FLORENCE extended its light rail network to the north of the city centre on July 16 with the inauguration of the 4.1km section of Line T1 from Alamanni-Stazione, adjacent to Santa Maria Novella main line station, to Careggi University Hospital.

Services operate at six-minute headways at peak times with a journey time of around 20 minutes between Alamanni-Stazione and Careggi.

To mark the opening, free travel is being offered on the new section until July 29.

The initial 7.4km section of Line T1 from Scandicci to Alamanni-Stazione opened in February 2010.

Seven additional 32m-long Siro low-floor LRVs were ordered from Hitachi Rail Italy to expand the Line T1 fleet in readiness for the opening of the 10-station extension.