Completion of Italy’s high-speed railway network, together with the
liberalization of passenger railway transport on a national scale, prompted
Luca di Montezemolo, Diego Della Valle, Gianni Punzo and Giuseppe
Sciarrone to found NTV, or Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori. Work on the project
began in 2008, the year in which the founders were joined by other partners:
Intesa San Paolo, Generali Financial Holdings Fcp-Fis, Alberto Bombassei
and later the Sncf. The dual objective is to contribute to optimizing the major
investment made by the Italian State in the development of the high-speed
network while finally opening up passenger rail travel to competition, doing so
with innovative contents and a new approach to making the most out of travel
time, thanks to complete, customised services, comfortable, high-tech
settings, top quality and competitive prices.
The Culture of Excellence
The dream of a new way of travelling, based on an easier relationship with
the Traveller, together with quality and innovation, came into being thanks to
a project that rests on three fundamental concepts:
skill and know-how, through the establishment of an integrated group of
professionals with proven experience in the sectors of railway transportation,
marketing and services to people.
THE PROJECT
The story behind NTV, or Nuovo Trasporto
Viaggiatori
technology, with the purchase of the latest generation AGV train designed
by Alstom, the world’s foremost builder of high-speed trains; and with the
selection of ultra-modern technology and software systems.
the culture of service, through the selection and training of young personnel
in the specially established Ntv Hospitality School, in order to provide
Travellers with the personalised assistance that makes “the difference” in
the case of a service meant for large numbers of people.
It is the mix of these three components that lead to the creation of .Italo,
your train..
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Europe’s most modern train/1
Born to run
Designed to challenge the laws of aerodynamics. Meant to travel at up to 360
km/h. The new Agv train built by Alstom for NTV represents today’s cutting edge
in terms of high-speed technology, providing maximum performance in terms of
safety, ecology and comfort. In addition, Italo uses the same system of
locomotion as the train that beat the world speed record on 3 April 2007 at
approximately 575 km an hour.
Two highly advanced technological innovations are what make the heart of the
Agv project “beat”: the highly articulated architecture and the distributed traction,
which, thanks to the positioning of the engines on the undercarriage, makes the
best possible use of the train’s power. The distribution of the engine system
throughout the entire train, rather than in locomotives at the front and the end,
have made it possible to eliminate the locomotives and free up valuable space
for passengers. The combination of the two innovations eliminates much of the
onboard vibration and noise, optimizing aerodynamics, guaranteeing more
effective safety and reducing maintenance costs by 15%. Thanks to the
innovative materials used, along with the modern traction systems and the above
technical solutions, the overall mass of Italo is lighter than that of comparable
trains on the market, reducing energy consumption by 10%.
THE TRAIN
More comfort, more light, more silence
Innovation serving safety
With its high-tech equipment certified under the latest European regulations, Italo
provides travellers with the peace of mind guaranteed by maximum safety.
Energy absorbers positioned on the front of the train protect against collisions,
reducing the consequences of any impact; the multiform structure also ensures a
stronger bond between the chassis, preventing the train from distorting itself in
“accordian” fashion so as to increase running safety and improve resistnce to side
winds. An automatic fire-prevention misting system and the latest generation
signalling equipment complete Italo’s technological features..
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Europe’s most modern train/2
Italo cares for environment
Italo is the result of an eco-design process meant to control and reduce the
environmental impact of the train throughout its life cycle, from construction
up to the recovery and recycling of the materials.
Italo’s eco-sustainable architecture features:
2) heightened recycling: 98% of the materials used to build the train can be
reused (aluminum, steel, copper, glass)
3) lower energy consumption (-10%)
4) self-sufficient electricity supply: thanks to the energy recovered by the
electrodynamic braking system, the train produces all the electricity it needs.
5) less noise pollution: the streamlined design, the addition of air
deflectors, the insulating materials and the layout of the undercarriage make
for quieter trips with Italo, both onboard and outside the train.
THE TRAIN
1) low greenhouse gas emissions
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The train puts on its finery
The hare in hot pursuit of the future
In short, the uniform worn by Italo is as Italian as can be. The name itself,
chosen by nearly 40 thousand travellers who took part in a survey on the
company’s website, symbolises not only the enterprise’s identity, philosophy
and plans, but also the dreams, feelings and commitment of the shareholders
towards Italy. These are the businessmen of a country that has no equal
when it comes to living in style, top quality, superb design, creativity and
innovation. The Italo brand is all this, and right now.
