Como San Giovanni railway station
Encyclopedia
Como San Giovanni railway station is the main station
serving the city and comune
of Como
, in the region
of Lombardy
, northern Italy
. Opened in 1875, it forms part of the Milan–Chiasso railway, and is also a terminus of the Como–Lecco railway, which branches off the main line a few kilometres (miles) to the south, at Albate-Camerlata.
Como San Giovanni is the last Italian station on the line to Chiasso, and therefore fulfils the functions of a border station. However, customs checks have not been carried out there since 2008, when Switzerland
joined the Schengen Agreement
.
The station is currently managed by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana
(RFI), but the commercial area of the passenger building
is managed by Centostazioni
. Train services are operated by Trenitalia
. Each of these companies is a subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato
(FS), Italy's state-owned rail company.
, a short distance to the west of the city centre.
, to a design of Paolo Perilli. It was inaugurated in 1949. A structure in brick on two levels (of which only the ground floor is accessible to travellers), it consists of three sections joined together by a glass wall that provides much of the lighting inside the central hall. It is also attached to shelters facing the station yard.
Inside the station yard, there are five through tracks, including four for use by passengers. There are also three dock platforms on the south side of the station (used as the terminus of the line to Lecco) and two on the north side.
Each of the four through tracks dedicated to passenger transport has a platform covered by a concrete shelter. The platforms are connected with each other by a covered walkway and elevators. Track 1 is faced by the main platform, and tracks 2 and 3 by an island platform. Track 4 is seldom used, but is accessible to passengers via a small platform between tracks 3 and 4. To get to that platform, it is necessary to cross track 3.
There is also another track to the north serving the Como railway post office, and, to the south, two tracks connecting the station with its goods yard and the headquarters of the Customs Agency.
In 2008, work was completed on a facelift of the station co-financed by Centostazioni and RFI. The project cost 1 million euro
s, and was subject to cultural heritage constraints. The renovations included the following: restoration and maintenance of buildings, the addition of new businesses dedicated to travelers, the adaptation of plants to legal requirements, removal of architectural barriers, installation of tactile paving
for the vision impaired, renovation of public conveniences and the construction of new lifts.
Como San Giovanni is served by trains of all types. The main long distance destinations are Milano Centrale, Milano Porta Garibaldi
, Molteno, Lecco
, Albate-Camerlata, Bellinzona
and Zürich Hauptbahnhof.
The station is also a stop on line S11 of the Milan suburban railway service (Milano Porta Garibaldi–Chiasso
; hourly) and line S10 of the Ticino S-Bahn (Bellinzona–Albate-Camerlata; also hourly).
In the square, also in front of the passenger building, is a bus terminal. The operator of the bus service is SPT, runs services between 7.20 and 22.15. The main destinations of buses are: Cernobbio
, Moltrasio
, Argegno
, Menaggio
, Dongo, San Fedele
, Lanzo d'Intelvi
, Torno, Nessus
, Bellagio
, Palanzano
, Cantù
and Appiano Gentile
.
Central station
A central station usually designates the principal passenger railway station of cities which have multiple stations. The central station functions as the main transport hub for rail transport, normally with interchange with other modes of public transport...
serving the city and comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
, in the region
Regions of Italy
The regions of Italy are the first-level administrative divisions of the state, constituting its first NUTS administrative level. There are twenty regions, of which five are constitutionally given a broader amount of autonomy granted by special statutes....
of Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, northern Italy
Northern Italy
Northern Italy is a wide cultural, historical and geographical definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the northern part of the Italian state, also referred as Settentrione or Alta Italia...
. Opened in 1875, it forms part of the Milan–Chiasso railway, and is also a terminus of the Como–Lecco railway, which branches off the main line a few kilometres (miles) to the south, at Albate-Camerlata.
Como San Giovanni is the last Italian station on the line to Chiasso, and therefore fulfils the functions of a border station. However, customs checks have not been carried out there since 2008, when Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
joined the Schengen Agreement
Schengen Agreement
The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed on 14 June 1985 near the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, between five of the ten member states of the European Economic Community. It was supplemented by the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement 5 years later...
.
The station is currently managed by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana
Rete Ferroviaria Italiana
Rete Ferroviaria Italiana is an Italian company fully owned by Ferrovie dello Stato . RFI is the owner of Italy's railway network, it sets train paths, provides signalling, provides maintenance and other services for the railway network...
(RFI), but the commercial area of the passenger building
Station building
A station building, also known as a head house, is the main building of a passenger train station. It is typically used principally to provide services to passengers.A station building is not to be confused with the station itself...
is managed by Centostazioni
Centostazioni
' is a member company of Italy's Ferrovie dello Stato group. It was created to rehabilitate, develop and manage 103 medium sized Italian railway stations.-History:...
. Train services are operated by Trenitalia
Trenitalia
Trenitalia is the primary train operator in Italy. Trenitalia is owned by Ferrovie dello Stato, itself owned by the Italian Government. It was created in 2000 following the EU directive on the deregulation of rail transport.-Passenger transport:...
. Each of these companies is a subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato
Ferrovie dello Stato
Ferrovie dello Stato is a government-owned holding which manage infrastructure and service on the Italian rail network. The subsidiary Trenitalia is the main rail operator in Italy.-Organization:Ferrovie dello Stato subsidiaries are:...
(FS), Italy's state-owned rail company.
Location
Como San Giovanni railway station is situated in Piazzale San GottardoGotthard of Hildesheim
Saint Gotthard , also known as Gothard or Godehard the Bishop, is a Roman Catholic saint.-Life:...
