Thousands of air passengers heading to Milan-Malpensa Airport found themselves without a train connection on the morning of 25 June after thieves cut signalling cables near Sacconago, on the Busto Arsizio–Novara line. Trenord and RFI suspended traffic on the Malpensa-Busto Arsizio-Novara corridor from 02:00, citing safety concerns while technicians replaced the stolen copper wiring. The shutdown halted the Regionale 51 Gallarate–Malpensa–Milano Centrale service entirely and reduced the Malpensa Express to a skeleton timetable terminating at Busto Arsizio Nord. Replacement buses operated every 30 minutes between the station and the airport, but journey times tripled and many travellers missed early-morning departures. Airlines advised customers to arrive at least four hours before take-off or switch to coach services from Milan’s Centrale and Cadorna stations. Rail-freight operators also diverted cargo flows, adding pressure to Lombardy’s already congested road network.
![Copper-cable theft knocks out Malpensa rail links, forcing bus shuttles and stranding travellers]()
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Business-travel consultancy BCD Italy estimated the incident could cost companies up to €1.2 million in reissued tickets, hotel nights and lost productivity, underlining how petty crime against infrastructure can ripple into corporate mobility costs. RFI said normal service would resume “in the late afternoon” but warned of residual delays as signalling is recalibrated. The Carabinieri have opened an investigation; similar copper-theft attacks on the same corridor occurred in February and October 2025. Industry bodies are urging the transport ministry to accelerate the roll-out of aluminium wiring – less attractive on the scrap market – and expand drone surveillance along critical stretches. For multinational firms routing staff through Malpensa, the advice is to monitor Trenord alerts, keep taxi vouchers available and consider routing via Milan-Linate or Bergamo-Orio al Serio during overnight hours when security patrols are lighter.
For travellers suddenly forced to reroute or extend their journeys abroad, VisaHQ can help cut through the red tape: its Italy page (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) lets passengers arrange visas and travel documents online, with live updates that minimise the risk of documentation issues compounding disruption.
Business-travel consultancy BCD Italy estimated the incident could cost companies up to €1.2 million in reissued tickets, hotel nights and lost productivity, underlining how petty crime against infrastructure can ripple into corporate mobility costs. RFI said normal service would resume “in the late afternoon” but warned of residual delays as signalling is recalibrated. The Carabinieri have opened an investigation; similar copper-theft attacks on the same corridor occurred in February and October 2025. Industry bodies are urging the transport ministry to accelerate the roll-out of aluminium wiring – less attractive on the scrap market – and expand drone surveillance along critical stretches. For multinational firms routing staff through Malpensa, the advice is to monitor Trenord alerts, keep taxi vouchers available and consider routing via Milan-Linate or Bergamo-Orio al Serio during overnight hours when security patrols are lighter.
