Compared to the North-West, the Northeast appears as a territory still largely based on manufacturing activities. The economical crisis is strongly affecting it in terms of occupation, services and infrastructures. In a region that for thirty years has been self-sufficient, the competitive asset of spontaneous development is not enough anymore. On the diffuse manufacturing base a new Northeast has to be built: an inclusive and networking metropolis. Even though regarded as an heresy in specialized literature as well as by public opinion, if we judge by reality it is a reasonable solution. Urban polycentrism associated to the industrial fabric can turn into an advantage if provided services are brought closer to the citizens and if infrastructures are seen from a different perspective. There is no more use in thinking about the region as a series of autonomous enclaves, the northeast is a macro-region in Italy and a bridge to the “New Europe”. Open towards the East and the South. After a long process of industrial development a new phase is approaching with greater emphasis placed on the territory and its geo-economic and strategic aspects. Attract flows to direct them, produce services to export them, supporting companies that are trying to expand internationally in order to broaden their outreach. This vision is based on a “metropolitan approach”, understood as a means to attain administrative efficiency. According to this idea, mobility – within a given area, from the outside as well as in terms of immaterial connections - is a key element for improvement. To consider mobility as the complex product of a developed society requires the definition of a strategy able to simultaneously act on multiple layers. Support the creation of European corridors, the priority given to the Milan-Venice High-speed Rail will be a moment of truth about this strategy, and towards the east with corridor 5 and a stronger commitment to the Brenner corridor 1, and finally more attention needed for the new Pontebbana corridor (Adriatic-Baltic sea) a crucial element to include the northern Adriatic sea within the international trade routes. Unicredit proposal stand as a strong driving force. Within this context we find the metropolitan development of a macro-region where different actors are preparing to cooperate, according to their respective roles, in order to improve efficiency. Therefore the network of traditionally polycentric cities has to engage with the strong axis Verona-Venice. Verona has to act as the crossroad of international and interregional routes, Patreve (Padua, Treviso, Venice region) has to catalyse the critical mass of the North-east, Trent and Bolzano have to strengthen their relation with the German “world”, Trieste and Gorizia have to experiment in the creation of an international metropolitan system able to include Koper and Nova Goriça while expanding towards Ljubljana, Udine and Klagenfurt. In a long-term “Euro-regional” perspective. Infrastructure are at the core of this project and they should be aimed at a clear separation between local and external flows: to guarantee easy commuting “home-study-work”, the back bone of good quality of life and work for the inhabitants, while controlling the flow of goods and international tourism to assure the sustainability of those external relations so needed by the north-east. But the railways system is saturated, bottlenecks block all opportunities and plague road networks as well. Social and environmental costs of this situation are never estimated but they negatively affect development. Big corridors and local mobility, this double perspective constitutes the North-eastern metropolitan option, the innovation of the railway system has to become a priority along with the competitive requalification of services of excellence, “urban productions” and the strategic motivation of a networking metropolis. Vocational training, research, health services, administration, commerce, finance, culture and leisure. All activities that each urban centre can be naturally suited for within a framework based on functional complementarity. Urban centres are recognized elements on the territory, the product of history and tradition, they are entitled to innovation. The reorganization of local mobility is a territorial planning challenge that should be shared by several actors. Starting with the municipalities. Well-connected suburban stations, frequent and on time services, bus-train connections, parking facilities to facilitate the access to the centre, diversified and motivating prices, new and clean trains, customer’s assistance, rich and available information. Such standards are given for granted by the great areas competing in Europe, but they are still to be realized for the metropolitan rail system of Veneto. Stronger nodes in a better organized network will prove useful for everyone in order to become more competitive.