, a short distance to the west of the city centre.
History
The station was opened on 27 July 1875, upon the inauguration of the Albate–Como section of the Milan–Chiasso railway.Features
The current passenger building was built after the destruction of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, to a design of Paolo Perilli. It was inaugurated in 1949. A structure in brick on two levels (of which only the ground floor is accessible to travellers), it consists of three sections joined together by a glass wall that provides much of the lighting inside the central hall. It is also attached to shelters facing the station yard.
Inside the station yard, there are five through tracks, including four for use by passengers. There are also three dock platforms on the south side of the station (used as the terminus of the line to Lecco) and two on the north side.
Each of the four through tracks dedicated to passenger transport has a platform covered by a concrete shelter. The platforms are connected with each other by a covered walkway and elevators. Track 1 is faced by the main platform, and tracks 2 and 3 by an island platform. Track 4 is seldom used, but is accessible to passengers via a small platform between tracks 3 and 4. To get to that platform, it is necessary to cross track 3.
There is also another track to the north serving the Como railway post office, and, to the south, two tracks connecting the station with its goods yard and the headquarters of the Customs Agency.
In 2008, work was completed on a facelift of the station co-financed by Centostazioni and RFI. The project cost 1 million euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
s, and was subject to cultural heritage constraints. The renovations included the following: restoration and maintenance of buildings, the addition of new businesses dedicated to travelers, the adaptation of plants to legal requirements, removal of architectural barriers, installation of tactile paving
Tactile paving
Tactile paving is a system of textured ground surface indicators found on many footpaths, stairs and train station platforms to assist blind and vision impaired pedestrians.Tactile warnings provide a distinctive surface pattern of "truncated domes" or cones...
for the vision impaired, renovation of public conveniences and the construction of new lifts.
Passenger and train movements
The station has about 1.5 million passenger movements each year.Como San Giovanni is served by trains of all types. The main long distance destinations are Milano Centrale, Milano Porta Garibaldi
Milano Porta Garibaldi railway station
Milano Porta Garibaldi is a major station in the Italian city of Milan, located just to the north of the neighbourhood known as Porta Garibaldi...
, Molteno, Lecco
Lecco railway station
Lecco railway station is the main station serving the town and comune of Lecco, in the region of Lombardy, northern Italy. Opened in 1863, it is the terminus of four lines, namely the Monza–Lecco railway, its continuation the Valtellina railway , and two other, secondary, lines, linking Lecco...
, Albate-Camerlata, Bellinzona
Bellinzona railway station
Bellinzona railway station serves the city of Bellinzona, near the southern end of the Gotthardbahn, in the Canton of Ticino, Switzerland. It is also the largest railway junction in Ticino.-History:...
and Zürich Hauptbahnhof.
The station is also a stop on line S11 of the Milan suburban railway service (Milano Porta Garibaldi–Chiasso
Chiasso railway station
Chiasso railway station is a station owned by the Swiss Federal Railways . It serves the city of Chiasso, in the Canton of Ticino, Switzerland, and is also a border station between Switzerland and Italy....
; hourly) and line S10 of the Ticino S-Bahn (Bellinzona–Albate-Camerlata; also hourly).
Interchange
In front of the passenger building is a small parking lot and a sign indicating the telephone numbers of taxis.In the square, also in front of the passenger building, is a bus terminal. The operator of the bus service is SPT, runs services between 7.20 and 22.15. The main destinations of buses are: Cernobbio
Cernobbio
Cernobbio is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about northwest of Como, on the border with Switzerland...
, Moltrasio
Moltrasio
Moltrasio is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about north of Como, near the border with Switzerland...
, Argegno
Argegno
Argegno is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km north of Milan and about 15 km north of Como...
, Menaggio
Menaggio
Menaggio is a town and comune in the province of Como, Lombardy, Italy, located on the western shore of Lake Como at the mouth of the river Senagra.-History:The area of current Menaggio was conquered by the Romans in 196 BC...
, Dongo, San Fedele
San Fedele Intelvi
San Fedele Intelvi is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 60 km north of Milan and about 15 km north of Como, on the border with Switzerland...
, Lanzo d'Intelvi
Lanzo d'Intelvi
Lanzo d'Intelvi is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about north of Como, on the border with Switzerland...
, Torno, Nessus
Nessus
Nessus can have a number of meanings:* Nessus , a famous centaur from Greek mythology* The Tunic or Shirt of Nessus, the poisoned shirt of the centaur Nessus, in the story of Hercules...
, Bellagio
Bellagio
Bellagio is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located on Lake Como. It has long been famous for its setting at the intersection of the three branches of the Y-shaped lake, which is also known as Lario....
, Palanzano
Palanzano
Palanzano is a comune in the Province of Parma in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 90 km west of Bologna and about 40 km south of Parma...
, Cantù
Cantù
Cantù is a city and comune in the Province of Como, located at the center of the Brianza zone in Lombardy. It is the second largest city in Brianza.-History:...
and Appiano Gentile
Appiano Gentile
Appiano Gentile is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 35 km northwest of Milan and about 12 km southwest of Como....
.
See also
- Como Lago railway station
- Como Borghi railway station
- List of railway stations in Lombardy
- History of rail transport in Italy
- Rail transport in ItalyRail transport in ItalyThe Italian railway system is one of the most important infrastructure in the country, with a total length of . The network is recently growing with the construction of the new high speed rail network....
- Railway stations in ItalyRailway stations in ItalyRailway stations in Italy are maintained and operated by the RFI division of Ferrovie dello Stato Group. A minor part of them is operated by private and regional companies, conceded by the state.-Classification:...