ROME, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Ferrovie della Stato Italiane, Italy's main rail operator, on Thursday announced plans to start operating "COVID-free" train routes to some of its main destinations starting next month.

Gianfranco Battisti, the company's chief executive, said in a televised interview that the company would start operating what is called "COVID-free" trains between Rome and Milan, the country's two biggest cities. By summer, he said, the trains would connect some of the country's main tourist cities.

"It will be a unique opportunity to allow people to safely visit destinations like Venice and Florence," Battisti said.

As with the so-called "COVID-free" flights Italy started to promote last year, the trains cannot guarantee they are free of the coronavirus. But they can operate with a greater degree of health security.

According to the plan, the Ferrovie della Stato Italiane will work together with the Italian Red Cross and the Italian Civil Protection to carry out testing. The company said more details would be revealed later this month.

Separately, Italpol Chief Antonio Del Greco said in a televised interview Thursday that Italy is training a team of dogs that can "sniff out" people infected with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The dogs will be positioned at train stations, ports, airports, border crossings, and other high-risk locations to help pick out infected individuals.