Alfaterna Station: A Neglected Asset with Untapped Potential

For over a decade, Nocera commuters have endured significantly longer train journeys since the opening of the Mount Vesuvius line. Travel times to Naples have ballooned from 35 minutes to an hour, while the Salerno trip now takes 25 minutes instead of 10. Passengers heading south of Salerno must now change trains in the provincial capital. This inefficiency stems from trains using the Mount Vesuvius line, bypassing Nocera entirely. However, a readily available solution exists: the Torricchio station, strategically located between the two Noceras near Portaromana Nord. This facility, built two decades ago, features four tracks (two main and two bypass) but remains closed to passengers, serving only operational needs. A simple, cost-effective upgrade—adding platforms with shelters to tracks 1 and 4—would allow regional trains to stop without compromising train safety. This would dramatically reduce travel times: Naples (20 minutes), Caserta (35 minutes), Sarno (10 minutes), and Salerno (10 minutes). Furthermore, this revitalized Alfaterna Station would serve commuters from neighboring towns like Castel San Giorgio and Roccapiemonte. We urge local administrators to commit to activating this existing infrastructure, transforming Torricchio into the fully functional Alfaterna Station, thereby improving regional connectivity and passenger convenience.