Adriatico (train)

Adriatico

Class E444 with Gran conforto coaches in Bari
Overview
Service type	Trans Europ Express (TEE) (1973–1987) InterCity(IC) (1987–2005)
Locale	Italy
First service	3 June 1973
Current operator(s)	Ferrovie dello Stato
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in)
Electrification	3000 V DC (Italy)

The Adriatico was an express train operated by Ferrovie dello Stato, linking Milan and Bari. Adriatico is the Italian name for the Adriatic Sea which shore between Rimini and Bari was served by the train.^[1]

Trans Europ Express

In 1969 the Ferrovie dello Stato decided to replace their TEE diesel multiple units by locomotive hauled trains after the German and French examples.^[2] Because domestic TEE were allowed since 1965 the order for the Gran Conforto coaches was enlarged, not only to replace the existing international TEEs but also to convert the high-end domestic services to TEE. After delivery of the international coaches in 1972, two consists of 8 and 9 coaches each, were available in the spring of 1973 and on 3 June 1973 the Adriatico became the first Italian domestic TEE.^[3] Initially the service took 8 h 35 min from Milan to Bari,^[4] thus reaching an average speed of 101 km/h.

TEE 93	country	station	km	TEE 92
12:10	Italy	Milano Centrale	0	19:00
14:02	Italy	Bologna	219	17:10
14:38	Italy	Forlì	284	16:23
15:04	Italy	Rimini	331	15:59
15:26	Italy	Pesaro	364	15:33
16:04	Italy	Ancona	423	14:59
16:29	Italy	Civitanova		14:32
16:53	Italy	Benedetto del Tronto		14:08
17:08	Italy	Guilianova		13:53
17:35	Italy	Pescara		13:30
18:26	Italy	Vasto		12:31
18:34	Italy	Termoli		12:11
19:17	Italy	Severo		11:35
19:40	Italy	Foggia		11:19
20:45	Italy	Bari	867	10:10

The service slowed down year after year and in 1982 it took 9h 25min from Milan to Bari.^[5] In 1984 the rolling stock from the discontinued TEE Mediolanum was recommisioned to the Adriatico that was operated in TEE colours since.

InterCity

On 31 May 1987 the Adriatico was converted in a two-class InterCity. On 10 June 2001 the northern terminus changed from Milan to Venice and from 11 December 2005 the southern terminus moved 149 km farther south to Lecce

References

1. La Légende des TEE p. 330.
2. La Légende des TEE p. 134.
3. Das grosse TEE Buch p. 119
4. Ufficio Pubblicità FS, Relazioni TEE tra 160 città Europee, Rome 1973, table 31.
5. La Légende des TEE p. 333.

Works cited

• Hajt, Jörg (2001). Das grosse TEE Buch (in German). Bonn/Königswinter: Heel Verlag. ISBN 3-89365-948-X.
• Mertens, Maurice; Malaspina, Jean-Pierre (2007). La Légende des Trans Europ Express (in French). Vannes: LR Presse. ISBN 978-29-036514-5-9.