Unlike the
Turin-Genoa line, the Milan-Genoa line was not built as a single project. Instead it developed from the joining of different lines by a shortcut. The first part of the line from Milan to Genoa is the section from
Milano Rogoredo to
Pavia, which was opened on 10 May 1862 as a branch off the line from
Milano Centrale to
Piacenza, opened on 14 November 1861. Earlier, on 25 January 1858, the
Alessandria-
Tortona-
Voghera-
Casteggio line opened to the public along with the connection between Tortona and
Novi Ligure, providing good connections to the by now completed Turin-Genoa line. On 14 November 1867 the opening to traffic of the rail link from Pavia to Voghera completed the link between Milan and Genoa. The section between Genoa and Novi Ligure over the
Giovi Pass used by both the Turin-Genoa and the Milan-Genoa lines, however, was extremely difficult and therefore a new link between
Arquata Scrivia and Tortona was built which was opened on 1 October 1916, completing the current form of the line, except for improvements made in Genoa and the deviation opened in 2007 between Milan Rogoredo and Locate Triulzi replacing the 1862 route. == High speed line ==