With heavy snow blanketing the Cuneo Alps, regional authorities triggered the “Piano Neve” (Snow Plan) on 24 December, cancelling or shortening eight regional services on the Fossano–Cuneo–Limone railway. The high-altitude Cuneo–Limone section is popular with cross-border workers who connect onward to France; no replacement buses were provided because ice made the Tenda Pass unsafe.
Trenitalia kept Fossano–Cuneo trains running, but travellers heading toward Nice or Marseille faced the prospect of lengthy detours via Turin or Ventimiglia. Logistics firms rerouted time-critical freight through Savona ports, while ski-resort operators scrambled to arrange staff shuttles.
Travelers suddenly needing visa adjustments because of the railway shutdown can turn to VisaHQ, whose online portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) expedites Schengen extension filings and provides up-to-date entry guidance, sparing assignees and HR teams the usual holiday-week bureaucratic scramble.
![‘Piano Neve’ Cancels Alpine Trains on Fossano–Limone Line Amid Christmas Snowfall]()
Meteorologists forecast continued snowfall through Christmas Day, raising the possibility of additional cancellations. Employers with staff on holiday assignment contracts are advised to check whether delays could push travellers beyond their Schengen stay limits and, if necessary, file extension requests with local questure.
The episode underscores ongoing fragility in Italy’s alpine arteries, many of which still await EU-funded tunnel upgrades. Regional planners say a feasibility study for year-round rolling-stock shelters in Limone will be fast-tracked in early 2026.
For international assignees caught out by weather, specialists recommend verifying that residence permits and passports remain valid after forced extensions; overstays can complicate subsequent visa renewals under Italy’s points-based integration system.
Trenitalia kept Fossano–Cuneo trains running, but travellers heading toward Nice or Marseille faced the prospect of lengthy detours via Turin or Ventimiglia. Logistics firms rerouted time-critical freight through Savona ports, while ski-resort operators scrambled to arrange staff shuttles.
Travelers suddenly needing visa adjustments because of the railway shutdown can turn to VisaHQ, whose online portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) expedites Schengen extension filings and provides up-to-date entry guidance, sparing assignees and HR teams the usual holiday-week bureaucratic scramble.
Meteorologists forecast continued snowfall through Christmas Day, raising the possibility of additional cancellations. Employers with staff on holiday assignment contracts are advised to check whether delays could push travellers beyond their Schengen stay limits and, if necessary, file extension requests with local questure.
The episode underscores ongoing fragility in Italy’s alpine arteries, many of which still await EU-funded tunnel upgrades. Regional planners say a feasibility study for year-round rolling-stock shelters in Limone will be fast-tracked in early 2026.
For international assignees caught out by weather, specialists recommend verifying that residence permits and passports remain valid after forced extensions; overstays can complicate subsequent visa renewals under Italy’s points-based integration system.
