Malpensa tests rail transport for small cargo shipments to Milan

Milan Malpensa Airport has completed a second trial transporting small parcels to central Milan by passenger train and electric vehicles, as part of efforts to reduce road traffic and emissions.

The Smart Parcels on Train initiative, known as SPOT, is being conducted under the European Union-supported OLGA green-airports project. Airport operator SEA is coordinating the trial with DHL Express Italy and several companies belonging or connected to the FNM Group, including Malpensa Intermodale, Malpensa Distripark, FERROVIENORD, E-VAI and Trenord.

During the tests, a parcel was collected from DHL Express Italy’s Malpensa hub and transported by electric vehicle to the railway station at Terminal 1. It was then loaded onto an early-morning Malpensa Express passenger train to Milano Cadorna before being transferred to another electric vehicle for final delivery to DHL’s facility in Via Mosè Bianchi.

The test used a service departing before 06:00, when passenger demand is low. Organisers verified that sufficient luggage space was available and said the shipment did not affect passenger services. The parcel also complied with the railway’s existing conditions of carriage.

The project is examining whether spare capacity on existing airport trains could be used to transport small consignments, reducing the number of delivery vehicles travelling between Malpensa and Milan. Potential benefits include lower CO? emissions, reduced road congestion and greater use of the airport as an intermodal logistics hub.

Results from the two trials will now be analysed to determine whether the model could be developed further and replicated at Malpensa or other airports and cities.