The logo also reflects the style and form of the featured concept: the hare
shown as it rushes forward. The lean profile of the figure speaks of the speed
and agility typical of Italo’s service. The clean lines of the design give an
impression of a strong but light touch, reflecting the innovative features of the
new train and the expectations of travellers: Italo is quick, safe and agile.
Cultures throughout the world view the hare as a friendly, reassuring, gentle
animal, giving Italo the aura of the friend you can trust, the one who is
ready and willing to stay by your side throughout the trip.
THE LOGO
Red was the colour worn by Italian cars in the first automobile races held
following the Second World War. Red is the colour of speed. And Ialo, built
with the same traction system as the Alstom train that holds the world speed
record, at 575 kilometres an hour, has what it takes to wear the colour red.
Actually, an elegant Bordeaux red trimmed with a gold band that serves as
the connecting motif for all 11 cars of the train, tying the whole colour scheme
together with the red, white and green of the Italian flag.
The style of the logo also brings to mind the speed, sleekness and flexibility
that set the hare apart, while the peek on the head reflects both technological
innovation and the fact that a new starting point has been reached: the start
of a e new way of travelling. With Italo.
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The new concept of comfort
The objective of the Alstom designers was to build a comfortable, well-lit,
relaxing railway car custom-tailored to the traveller. To achieve this goal they
expanded the windows (+20% more surface area than those of existing
high-speed trains); the interior was climate-controlled uniformly,
eliminating the flow of air at window height; the width of the chassis interior
was increased by 9 centimetres; vibrations and noise were significantly
reduced, both inside and outside the train, by reducing the number of
undercarriage units and positioning the further from the areas where the
passengers sit.
Seats with a Frau touch
Soft, reclining, ergonomic and upholstered in fine Frau leather: the seats
created for the different areas of Italo offer the utmost in comfort.
Everything has been designed and studied to make the trip as pleasant as
possible: the extra wide chassis of the train provides for more space between
the amply cushioned backs and armrests of the seats, meaning more room
for movement. The decision to have the major of the seats facing straight
ahead (only those in the centre are set facing each other) increases privacy
and ensures increased legroom, seeing that no one is sitting across from
the passenger. All the seats have individual power outlets, adjustable
armrests and reclining backs, and they can also be moved backward ad
forward, to allow the passenger to stretch out.
Finally, the colours of the seats set apart the different travelling areas of Italo
with in a highly original fashion.
THE AMBIENCES
More light, more space, more silence
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There are no classes on Italo, with the style, quality and comfort of the seats
set at maximum levels for all travellers. Quality for everyone means plenty
of space and seats upholstered in Frau leather in all the cars, plus free Wi-Fi
service for all passengers, as well as live TV and the utmost in personal
security for those travelling with their luggage, thanks to closed-circuit TV
cameras that guard the entry points to the train and the luggage areas
separated from the seats.
Quality for everyone also means continuous information during the trip,
provided by LED screens positioned at both ends of the each car to
supply information on the trip, the stops and the services, as often as
possible in text form, without voice announcements, to keep from disturbing
passengers.
What sets the different cars apart is the type of service offered, which varies
according to the passengers’ needs. This is why the train is divided into
different ambiences, allowing the traveller to select the style of the trip
and the type of service to be enjoyed, without ever missing out on a fullcomfort experience.
To meet every different need, Italo offers three main ambiences: Club, Prima
and Smart, which, with the addition of Prima Relax and Smart Cinema,
makes for five different ways to travel
.
The Club ambience
THE AMBIENCES
Three ambiences, five ways of travelling/1
This is the exclusive area for the most demanding travellers: comfort,
discretion, technology, custom-tailored service and even more space.
The Club car is located at the end of the train, to guarantee even more peace
and quiet. There are a total of 19 comfortable seats, plus two sitting rooms
that can be taken on a “unit” basis by those seeking extra privacy (for up to a
maximum of 4 passengers), as well as personal service especially designed
for the ambience: as if each passenger had a valet ready to handle, among
other things, the welcome aboard service (including espresso coffee), the
distribution of newspapers and the serving of the Eataly menus for lunch
and dinner, when requested. Each seat has an ultra- modern touch-screen,
an absolute first that provides passengers with live TV free of charge, plus
the films and entertainment programs found on Italolive, the onboard portal.
