10 May 2008 | Dhaka revival

BANGLADESH: International passenger services between Kolkata and Dhaka resumed with the launch of the Maitreyi Express on April 14 after a break of 43 years. Cross-border operations were suspended in 1965 as a result of the Indo-Pakistan war, although an agreement to restore freight services was signed in 2001. IR and BR began negotiations to reinstate passenger trains in July 2007 (RG 8.07 p467). More...

 09 May 2008 | First Albatros trainset on test at Velim

NETHERLANDS: The first of 19 V250 trainsets being built by AnsaldoBreda for NS Hispeed and SNCB is undergoing pre-delivery trials at the Velim test track in the Czech Republic. Dispatched from Pistoia on March 26, the Pininfarina-designed 250 km/h trainset is now exp More...

 09 May 2008 | Praha opens metro extension

CZECH REPUBLIC: Praha transport authority DPHMP was due to inaugurate a 4·6 km underground extension of metro Line C from Ládví eastwards to the northern suburb of Letnany on May 9. The extension serves stations at Strízkov, Prosek and Letnany, where a bus interchange More...

 09 May 2008 | Urban Rail News in Brief

FGV has ordered a further 14 bi-directional 100% low-floor Flexity Outlook trams which Bombardier will deliver to Valencia and Alacant in 2009-10. On April 10 preferred bidder Serco announced that it had signed a contract with the Roads & Transport Authority covering t More...

 08 May 2008 | RZD invites bids for wagon works

RUSSIA: State railway RZD called for expressions of interest in the privatisation of 22 wagon repair and maintenance depots on May 5. RZD expects to raise at least 2·6bn roubles from the sale, which is intended to introduce competition to the fright rolling stock mainte More...