The potential of these lines is very high: their transformation into greenways, that is in green paths designed for bicycles, trekking and horseback riding, will ensure to the crossed territories a constant tourist flow that means jobs and promotion of local excellence. At the same time, stations on abandoned trails could be destined for hostels, restaurants, and handicraft shops or local gastronomy.
Since these are non-transferable goods for free, the buying process by municipalities and regions involves a large investment: in addition to the tracks, it is necessary to buy the land as well. In some cases, however, thanks to millionaire financing, transformation has already been successful. An example is the stretches of San Lorenzo a Mare-Ospedaletti, in Liguria, and Treviso-Ostiglia, in Lombardy. The same destiny could also be reserved for the Ortona-Vasto, Abruzzo, Lesina-Apricena, Apulia, Agrigento Basso-Licata, Sicily.
In Italy there are already some greenways in Trentino Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Lombardy, but, according to the Italian Greenways Association, we’re behind in comparison to other European countries. What is missing, they say, is a national plan above the parties that collect all local projects and direct the progress of the works.