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Three ambiences, five ways of travelling/2
This is the ambience for those seeking all-round comfort, the cosy elegance
of a sitting room, so that they can relax without a care, though also without
neglecting top-quality service that includes the Eataly menus, when
requested, for lunch or dinner, conveniently served at the passenger’s seat,
as well as the welcome service included with the ticket, daily papers in the
morning hours, Wi-Fi service free of charge and live TV and films on
Italolive, the onboard portal. The seats are arranged in rows of three, a
roomy arrangement, with the individual armrests set 5 cm apart and a
lengthwise distance of 960 mm between each seat, all topped off by special
touches, such as reading lights with easily reached controls and the object
holders found between the double seats. Travellers wishing to stretch their
legs can use the Break Area (a standing space for conversations and
relaxation), while those who wish to travel, work or simply rest without any
noise (such as the bothersome beeps of cell phones in use) can opt for
Prima Relax, the quiet car where telephones and loud voices are politely
prohibited
The Smart ambience
Lively colours announce the style of the Smart area, which features
comfort, as shown by the seats in Frau leather, all of them reclining, but
for those more interest in economical travel than added features.
Economical, practical self-service extras are provided, as in the case of the
small Snack Area with snack and beverage machines, and the top-flight
comfort is combined with affordable prices, making this the ideal mode of
getting places for the Smart Traveller, who still benefits from free Wi-Fi
coverage in all the cars, plus access, also at no charge, to the onboard
portal Italolive.
.
THE AMBIENCES
The Prima ambience
The Smart Cinema
The Smart Cinema car, placed at the end of the train to avoid the disturbance
of passengers moving about, is designed as a full-fledged 39-seat movie
theatre. Eight high-definition 19-inch screens are positioned on the ceiling
of the car, coming as close as possible to the full effect of a movie theatre,
with first-run films played on the non-stop trip between Rome and Milan,
while entertainment shows and news offerings are provided on the shorter
routes.
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The revolution in travel time/1
Italo revolutionises the way travel time is spent. Thanks to the train’s cuttingedge technology, passengers can remain constantly connected to their own
worlds, whether that be the working environment of the office, the comfort of
the home or contacts with friends and family. The modular, flexible
infrastructure utilises satellite technology, plus a UMTS telephone
connection and WI-FI, all of which makes possible, even at 300 km a hour:
Top-quality internet navigation, with excellent coverage even on the most
difficult routed for communications.
Live television service.
For the first time ever, the onboard IT technology has been designed together
with the train: the bidirectional satellite antenna installed on the roof to
constantly track the satellite connection, the Italolive portal and the fibreoptic cabling of the entire train have resulted in a giant leap in terms of the
communications and entertainment offerings.
Wi-Fi internet free of charge in all areas
On all the cars, which are outfitted with fibre-optic cables, high-speed internet
navigation is available fee of charge with Ipad, tablet, computers,
smartphones or PDA. The interaction of the three communications
technologies installed aboard the trains guarantees constant, top-quality
navigation and excellent coverage, despite tunnels and other obstacles, with
the exception of the lengthy tunnel between Bologna and Florence.
Passengers can work as if they were back in the office, receiving e-mails
from personal or company accounts, accessing company or social networks
and using the multimedia contents of the digital library of Italolive, the
onboard portal.
The portal is accessed from personal computers or tablets, thanks to the
high-speed intranet connection, with a simple authentication. In the case of
passengers already registered with italotreno.it, recognition is even simpler
and quicker, demonstrating the care and attention Italo pays to its customers
TELEMATICS
Always connected
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The revolution in travel time/2
In a worldwide first, Italo broadcasts live TV while travelling at a speed of 300
km an hour: a feat made possible by satellite technology and a partnership
with Sky, which will supply Sky TG24 news once Italo begins commercial
operation, with the subsequent possibility of including other portions of the
Sky line-up.
Italolive, the onboard portal, is a digital platform that provides not only live
TV, but also a selection of the best of Medusa films, plus additional
entertainment and news content for Italo, all free of charge and all in the
comfort of the passenger’s seat.
