A series of coordinated incidents on the railway severely affected the transport system in northern Italy at the height of international attention to the country. Disruptions to a key transport hub caused delays, tension, and questions about the security of Olympic logistics. Learn more about the causes of the sabotage, its consequences, and the response of the Italian authorities

Railway infrastructure near Bologna was targeted by a series of acts of sabotage on Saturday, February 7, just as the Winter Olympics in Italy were gaining momentum. According to Reuters, authorities recorded several coordinated attacks that caused serious disruptions to rail transport throughout the northern part of the country. The scale of the incident and its timing, coinciding with the start of the international sporting event, caused concern among state leaders.

We will discuss the events in more detail below.

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Three simultaneous attacks on the railway system

Law enforcement agencies recorded three separate incidents of damage to railway infrastructure, which occurred almost simultaneously in different locations. According to official police information, the criminals acted in a targeted and organized manner, choosing strategically important objects to cause maximum damage to transport links.

The first attack took place in the early hours of the morning near Pesaro, an Adriatic city, where unknown individuals set fire to a technical structure with a switch. Later that morning, damaged electrical cables responsible for measuring the speed of rolling stock were discovered in the Bologna area. During an inspection of the scene, experts found a homemade explosive device left near the railroad tracks.

We talked more about the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan in our previous article.

Consequences for passenger traffic

The sabotage caused serious disruptions to rail transport throughout northern Italy. High-speed trains, intercity and regional routes experienced delays of up to two and a half hours, causing significant inconvenience to thousands of passengers.

The state railway operator Ferrovie dello Stato was forced to temporarily suspend service at the high-speed train station in Bologna. It was only after noon on Saturday that the situation began to stabilize and traffic gradually returned to normal. Due to Bologna's strategic location as a major transport hub between the eastern and western regions of the country, passengers from all over Italy were affected by the disruptions.

Assessment of the situation by the Ministry of Transport and the police

The agency, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, officially classified the events as serious sabotage against the state. Ministry representatives drew parallels with similar incidents during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where saboteurs attacked the French TGV high-speed train network, causing a transport collapse.

The ministry's official statement emphasized that such provocations cannot damage Italy's international image. On the contrary, hosting the Olympic Games should strengthen the country's positive perception on the world stage and demonstrate its attractiveness to the international community.

A police representative confirmed that as of Saturday, no organization had claimed responsibility for the sabotage. At the same time, the nature of the attacks, their synchronism, and the choice of targets clearly indicate prior preparation and coordination between the perpetrators.

Investigators are working to establish the motives of the perpetrators and identify those involved in planning these acts. Particular attention is being paid to collecting technical evidence from the scenes of the incidents, including the examination of a homemade explosive device found at the scene, which may contain important evidence for identifying the perpetrators.

The importance of Bologna for Olympic logistics

Bologna plays a key role in the transport system of northern Italy, connecting the southern regions with the host cities of the

Winter Olympics. The Milan metropolitan area and the mountain town of Cortina d'Ampezzo are jointly hosting the competitions, and the optimal route to Cortina runs through Venice by rail.

That is why choosing Bologna as a target for sabotage had the maximum effect on the mobility of Olympic participants and spectators. Disruption of rail service at this hub automatically complicates travel between the main Olympic locations and other regions of the country.

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Reminder! In February, Italy is facing serious transport disruptions due to a wave of strikes in key sectors. The restrictions may affect air, rail, port, and urban transport, making it difficult to travel around the country. For more information about transport strikes in Italy in 2026 and the dates that are most risky for travel, click here.

Photo: generated using Gemini

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