Varese is preparing to take flight towards a new era of mobility, thanks to a futuristic project that promises to redefine connections with Malpensa airport, the Canton of Ticino, and the Milan metropolitan area. The heart of this revolution is a zero-emissions vertiport, an innovative infrastructure that will host drone-taxis for the transport of people and goods, paving the way for a fast, efficient, and sustainable mode of travel.
A strategic project for a transforming city
The vertiport will be built in a strategic location, a few steps from the renovated Varese railway station, integrating perfectly with the existing infrastructure and facilitating access to this new form of transport. The project, the result of a memorandum of understanding between the Municipality of Varese and FS Sistemi Urbani (FS Italiane Group), also includes the redevelopment of areas adjacent to the station, with the creation of a modern multi-storey car park and the enhancement of abandoned spaces.
Mayor Galimberti: “A unique opportunity for Varese”
“This is a zero-emissions infrastructure, which would allow us to strengthen rapid connections with Malpensa airport, the Canton of Ticino and the metropolitan area, creating an intermediate station for drone-taxis used for the transport of people and goods,” said the mayor of Varese, Davide Galimberti, enthusiastically. ”This project will not only improve mobility but will also bring benefits in terms of sustainability, innovation, and social utility.”
The timing has not yet been clarified. ”The goal is after the 2026 Winter Olympics,” Galimberti specifies.
Varese and Ticino: an increasingly strong bond
The vertiport will also have a significant impact on relations between Varese and the Canton of Ticino, promoting economic and tourist exchanges and improving essential services. A concrete example is the agreement between the Municipality of Varese, SEA Aeroporti di Milano, and ASST Sette Laghi for the implementation of a drug transport system via drones, which will reduce delivery times and optimize logistics.
An ambitious vision for the future
The construction of the vertiport and the development of vertical mobility represent a turning point for Varese, which is aiming to become a strategic hub between Ticino and Milan.
Davide Pedrioli, general manager of Lugano Airport,curbs enthusiasm: ”It’s an opportunity, but it’s still a small market due to the costs and limitations of a technology that is not mature enough,” he told Corriere del Ticino. ”We were not directly involved, but we knew about the initiative. I believe that the actual interest at the moment is still limited, particularly due to the costs that these flights would have and also for aspects related to noise. The noise problem is still significant, also because in Switzerland the regulations are stricter than in Italy and this issue cannot be overlooked.”
Vertical air mobility, like the silent eVTOL from the German manufacturer Lilium, remains seriously interested in the development of these international urban routes. Varese is thus projecting itself towards a future in which mobility will be increasingly sustainable, innovative, and at the service of the community.