A full line-up can be accessed from personal computers or, in the Club
ambience, from individual 9-inch touch-screens
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The magic of films at a speed of 300 km an hour
Going to the movies on the train, here films can be viewed in an exclusive,
innovative setting. The Italo car set aside for entertainment completes the
onboard array of offerings, making it possible to enjoy films, including first-run
features, in complete relaxation on the Milan-Rome non-stop route. The
offerings on trains that make intermediate stops include other entertainment
and news programs
TELEMATICS
Entertainment in the form of live TV, and more
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Travelling without worries
Baggage service is also door to door
Parking at the station, car rentals, with a chauffeur if requested, shipment of
baggage door to door: NTV’s all-round assistance that starts from the
moment you walk out your door and includes:
Car rental with flexible terms of use and economical prices at all stations.
Drivers can also be hired.
Door to door baggage transport, with pick-up at your home and delivery to
the address specified within 24 hours.
SERVICE
Parking at a distance of no more than 600 metres from stations, with the
possibility of reserving on-line or over the phone.
Italotour Portal. In partnership with Alpitour World, making possible the
purchase of Italo tickets, hotel stays and weekend packages in the cities
serviced by the train.
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Highly trained onboard personnel
Impeccable, custom-tailored and no-stop,
Travelling with passion on Italo
But the real innovation compared to traditional railway operations is the fact
that the team does not change during the trip, and that the Italo Train
Manager is responsible not only for transport and safety, but for all the other
activities involving service and care of passengers.
In addition to the Train Manager, four staff members make up the onboard
team:
- a Train Specialist who aids the Train Manager in ensuring travelling comfort
and handling commercial matters (ticket control and onboard sales)
- three hostesses/stewards in charge of welcoming and assisting travelers.
SERVICE
Designed to be impeccable and, more importantly, to ensure constant, topflight service, the size of the Italo team is set in proportion to the number of
passengers expected, with further assistance coming from the personnel
assigned to the “meal service” and “onboard cleaning”.
Equipped with modern palm computers, the team checks in for work, controls
onboard operations and sales, receives information on passenger profiles,
records any anomalies, communicating them in real-time to the maintenance
department and remaining constantly connected with the operations centre,
in order to receive continual updates on the state of the service and railway
traffic.
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ItaloPiù, the advantages of being faithful
A friend while travelling is a friend indeed
Italo is always at the beck and call of the traveller, through Contact Centers,
at the Casa Italo or through the onboard personnel.
In addition to the customary loyalty points, which can be spent on either
travel or gifts selected from a catalogue, the service makes it possible to
establish a direct relationship with the personnel, who recognize the
passenger, view his or her profile on their terminal and examine their needs
in advance, immediately sending on all the necessary information.
SERVICE
For those who wish to have even more highly customised service, NTV has
established a customer loyalty program called ItaloPiù and designed to give
all travellers truly innovative benefits.
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The full network of high-speed stations
Italo services 9 Italian cities and 12 stations on the following 2 lines:
STAZIONI
CITTA'
STAZIONI
TORINO
MILANO
Porta Susa
Porta Garibaldi
VENEZIA
Santa Lucia
Mestre
BOLOGNA
Rogoredo
Centrale
FIRENZE
ROMA
S. Maria Novella Tiburtina Ostiense
PADOVA
BOLOGNA
FIRENZE
Centrale
Centrale
S. Maria Novella
NAPOLI
SALERNO
Centrale
Centrale
ROMA
Tiburtina
Ostiense
The stations chosen in Rome and Milan mark innovations in the railway
traditions of these cities.
There are two Italo terminals in Rome:
Rome Tiburtina, the Italian capital’s large new high-speed station, which will
serve as Italo’s main terminal;
Rome Ostiense, whose operations complement those of the Tiburtina
station, servicing the City’s south and southwest zones, which are especially
important for business travellers and are not easily reached from the Termini
or Tiburtina stations.
RAIL TRAFFIC
CITTA'
Italo also has two fully innovative stations in Milan:
Porta Garibaldi, which serves as Italo’s main terminal in Milan, is tied to the
centre of the city, in an area holding one of Milan’s most important
renewal projects (the new Isola zone);
Rogoredo, whose operations complement those of the Porta Garibaldi
station, is found in an outlying district, making its easily reachable from all the
satellite areas of Milan.
