A local committee is warning that funding for the planned tram between Gragnano and Castellammare di Stabia could be at risk if a procurement deadline is missed.

The concern centers on the reconversion of the former railway line between Gragnano and Castellammare di Stabia. According to reporting by Metropolis Web on 27 October 2026, the committee "Riprendiamoci la ferrovia" says the 31 December 2026 deadline for signing the works contract could lead to the loss of the assigned contributions. The same report indicated that the tender and contract award had not yet been completed.

The committee is asking for transparency on the state of the procurement procedure and firm timing for the start of construction.

From electric buses back to battery tram

The project has changed shape during 2026.

On 10 April 2026, the Campania Region announced a different solution for the former line: a fully electric Bus Rapid Transit system, with a declared overall saving of about 30 million euros and funding described at the time as safeguarded.

A later agreement, formalized on 8 July 2026 and reported by EAV, returned the project to a tram solution. That plan provides for trams running in mixed traffic, with battery-powered electric vehicles on the Gragnano–Liceo section.

In other words, documented sources show an evolution in 2026 from the regional BRT proposal to the subsequent battery-tram solution.

A phased line with a year-end deadline

Two points define the current status described by EAV:

First, the initial operational phase focuses on Gragnano–Liceo. The connection onward to Castellammare Centro and Piazza Matteotti is described as achievable later, subject to the availability of further financial resources.

Second, 31 December 2026 is identified as the date for signing the procurement contract. Both EAV and the local press report point to the same deadline.

EAV also reports that two formal steps were still outstanding: the formal assent of the CIS "Vesuvio-Pompei-Napoli" and confirmation of the availability of the funding source assigned under CIPESS Resolution 29/2022.

What remains unresolved

Several important questions were not resolved by the sources available for this article:

  • Whether the tender was completed or the works were awarded after the 27 October 2026 press report.
  • Whether the 31 December 2026 date has been confirmed, extended, or formally linked to forfeiture of the contributions.
  • What formal act explains the shift from the April BRT plan to the July battery-tram plan.
  • The final funding amount, updated cost framework, and executive construction timetable.

That is why the committee's warning should be read carefully: it reports a risk tied to the deadline, not a confirmed loss of funds. The sources do not establish that missing the date would automatically cancel the financing, nor do they establish that the financing is secure.

What to watch next

For residents and travelers in the Stabia area, two practical markers matter most.

The first is procurement: whether a contract is signed by 31 December 2026, and under what terms. The committee's request for clarity focuses precisely on whether the tender process has advanced since October.

The second is scope: whether work starts on the Gragnano–Liceo section as planned, and when resources for the onward link to Castellammare Centro and Piazza Matteotti might become available. For now, only the first phase is covered by the July tram plan; the central Castellammare extension remains conditional.

Until EAV or the Campania Region publishes an updated procurement notice, funding confirmation, and construction schedule, the project remains a plan with a deadline rather than an open worksite.