Conte: "Naples is still a work in progress. Working like this is really difficult."

Naples — Just days before the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta of the 38th America's Cup, scheduled in the Gulf from September 24th to 27th, transport operators are sounding the alarm. "The fears are still very strong," says Amedeo Conte, president of Sistema Trasporti Campania and head of Worldtours. "The fear that the first visitors would find a city under construction is becoming a reality. Working under these traffic conditions is truly difficult for us."

At the heart of the critical issues is the overlap between the Race Village construction site, between Rotonda Diaz and Villa Comunale, and the ongoing construction sites. The Municipality has implemented a traffic plan effective from September 7th to October 5th: one-way traffic on Viale Anton Dohrn and Via Caracciolo until September 20th, with a traffic ban on the same stretches from September 21st to 27th. This plan is in addition to work on the new tram line between San Giovanni and Piazza Sannazaro on the Riviera di Chiaia, the redevelopment of the waterfront for cycling and pedestrians—with Via Nazario Sauro closed until September 20th—and the road surface repairs on Via Acton.

"A transfer between the airport, train station, port, and hotels is a service booked at a fixed time, often tied to the departure of a hydrofoil to the islands or a connecting train," explains Conte. "Today, those times are no longer predictable. Via Acton, which leads from the seafront to Molo Beverello and the Maritime Station, is a succession of traffic restrictions and queues in a month that remains the peak season for Naples. With the reopening of schools, the load on the city's network is destined to increase. Tourists don't know timetables or ordinances: they only know they arrived late, and that delay forms their first impression of the city."

The president of Sistema Trasporti Campania doesn't question the event, "which represents an international showcase for Naples and the entire Campania region," nor the necessity of the ongoing work. "The problem is their overlap, which in these weeks is weighing especially on those who welcome and accompany tourists, starting with us transport operators."

For the organizers, the September regattas are a dress rehearsal for 2027, when Naples will host the 38th America's Cup. This will also test the city's mobility during major events. "We have repeatedly warned about the risk of schedule delays," Conte concluded. "We sincerely hope to be proven wrong in the coming hours."