Once full operating capacity is reached, with 25 trains delivered, there will be
50 trips a day, for a total of approximately 12 million train-kilometres a year.
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Even the uniform is aerodynamic
The streamlined cut mirrors the train’s front
The moulded front of the Italo inspired the ultra-modern uniforms for the NTV
personnel. The reflective trim running along the sides of the jackets, the
overcoat and the hat is based on the aerodynamic form of the train itself,
lending the design a streamlined flair. The result is a uniform, done in the
colours of Italo-red and grey, that proves highly elegant and visually
striking, but also functionally efficient and comfortable.
Innovative technical fabrics to make the uniform recognisable,
comfortable and functionally efficient were the criteria followed in the
design created by LD Consulting of Rome for NTV. The resulting product has
a style that takes into account both the company’s image and the
performance features required by personnel who, given the special nature of
their tasks, are very demanding.
Ld Consulting paid close attention to the perceived wellbeing of those
wearing the garments, at the same time ensuring that the fabrics performed
efficiently under different conditions of role, setting and temperature. The
uniform also had to be recognisable, in order to transmit and maintain the
identity and values of NTV, while the underlying theme of the Italian colours,
found on the logo of the uniform and on a portion of the accessories,
emphasised the spirit of a service created to express Italian excellence.
IMAGE
Red and grey, elegance and personality
Top-flight materials, such as elasticised Miroglio wool, guarantee a longerlasting impeccable appearance; 100% anti-wrinkle cotton fabrics were used
for the shirts; soft-shell elasticised pile was employed, both with and without
wind-break layers; Gore-tex fabrics tat breath were used for the overcoat,
with Confortemp lining and, depending on the weather conditions, matching
down vests; high-tech Polartec undergarments feature two-layer fabric, with
the smooth, resistant outer layer protecting from the wind while the soft inner
layer keeps moisture from the skin, guaranteeing dry, warm, comfortable
conditions; genuine Italian-made Soldini shoes finish off an Italo wardrobe
capable of making work on the train pleasing and comfortable under any
conditions.
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Maintenance in real time
Maintenance of the fleet of Italo trains has been assigned to Alstom, which
carries out the operations in Nola, at the Cis industrial hub, Interporto
Campano, Vulcano Buono. Here NTV has built a centre with the very latest
technology, carrying out an investment of 90 million euros in only 21 months’
time. The plant gives work to more than 250 young people hired under
permanent employment contracts and it is also made available to new
southern Italian railway companies that wish to use the ultra-modern
equipment and the top-quality services.
The depot covers a service area of 30 thousand square metres and an area
of 55 thousand square metres equipped with rails, for a total of 140 square
metres, with the equipment including a sunken lathe, plus systems for
cleaning, toilet sanitisation, refill of sand and the replacement of train
undercarriages, plus a one-of-is kind plant in the industry: a system for the
ultra-sound control of train wheels, of key factor in guaranteeing operating
performance and safety.
A sophisticated computerized monitoring system controls the “health”
of the rolling stock in real time, in order to ensure timely repair of any
anomalies, thus minimizing disturbances of the passenger service.
THE NOLA DEPOT
The Italo “stables”
Train pit-stop in Nola
NTV has assigned the task of maintaining its fleet of AGV 575 trains to their
constructor, ALSTOM, in order to ensure that the operations are carried out in
the most efficient, reliable manner possible.
Nola is also the facility where the Italo trains are cleaned and sanitised. NTV
considers these operations to be a key to the strategic success of the
service, and so it has designed a cleaning procedure that includes
systematic, accurate operations involving both the interiors and the outer
fittings of the trains, carried out on the occasion of every stop and in every
location, including onboard the train, and monitored constantly by a
computerized system.
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“Casa Italo”: NTV listens to travelers
A new approach to making passengers feel welcome
The Italo Service Centre is the heart and listening post that takes into
account what all passengers have to say. Designed by the internationally
famous architect Stefano Boeri, the centres are found in every high-speed
station where Italo stops, being the end result of an effort to rationalize and
make the best possible use of the space by rendering it both fluid and
technologically advanced.
The final outcome of this effort is a structure with an interactive front portion
equipped with large LCD monitors and automatic ticketing monitor that make
it possible to purchase tickets and consult arrival and departure schedules
without even entering the centre, all at a glance.
