The first Earthquake Early Warning System for the high-speed railway in Italy: enhancing rapidness and operational efficiency during seismic events

Abstract. Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) systems are modern, real-time seismic monitoring infrastructures capable of identifying relevant earthquakes and providing warnings to population and infrastructures, possibly before the arrival of the strongest shaking. Railway infrastructures represent a key target application for EEW systems, due to their strategic role for public transportation of passengers and goods. Here we describe the end-to-end system developed for the Naples-Rome high-speed railway that integrates seismic monitoring, advanced signal processing, and railway-specific protocols to enhance the management of railway operation in case of earthquakes in one of Italy’s most seismically active regions.

The system utilizes a dedicated network of seismic stations equipped with accelerometers to detect ground motion and predict Peak Ground Acceleration in real-time. A probabilistic decision-making module evaluates seismic data and dynamically updates alerts as the P-wave propagates. Alerts are issued for the Alerted Segment of the Railway, allowing operational restrictions like train deceleration or halting to mitigate seismic impacts. The system minimizes unnecessary disruptions by targeting specific segments, unlike traditional approaches that shut down entire lines.

The developed EEW system integrates train traffic control system, ensuring synchronized communication between trains, signaling infrastructure, and control centers. This enables rapid activation of emergency braking systems when required. Performance evaluations reveal high reliability, with rapid alerts issued within 3–10 seconds and correct predictions in over 90 % of cases.

Designed with scalability in mind, the system is exportable to other railway segments and adaptable to diverse seismic networks. Its ability to generate real-time shake maps and refine alerts during seismic events positions it as a global benchmark for integrating seismic management into high-speed rail operations.