to the Station Development Award for London in 2009, for its architecture and design after competing with 300 contestants.

Moreover, Toledo station was chosen for The Daily Telegraph as the most beautiful in Europe in 2012, and repeated recognition in 2014 for CNN. Toledo is one of the 15 stations belonging to the circuit of stations of art. From its opening it has added new stations for a total of 18, and plans exist to expand it in 2020.

The stations of line 1 of Metropolitana di Napoli has 52 elevator located in different stops. The principal reason is to contribute the comfortable mobility of users with the difficulty of mobilization. Also, its installations have industrial furniture, such as mechanical stairs, elevated platforms, and mobile sidewalks.

The second line, named Line 6, is a superficial train line inaugurated on January 11, 2007. This line has only 4 stations, but the company ANM is working to extend the line from the Mergellina station to Municipio station of line 1, adding 4 stops. Line 6 has 11 elevators and 14 mechanical stairs. It capacity is 7,200 passengers with a maximum frequency that each operate for 4.5 minutes, even though it is designed to transport 11,400 passengers, on each train for 3 minutes.

Line 1 stations: Piscinola, Chiaiano, Frullone, Colli Aminei, Policlínico, Rione Alto, Montedonzelli Medaglie d’Oro, Vanvitelli, Quattro Giornate, Salvator Rosa, Materdei, Museo, Dante, Toledo, Municipio, Università, Garibaldi

Line 6 stations: Mostra , Augusto , Lala , Mergellina

The Line 1 is often referred to as Metro dell'Arte due to the modern design stations it houses. The distinctive color for this line is blue. Line 6 or Chiaia - Riviera di Chiaia - Mergellina. It's a shorter line and its representative color is pink.

Besides these main metro lines, Naples also has urban and suburban railway lines, such as the Cumana and the Circumflegrea, operated by different entities and offering additional connections within and around the city.

Cumana Line (or Ferrovia Cumana)

The Cumana line is one of the railway systems that serves Naples and its surroundings. It's not a metro line in the traditional sense, although in practice it acts as an extension of the city's urban transportation system. It is operated by the EAV company (Ente Autonomo Volturno).

It connects the city of Naples with the Campi Flegrei area, ending in Torregaveta, near Cuma. Cuma is famous for being an ancient Greek colony and for the oracle of the Cumaean Sibyl.

The Cumana line integrates well with Naples' transportation system; in fact, it is often represented in orange on maps and signs, but technically it is a railway line. It has both underground and surface stations.

Circumflegrea Line (or Ferrovia Circumflegrea)

The Circumflegrea line is another railway route that serves Naples and surrounding areas, similar in function to the Cumana line, also operated by the EAV (Ente Autonomo Volturno).

This line connects the Montesanto station in Naples with the town of Torregaveta, passing through the Campi Flegrei region. Although it has a common terminal point with the Cumana line (Torregaveta), the Circumflegrea follows a more internal route and serves different areas of the region, providing important connections for the suburbs to the west of the city. It has both underground and surface stations.

The Circumflegrea line is usually represented in yellow.

Both lines, Cumana and Circumflegrea, are essential for transportation in the Naples region, especially for those who live in the Campi Flegrei but work or study in Naples, and vice versa. They are also useful for tourists wanting to explore areas farther from the city center.

Line 2 of the Naples Metro:

The Line 2 of the Naples metro is an essential railway line that is part of the city's public transportation system. Unlike Line 1, which is primarily a traditional metro system, Line 2 is a hybrid between a metro line and a suburban railway line.

The line connects the eastern area of Pozzuoli in the west with the central station of Naples (Napoli Centrale) and continues to the east to San Giovanni a Teduccio. On its route, it passes several key stations, including the aforementioned Napoli Centrale, which is a major transportation hub in Naples. Because it operates partly as a suburban railway line, the trains and stations of Line 2 can accommodate a larger number of passengers compared to Line 1. The line is also crucial for connecting the city to its main railway station.

While Line 1 is operated by ANM (Azienda Napoletana Mobilità), Line 2 is operated by Trenitalia, Italy's main railway company.