Inside the perimeter, the architecture of the space is designed as a shell
containing furnishings that form circular islands where:
- Personalised information and assistance can be obtained
- Complaints can be made
- Tickets can be purchased or modified using automatic ticketing machines
- Areas set aside for brief waits, outfitted with comfortable upholstered chairs,
cab be used
- Passengers can navigate and work at wi-fi tables
ASSISTANCE
Information at a glance
“Casa Italo” is a service centre open to all Italo passengers
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Hello Italo, telephone assistance
In addition to web channels, palm computers, automatic ticketing machines
at stations and the traditional network of travel agencies, Italo also provides
travelers with “Hello Italo”, an innovative Contact Center whose purpose is
to handle information, sales and assistance activities, in addition to providing
support to travel agencies and NTV personnel.
At full capacity, the Contact Center will employ 80 specialised operators
trained at the NTV Hospitality School. Its chief feature is its elevated
accessibility:
1) reachable using various communications channels (e-mail, web, fax, online chat);
2) has a single telephone number that can be reached from all locations
(including those abroad) and using all types of telephones (land lines and
mobile);
3) in operation every day of the year, from 5:00 am to 12 midnight.
Supported by NTV’s innovative traveler relations system (“AMICO”, or
Multichannnel client and operator Internation Application), “Hello Italo” is
designed to handle a large number of calls, combining swift operation and
efficiency with a strenuous attempt to achieve “human” contact emphasising:
. direct response from an operator;
. automatic recognition of travelers registered with AMICO, including an
immediate display of their profile (services purchased, preferences,
participation in loyalty programs).
- top-fight levels of service involving the calls received (more than 85%
answered within 4 rings and more than 95% of all calls answered), plus a
system for forecasting response times, with the possibility of setting the callback in the event of extended delays.
ASSISTANCE
The telephone contact service custom tailored to passengers
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The new style of onboard eating/1
High-speed trains shorten distances and travel times. Ntv believes that the
new, shortened timetables are not compatible with the traditional
restaurant service. But having rejected the idea of a traditional onboard
kitchen and dining car, and having also rejected the possibility of precooked
meals loaded onto the train before departure (even if the products are precooked, their useful lifespan is too short), NTV did not want to rule out the
possibility of providing a top-quality lunch. And so it has opted for a brandnew approach that make it possible to eat well aboard Italo, even if the
cook is not onboard, and with the added advantage of there being no
direct handling of the food by the train personnel, making for a maximum
guarantee of hygiene.
The result is a revolutionary way of serving lunch aboard a train: the
passengers eat at their seats, so that they can relax, without having to
separate themselves from their baggage. And even if there is no kitchen,
there is still genuine, top-quality food of the season, based on menus
whose prices are very competitive. The choice of a partner with which to
arrive at such gastronomic excellence was easy: Eataly, the company
whose owner, Oscar Farinetti, has successfully combined large-scale food
service with top-flight quality, innovation, affordable prices, variety,
streamlined procedures and nutritionally balanced menus.
FOOD SERVICE
Ntv chooses Eataly for “zero kilometre” trips among regional
taste delights
Quality that everyone can afford, the reason for choosing
Eataly
Eataly works with a large number of small-scale but high-quality enterprises
that grow their products in sustainable fashion. The distribution chain is
limited to a bare minimum, with the direct link between producer and
distributor making possible extremely convenient prices.
The superb Italian wine and food products, selected by the experts at
Eataly stress the virtues of small-scale production, tradition and respect of
the seasons, as well as family enterprise and regional customs: in short,
the secret is to reproduce on a larger, more modern scale the venerable
tradition of preserves and stored food typical of the Italian countryside.
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The new style of onboard eating/2
But how to combine the quality of old-time tastes with the rigour of
modern hygiene, the practical considerations of serving meals, ease of
transport, biodegradability of materials and the guarantee that the
products will keep? Once again Eataly drew on the wisdom of our
forefathers, working with NTV to arrive at a new solution: preserving the
food in innovative packaging.
Old-time techniques for making preserves keep the properties of the food
intact for lengthy periods, and without any synthetic substances or
additives. Indeed, glass is a highly recyclable and hygienic material that
does an excellent job of preserving the taste, aroma and physical
characteristics of precooked products sealed in jars and then served on the
train.
