Italy's high-speed railroad is being extended in the underdeveloped south, so the 145-kilometer line will link the city of Naples on the Mediterranean coast with Bari on the Adriatic Sea, a distance that can be covered in just two hours, compared to four at present, IPN reports.

"It's a revolutionary project, two Italian ports and two seas will be connected," said Alessio Forestieri, a representative of a construction company, quoted by Reuters.

Italy's high-speed rail project costs about €6 billion and is expected to be completed in 2028. The new railroad will be managed by Italian state-owned Ferrovie dello Stato.

The new double-track line will replace the current line, which is slow. All existing stations will be renovated and a new one will be created in the Irpinia area of Naples.

In 2009, the railway reached Italy's southernmost point, the city of Salerno, near Naples, but development southwards has faced constant delays due to funding problems.

Photo source: thetrainline.com