In maps and signage, Line 2 is usually represented in dark blue. Line 2 is not only vital for daily commuting within the city, but it also offers convenient connections with regional and high-speed trains at Napoli Centrale station, facilitating access to other cities and regions in Italy.

Time and Connections

The Line 1 works seven days a week from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm. Nevertheless, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays the second exits in Rione Alto, Montedonzelli, and Montecalvario station are closed to the public. The Line 1 connect the north of Piscinola/Scampia with Garibaldi station when it connects with high speed national railways from the whole of Italy, including the mountainous region of Vomero and the old town in the city.

On business days, the trains of Line 1 work with a frequency of 8 minutes in rush hour, and with an average speed of 32 km. It moves on average 135,000 passengers on a weekly basis and 50,000 passengers on weekends and holidays.

The Line 6 has the same opening and closing hours, as Line 1. It connects with Municipio station in Line 1 and with Cumana train in Tecchio station. Mergellina station connects with Trenitalia system and Line 2.

Rates in Naples Metro

To access the subway services need to buy the regular travel documents in any places that sale them in the city. Almost 1,059 stores are authorized to sell the subway ticket in addition with the 365 points of sale administered by the Naples municipality.

Another option is to use the text service by ANM Company, buying a ticket with a SMS from a mobile phone or smartphone. The cost is charged to the phone account or credit card account of the user.

Furthermore, beginning January 2015, the company changed its tariff structure, causing new regulations in the region of Campania, including the City of Naples. As a result, a more attractive rate system exists, based on integrated values of the different services provided by the company, such as surface bus service, funicular, and subway.

The base cost to travel on Metropolitana di Napoli is 1 €. However, other kinds of tickets may be more interesting, for some citizens or tourists:

• Biglietto Orario: It is an integrated ticket that allows to use all means of public transportation administered by ANM in the city of Naples for 90 minutes. It is particularly convenient, if one needs to do several stops between buses, funiculars and subway in a short time. The cost is 1,50 €.
• Biglietto Giornaliero: This option allows users to use all ANM services for one day. In the case that use only one system of transportation the cost is 3,50 €. The integrated ticket of this modality cost 4,50 €.
• Biglietto Settimanale: This ticket allows for arrangement of all ANM public systems in Naples for a week. The edition of this ticket, for one system of transportation costs 12,00 €, and an integrated ticket cost of 15,80 €.
• Abbonamento Mensile: Similar to the previous, it is a ticket for a month. The user can acquire the version for one system of transportation for 35,00 €, or an integrated ticket for a 42,00 €.
• Abbonamento Annuale: This option is the most expensive, but it is the most beneficial for Naples residents. It is a one year ticket, and the price is 235,20 € for one system service, or 294,00 € for all systems of ANM transportation.

Student allowance

From July 20, 2016, the students who have residency in the region of Campania are eligible for the possibility, to choose a special ticket. This ticket allows them, to use the public system transportation in the city of Naples for free, including the Naples subway. The requirements to be met are:

• 1- Reside in the region of Campania and be between 11 and 26 years old.
• 2- To be registered for the academic period of the current year, for public or private schools or high school, undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate.
• 3- The distance between student housing and the institution, must be greater than 1km.
• 4- To possess the certificate ISEE for lower incomes than 35.000 € per year.

To have the above mentioned requirements, the students will receive a smart card for a single payment of 10 € and with another 40 € for insurance expense. This student allowance is valid for the academic period, for which it has been requested. After that time, the card becomes invalid until a new renovation has been made. This card permits the access to the Metropolitana di Napoli, and other public transportation provided by ANM Company.

Video: "Metropolitana di Napoli, la più bella d'Europa (4K)"

The Naples subway regulations

Banned:

• 1- Prohibited access without express authorization to the cabin of the train driver, the areas reserved for working staff, or technical facilities.
• 2- Prohibited access to the areas managed by the company ANM. No intoxicated indivduals can enter the train facilities or stations. Also, there is prohibited access to persons with skates, or without shoes.
• 3- Prohibited circulation of dangerous or large objects, in the subway stations or on the trains.
• 4- Prohibited to sing, play music, shout or use portable radios without headphones. Also, it is prohibited to create any kind of disturbance to the passengers that travel by the stations a trains of the system.
• 5- Prohibited to place posters or pamphlets on the walls of stations and trains of the transportation system.
• 6- It is prohibited to lean or extend any part of the body outside the train windows, and it has prohibited the throwing of any kind of objects on the roads.
• 7- Prohibited handling of emergency devices, in case of not being in a dangerous situation.
• 8- Prohibited to use more than one seat with bags, luggage or to obstruct the passage of users.
• 9- Prohibited to distract the staff from their operations.
• 10- Prohibited to panhandle in the stations or in the trains.
• 11- Prohibited to smoke in the stations, or in the trains.