Italobox, a tidy, practical, fun container, is made with eco-sustainable,
recyclable materials, having been inspired by the well known Japanese
“bento”, the lunch box widely used in that country. The Italobox contains
everything needed (including the menu, silverware, napkins and beverages)
for a relaxing meal that passengers can enjoy without leaving their seats.
The hostess is on hand to heat the jar, should the passenger wish, after
which he or she is free to enjoy the old-time taste treats of our ancestors,
in what amounts to a trip within the trip, exploring each individual product.
And an added advantage is that everything not eaten can easily be taken
away for later by simply screwing the top back on the jar.
FOOD SERVICE
The glass is the secret: authentic tastes in a jar
A “carousel” of menus from Eataly means that meals are
never humdrum on Italo
Eataly has come up with a full range of menus to satisfy every type of NTV
passengers. At two-week intervals, the menus are completely revised, and
only food products in season at the time are used, with fresh light flavours
chosen for the summer months, and hotter, more decisive, substantial”
tastes served in colder periods. A potato casserole with olives accompanied
by a bend of fresh and dried tomatoes could be ideal during a “summer”
trip, while a soup of chickpeas and herbs could warm up a December trip.
No synthetic additives, chemical ingredients or preservatives are used in
producing the meals, and the traditional, natural recipes are unchanged
from the originals, though they may vary from one producer to another.
Furthermore, seeing that quality is always more impressive when we
know about it beforehand, Eataly also provides descriptions of the history
and values that link its producers to a community which has always made
good tastes and wholesome food a way of life
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Sky TG24 non-stop news even on the train
For the first time ever, live TV broadcasts can be viewed on Italo are shown
while travelling at a speed of 300 km an hour: a feature made possible by
satellite technology and a partnership with Sky.
Once Italo begins commercial operations, Sky TG24, a leading all-news
channel highly respected for its independence and objectivity, will be
available onboard. And this innovative service offered to Italo passengers
may subsequently be expanded to include other contents from the Sky lineup.
TELEMATICS
Sky 24-hour news live at 300 km an hour
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Alstom, the team that takes care of the fleet
For a period of 30 years, Alstom shall be in charge of maintaining the NTV
fleet, with a team of 180 experts who will work side by side with the NTV
personnel at both the Nola centre and the control room in Rome, where the
fleet is headquartered.
The Alstom TLS team assigned to the Nola facility shall be on call 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week to control and carry out full maintenance on each train,
ensuring daily availability of 21 trains (out of a total fleet of 25).
It shall also provide supplementary services, including repairs made
necessary by accidents r vandalism, as well as the modernisation of the
trains and their fittings.
NTV’s AGV train is equipped with advanced diagnostic instruments, both
onboard and remote, capable of improving the timeliness of maintenance
operations.
Through remote connections, the TLS technicians at the Nola plant can
assist train teams in eliminating or limiting malfunctions while the train is
still on the way to the depot, at the same time preparing in advance
whatever operations are necessary, thus reducing the down-time for the
train.
THE NOLA DEPOT
Built by NTV on the basis of a design by Alstom, the Nola maintenance
facility performs corrective and preventive maintenance on the 25. Italo
trains, in order to provide passengers with the best possible service.
Inside the depot, trains will go through a full maintenance cycle meant to
optimise the time needed under a “pit stop” approach:
Washing of train – 15 minutes
Test of interior– 30 minutes
Sand refill – 15 minutes
Water refill – 30 minutes
Emptying of toilets – 45 minutes
Cleaning of interiors – 30 minutes
Transfer of trains – 15 minutes
Performance of corrective or preventive maintenance – the time needed
External test – 1 hour
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Malfunctions of rolling stock represent a cost for operators not only in
terms of spare parts, but also due to the time lost at the depot, which
lowers the quality of the service by reducing the availability of the fleet.
Diagnosing a malfunction, ordering the spare parts and resolving the
problem are all activities that call for time, constituting the single greatest
obstacle to increasing efficiency.
With the ongoing development of technology in the fields of computer
science, communications and information, techniques for the maintenance
of railway materials have made significant progress in recent years. In
order to aid its clients n optimising their fleet management activities,
Alstom now provides operators and maintenance experts with high valueadded services developed on the basis of the experience of its engineers
and involving real-time diagnosis of defects, breakdowns and accidents.
