While postal TGVs have now been withdrawn in France, in April, national freight operator Mercitalia Rail (MIR) announced that in October it will launch a new service to carry parcels, known as Mercitalia Fast, running on high speed lines during the night. MIR intends to operate between Marcianise, north of Napoli, and Bologna Interporto, initially with one train pair a day, then increasing according to demand . The service, whose journey time should be about 3h30, will be operated with an ETR.500 set (currently at Trenitalia's Vicenza works to be emptied of interior furnishings) specially fitted for the transport of containers. The train would have a capacity equal to 18 road trailers or two Boeing 747 Cargo planes.
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