The city of Genoa (Genova) has 650,000 inhabitants and lies on terraces along the hills of the Ligurian Appenines on the Italian Riviera. It is the capital of the 'Regione di Liguria'.

From 1990 until 2003, Genoa's metro line was only a very short metro (3.5 km). The first section between Brin and Dinegro opened in 1990 after long delays. Most of the track between these two stations runs through the Certosa tunnel, which had been opened in 1908 for a tramway line. Two years later, in 1992, the 660 m section from Dinegro to Principe, one of the city's two main railway stations, was added. The short line was served by three trains, two of them operating in double traction and one single.

Before the line was extended to San Giorgio in July 2003, Principe station had to be closed from Dec. 2002 to extend its platform to the standard 80 m. On 4 Feb 2005, single-track operation began between San Giorgio and De Ferrari, right in the heart of the city and now among the busiest stations. The second tunnel became available on 20 Dec 2005 (between Sarzano and De Ferrari old tunnels once used by freight trains between Brignole and the port could be used). The intermediate station Sarzano/S. Agostino in the heart of the historic centre was opened in April 2006.

With the full Brin - Brignole section in service since Dec 2012, the line is approx. 6.5 km with 8 stations, with an average station distance of 925 m (longest 2,286 m, shortest 420 m). The maximum gradient is 5.6% (inside the old Certosa tunnel), platforms are 80 m long and allow the use of 3-car trains (750 V d.c., overhead wire, ATO operation, 1435 mm gauge, 2.2 m wide).

All stations are underground, except Brin, which is elevated, and Brignole which is on the surface adjacent to the mainline railway platforms. Most stations have side platforms, except Darsena, Principe and San Giorgio which have island platforms. At 28 m, Corvetto station will be the deepest of the line. Dinegro station is actually at grade but fully covered and has windows at its southern side. Before the extension to Brignole was completed, trains were not able to switch tracks at the De Ferrari terminus. Every other train therefore changed to the 'wrong' track north of S. Giorgio station. The metro was built by Ansaldo Trasporti and is now operated by AMTGenova in partnership with Transdev. The line is fully integrated in the AMT transport network.

 BRIN  13-06-1990

 DINEGRO  13-06-1990

 PRINCIPE   xx-05-1992

 DARSENA   07-08-2003

 SAN GIORGIO   07-08-2003

 SARZANO / SANT'AGOSTINO  03-04-2006

 DE FERRARI   04-02-2005

 BRIGNOLE  22-12-2012

13 June 1990: Brin - Dinegro
27 July 1992: Dinegro - Principe
07 Aug 2003: Principe - San Giorgio
04 Feb 2005: San Giorgio - De Ferrari (single-track; except Sarzano/S. Agostino)
03 April 2006: Sarzano/Sant'Agostino station added (and double-track operation)
22 Dec 2012: De Ferrari - Brignole (1.6 km)

 Projects

Between De Ferrari and Brignole an intermediate station Corvetto was built as a shell along with the Brignole extension, but without accesses; construction for the completion of this station eventually started in Oct 2023.

At the northern end, an extension on a viaduct to Canepari has been planned from the beginning (550 m, and maybe later to Rivarolo), which is now finally under construction.

At the other end, an extension was once planned from Brignole towards Staglieno (Monumental cemetery) in the Val Bisagno, with a branch from Terralba to the San Martino Hospital. In 2023, construction started on a short surface extension to Martinez.

From Dinegro station, a western branch towards Sampierdarena is technically possible.

..

- Public elevators

Total number: 10, with the most spectacular being

- (1) Ascensore Montegalletto from Via Balbi (near Piazza Principe station) to Corso Dogali, with a great view over the city and port area from Montegalletto castle. This lift first runs on steel tracks horizontally into the mountain for some 230 m before going up 70 m like a proper elevator:

- (2) Ascensore Portello - Castelletto, with great view over city centre from Belvedere L. Montaldo terrace:

Azienda Mobilitŕ e Trasporti (AMT) - Official Page with Metro info

Metro Projects (City Website)

Metro Genova at Wikipedia.it

Metro Genova - Sito non ufficiale

Funiculars in Genova by Michel Azéma

Ferrovia Genova-Casella (Official)

Brin station:

Photos © Werner Huber

Dinegro station:

Photos © Werner Huber

San Giorgio:

2003 © Giorgio Massa

Sarzano/S. Agostino station:

Photos © Alessandro Schenone