The French national rail company, SNCF, has delayed the start of its high-speed rail services in Italy until the second quarter of 2028, according to reports confirmed by the company to BFM Business. This comes after a series of setbacks, including technical issues with the TGV M trains and regulatory hurdles in Italy. The SNCF emphasized that the project is still moving forward, though the timeline may be adjusted depending on how the work progresses. Originally, SNCF Voyageurs had planned to begin 18 high-speed train routes connecting Turin to Rome and Turin to Venice via Milan, using 15 new TGV M trains as early as autumn 2027. However, the delay has been attributed to factors beyond the SNCF’s control, such as the delivery of the rolling stock and the complex authorization process in Italy, which differs from that in France. The TGV M has also faced delays in France, with its commercial launch now set for September. The SNCF explained that the process to approve the rolling stock for use in Italy can only begin once the trains are available. New regulatory requirements have also emerged, which were not anticipated at the start of the project. Another challenge is the lack of maintenance facilities in Italy, which are crucial for the operation of the trains. Despite ongoing efforts with the Italian Transport Regulation Authority (ART), the SNCF has not yet secured access to a maintenance center operated by the historical Italian rail company, Naples Gianturco. The SNCF stressed the need for "certainty" that it will be allowed to use this facility, similar to how Trenitalia, the Italian rail company, has access to SNCF’s workshops in France. Without this access, operating in Italy would be very costly, as trains would have to return to France each night for maintenance. This issue of access to maintenance facilities appears to be a strategy used to limit the competitive ambitions of foreign rail operators in Europe, a situation also observed in Spain. The delay was communicated to Italian authorities at the end of July, which angered the Italian rail network manager, RFI. RFI accused the SNCF of delaying the announcement of the delay, which made it harder to adjust schedules and implement backup plans, leading to "burdens and organizational impacts." Despite these challenges, the SNCF remains committed to its long-term goal of transforming high-speed rail in Italy. This project is vital for the company, as it is part of its broader strategy to double its passenger numbers in Europe within less than a decade, aiming to recover lost market share in France, where competition on profitable routes like Paris-Lyon has intensified.