It is part of Corridor 5 of the European Union's Trans-European high-speed rail network, which connects Lisbon and Kyiv.

The flatness of the countryside has allowed 80% (approximately 100 km (62 mi)) of the track to be built at ground level, with a small amount of line built in cuttings, approximately 15% (about 20 kilometres (12 mi)) on viaducts, and about 5% (nearly 5 kilometres (3.1 mi)) in cut-and-cover tunnel.

Among the most important structures is the 3.8-kilometre-long (2.4 mi) Santhià Viaduct and the 600-metre-long (0.37 mi) Pregnana Milanese Tunnel.

[2] Most of the line closely follows the south side of the Milan-Turin Autostrada.

[3] The 40-kilometre (25 mi) section between Novara and Milan was officially opened on 5 December 2009.