Monte Olimpino 1: changes to TILO services between Chiasso and Como

Context

TL;DR

• October 9-12 and 16-19, November 13-16 and 20-23, 2026
• Tunnel closed from 20:20 on Friday until 04:20 on Monday
• RE80 via Monte Olimpino 2, with an exceptional stop at Cucciago
• S10 and S40 run to/from Chiasso

Key facts

• Period: October 9-12 and 16-19, and November 13-16 and 20-23, 2026
• Time window: from 20:20 on Friday until 04:20 on Monday
• Tunnel: Monte Olimpino 1
• Works: maintenance carried out by Rete Ferroviaria italiana
• TILO services: RE80, S10 and S40 between Chiasso and Como
• Connection: Trenord S11 services at Cucciago
• Other services affected: EuroCity services to/from Milano Centrale

From 20:20 on Friday until 04:20 on Monday morning, on October 9-12 and 16-19, and November 13-16 and 20-23, 2026, the Monte Olimpino 1 tunnel will be closed for maintenance work carried out by Rete Ferroviaria italiana. The closure affects the RE80, S10 and S40 services between Chiasso and Como, so the cross-border commuter traveling through this section must expect different operations during the periods indicated.

For RE80 services to/from Milano Centrale, TILO routes them via Monte Olimpino 2. The trains do not stop at Como S. Giovanni or Como Camerlata. The exceptional stop is Cucciago, where connections to/from both Como stations via Trenord S11 services are provided. The notice therefore distinguishes the RE80 route and precisely indicates the connection point.

Services affected

The S10 services run to/from Chiasso. The same applies to the S40 services, while EuroCity services to/from Milano Centrale run via Monte Olimpino 2 and do not stop at Como S. Giovanni. The scope of the notice therefore includes both TILO services and EuroCity services.

For a cross-border commuter who uses the train between the Canton of Ticino and Como, the information to check is not only the departure, but also the selected service and the arrival station. The online timetable remains the reference for individual services. Anyone planning their journey with mezzi pubblici in Ticino thus has an additional tool alongside the general information in the notice.

For more information on individual services, the communication refers readers to the online timetable. The notice therefore separates the overview of the closure from the details of each individual trip. The changes are related to the work in the tunnel and have a precise window, from Friday evening to Monday morning. Outside those dates and that time window, the source does not describe any further changes.

Operational details

During closure periods, services do not all follow the same rule. A practical reading of the notice requires separating the chosen connection, the arrival station and any transfer. The comparison is as follows:

For those using the RE80 towards Milano Centrale, the most concrete change concerns the two Como stations excluded from the train's route. The source indicates Cucciago as an exceptional stop and S11 operated by Trenord as the connection to/from Como S. Giovanni and Como Camerlata. However, it does not provide the connection times or the journey duration: these data must be looked up when consulting the specific service, without adding times not published in the notice.

S10 and S40 require a different reading. The communication indicates them to/from Chiasso; therefore, passengers must check which connection they are selecting, rather than automatically applying to the service the change planned for RE80. EuroCity services must also be checked separately: they are affected, but the note describes them as connections to/from Milano Centrale via Monte Olimpino 2 without stopping at Como S. Giovanni.

The scope for cross-border workers

For a cross-border worker from Canton Ticino, the practical scope remains that of the rail journey. The notice does not address other cross-border employment matters: it does not mention permit G, AVS, LPP, LAMal, withholding tax or double taxation. This delimitation avoids confusing a change to connections with other matters that are not described here.

Checking mezzi pubblici in Ticino can supplement the timetable, but it does not replace checking the specific service indicated by TILO and FFS.

Useful planning tools

To estimate your pension strategy, use the pension planner and the pillar 3 simulator.

Key points

Four steps before departure

1. Check the date and time of the journey. The periods to check are October 9-12 and 16-19, then November 13-16 and 20-23, 2026, from 20:20 on Friday to 04:20 on Monday morning. 2. Consult the online timetable for the individual connection, as indicated in the notice. The search is used to distinguish RE80, S10, S40, and EuroCity. 3. If the connection is an RE80 to/from Milano Centrale, check that the service runs via Monte Olimpino 2, that it does not stop at Como S. Giovanni or Como Camerlata, and that it indicates the connection at Cucciago with S11 of Trenord. For S10 and S40, check the indication to/from Chiasso. 4. If you want direct confirmation, use FFS Mobile or contact the FFS Contact Center at 0848 44 66 88, at a cost of CHF 0.08/min. from a Swiss landline, or at +41 512 257 800 from abroad.

Assistance with boarding and disembarking

For travelers with disabilities who require assistance in Swiss territory, the need can be announced at least one hour before departure. In Ticino, the toll-free number 0800 007 102 from Switzerland and +41 800 007 102 from abroad are available, from 5.00 to 24.00.

In Italian territory, the source asks that needs be communicated at least 48 hours before departure at the number 800.210.955 from Italy, available every day from 8.15 to 19.45. The timing is therefore different and must be referred to the territory where assistance is needed.

Consulting mezzi pubblici in Ticino helps you depart at the correct time, while the Contact Center remains the indicated telephone reference for clarifications. For a separate verification of employment income, use calcolatore fiscale.

Source: ticinonews.ch