The line is part of Corridor 1 of the European Union's Trans-European high-speed rail network, which connects Berlin and Palermo.

The line passes the towns of Volla, Pomigliano d'Arco, Sant'Anastasia, Somma Vesuviana, Nola, Ottaviano, San Gennaro Vesuviano, Palma Campania, Poggiomarino and Striano, through a series of small cut-and-cover tunnels and elevated sections, reaching the commune of San Valentino Torio, where it currently connects at Sarno junction to the end of the line from Sarno.

[3] The new line has allowed high-speed trains to avoid Naples since the opening of the section from Roma Est junction to the new Napoli Afragola station in June 2017.

[5][6] RFI (Rete Ferroviaria Italiana) announced in 2010 January 22 that it had selected the Italian-Belgian group led by Samyn and Partners architects and engineers to design the proposed Vesuvio Est high speed station on the Napoli – Salerno route.

It is proposed to build a 1,000 place car park and areas for taxis and buses to stop; there will also be a possible link with the A30 motorway and the SS268 highway.