Italy's state railway and Rome airport management company signed an agreement on Thursday to develop integrated ways to link rail and air travel for passengers flying through Fiumicino airport. The ambitious plans would see direct high-speed rail services between the Rome airport and Naples in the south, as well as accelerating current rail services between Fiumicino and Florence, Bologna and Pisa to the north of the Italian capital.

The direct rail link would mean that inbound travellers could reach Fiumicino by train without having to take a connection from the capital, bypassing Termini station. The agreement between Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane and Aeroporti di Roma (AdR) also includes plans to allow air passengers to carry out check-in operations - including their baggage - directly in the train stations connected with Fiumicino.