Precautions when getting on and off the train

• 1- Pay attention to the gap between the platform and the floor of the train.
• 2- Stand in the line to board the train.
• 3- Give priority to users to descend prior to boarding the train, and be kept outside the door light.
• 4- Avoid getting on or off the train when the door closing sound starts, or when the doors begin to close. Avoid getting off or on the train when it is in motion.
• 5- To anticipate the arrival of the train on the platform to leave, and avoid leaning on doors.

Animal transport: It is allowed to transport one dog per passenger. The dog must be small or medium sized, and travel with its belt and muzzle in order to not cause inconvenience to other users. In these cases, the transport of the animal will be free.

Transport of small children: Children under 6 years old can travel for free if they do not use a seat. However, they need travel with a responsible adult who holds a ticket or travel card, and a child ID to corroborate their correct age.

Transportation of luggage: Free baggage allowance of not more than 20kg or 70x50x30 cm of size. Any luggage greater than these dimensions cannot be transported on the trains.

Bicycle transport: The free transportation of bicycles is allowed on Line 1 and Line 6. On Line 6, a bicycle can be transported throughout the day. Nonetheless, in Line 1, a bicycle is restricted only in the weekdays from 6:00am to 7:00 am and from 8:00pm to the end of the day.

Sanctions:

In case of violating any of the prohibitions or not complying with the established facilities of Metropolitana di Napoli, the user can be fined with the payment of 100 times the ticket rate.

Airport connections:

Moving from the city center of Naples to the airport is extremely simple. The good connection of public transport facilitates, the transfer of visitors from one place to another. To get to the airport, the passenger must take a train on the Line 1 of the Metropolitana di Napoli to Garibaldi station. Once in place, the visitor must go to the bus stop Alibus. This is located near the subway station. The bus to the airport frequency time is 20 minutes, and traveling to Naples Airport lasts between 15 and 20 minutes. The bus drops off at the bus station inside the air complex.

In case of travel from the airport to the city center of Naples, the user must take the Alibus in the bus station inside the air complex to the central station. This bus has only two stops, one on Garibaldi station, and the other in the port of Naples.

Tourism near the stations

Among the extensive tourist and cultural offerings that the city of Naples has, it is possible to emphasize three places of obligatory visit. The first place is the Fountain of Neptune (Fontana del Nettuno), located outside the Municipio station in Line 1 of Metropolitana di Napoli, in the square of the same name. This sculpture was built during the vice-royalty of Enrique de Guzman in the centuries XVI-XVII. Also, in the vicinity tourists can admire the magnificent Palace of San Giacomo, the beautiful Castel Nuovo, and the panoramic view of Vesubio and the city bridge.

Near to the Dante station is the monumental square of the same name, located in the center of the city. It is an icon of Naples and a tribute to one of the most celebrated Italian writers. Another place that should not be missed is the National Archaeological Museum, close to the Museo station. It is considered one of the most important in the whole of Europe, and tourists can find sculptures, paintings and creations from ancient Egypt. This place is visited by more than 200,000 people each year.

Art stations

The art stations in the subway of Naples were created as a project of the city municipality. The idea was to bring contemporary art to residents and tourists in beautiful and harmonious environments. The users enjoy the creations that seek to spread the sensibility for the arts, creating awareness of the importance it has for human beings. The works belong to the best contemporary artist, resulting in an extraordinary multiplicity of styles. The assembly of the work was carried out with the artistic coordination of Achille Bonito Olivia, for a total of 200 works. This is one of the greatest examples of world faith art outside a traditional museum; or in other words, it is the largest open museum in the world. In addition to its contribution to humanity, the project represented an engine for the modernization along the urban city.