The TrainTracer System
With TrainTracer, operators are immediately notified of all major
malfunctions, meaning that maintenance teams can prepare and make
available the spare parts before the train enters the depot, transforming
the maintenance operation into a full-fledged pit-stop, with the result that
the rolling stock returns to its natural element: the rails.
In combination with the train control system, the TrainTracer generates an
ongoing flow of data from electric meters and electronic sensors
distributed throughout the train, with this flow then being transmitted via
radio (GPRS) to a land-based server.
Thanks to this information, made available in real-time and upon request,
operators can adjust train movements in advance, while engineers can
analyse and understand on a remote basis what is taking place onboard, in
order to prevent breakdowns and problems.
Carrying out predictive and preventive maintenance significantly increases
fleet availability.
THE NOLA DEPOT
Alstom, innovative diagnosis of malfunctions
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Medusa travels in agreement with Italo
In an exclusive arrangement with Italo, both hit films and the works of
major auteur directors will be shown, in other words, the products that
have made Medusa a leader in the film industry over its sixteen years of
operation. All the different genres will be represented, including
comedies, dramas, love stories, animated features, adventure films, war
pictures, thrillers and westerns – in keeping with the consistently high
quality of Medusa’s offerings. The leading Italian and foreign directors and
the best known stars, will be travelling companions during a “trip within
the trip”, on occasion featuring films shown at the same time as their
release in theatres, as part of a new and innovative use of its products that
Medusa is glad and proud to be supporting and promoting.
TELEMATICS
An extensive film library, the latest features of the new season and the
most sought-after premieres. These are all part of the Medusa Film
offerings included in a farsighted, highly innovative program of films for
viewing proposed by Italo. The “Moving screen” project is based on the
brilliant idea of the Film-Car, which, in and of itself, hearkens back to the
trains and railways that have always played such a large part in film history,
ever since the renowned ”Train arriving at the La Ciotat Station” by the
brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière, a 1896 production that terrorised
spectators who were seeing a steam locomotive come straight their way for
the fist time, as if it were ready to jump off the screen.
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Founded in 1995, Medusa Film, a company of the Mediaset Corporation,
has risen to the leading position in the Italian film industry in just a few
years’ time. The company produces and distributes both Italian and
international films. Starting from 2000, Medusa Film has consistently
ranked at the top of the Italian film industry: the results obtained every
year, from 2001 to date, have confirmed its leading role. At present it
continues to invest massively in its productions, at an annual rate of
roughly 80 million euros, of which 60 million are earmarked for Italian
films.
Medusa’s artistic strategy focuses on Italian productions that cover various
genres, with the works of established directors increasingly being
accompanied by the efforts of up and coming filmmakers. Medusa Film
also produces and distributes home entertainment, where it ranks among
the leading Italian operators in the areas of film, documentaries,
animated features, television transmissions and Dvd and Blu-Ray products.
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The full certification procedure for .Italo has been carried out by Alstom,
using not only the prototype for the AGVI train, a full-fledged laboratory on
rails, but also 4 .Italo trains outfitted for the tests.
The trains were manned in shifts by teams of engineers from various
Alstom Transport industrial facilities, with further support from testing
specialists.
The measurements taken and the data collected with sensors installed on
the trains were sent to the Alstom engineering departments, which
analysed them to make the necessary modifications.
The trials regarded the performance, safety and comfort of the train,
testing a series of different elements, including traction, braking,
dynamic performance, aerodynamics, signalling and acoustical comfort.
Round the world in 200 thousand kilometres
During the trials, the AGV prototype travelled a total of 100,000 km,
including:
38,000 km at the railway testing centre in Velim (Czech Republic), up to a
top speed of 200 km/h.
7,000 on the LGV East high-speed line in France, reaching 364 km/h
55,000 in Italy, where it reached 330 km/h
As for the 4 .Italo trains, to date they have travelled a total of 130,000 km
on conventional lines, as well as the “super-direct” line between Rome and
Florence and along the entire Italian high-speed network.
CERTIFICATION
Alstom/A laboratory on rails
The .Italo line certification tests were held between March 2011 and
December 2011 for a total of 67 weeks, made possible by the fact that a
number of trains carried the trials simultaneously.
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