Asia – Page 36
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NewsAzerbaijan freight loco deliveries completed
AZERBAIJAN: The EKZ electric locomotive manufacturing joint venture of Alstom and Transmashholding has delivered the last of 40 Prima T8 AZ8A heavy freight locos which were ordered by national railway ADY in 2014. Assembled at Nur-Sultan in Kazakhstan, the 25 tonne axleload twin-section freight locomotives have ...
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NewsProgress in talks on reopening strategic rail link
INTERNATIONAL: Armenia and Azerbaijan have made progress in talks aimed at reopening the long-closed rail link between the two countries, raising hopes of restoration of a rail corridor that once offered a through route between the Baltic coast and the Gulf. On January 28, Mher Grigoryan, ...
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NewsRefrigerated goods from Japan to Europe by rail and sea
INTERNATIONAL: Russian Railways, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism and FESCO have organised an initial delivery of refrigerated containers of Japanese cargo to Europe via the Trans-Siberian Railway. The containers containing food, beverages and pharmaceutical products requiring special transport conditions were shipped from Toyama ...
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NewsFirst section of Central Inland Railway inaugurated
SOUTH KOREA: The first section of the Central Inland Railway between Icheon, southeast of Seoul and Chungju has opened for revenue service following an inauguration ceremony on December 30.
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In depthJapan: Kintetsu plans a post-pandemic recovery
Regional operator Kintetsu is looking to refocus its business in the Kansai region with real estate and leisure developments aimed at changing lifestyles and reflecting new working patterns. Mike Bent investigates.
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NewsPakistan Railways launches Karachi container service
PAKISTAN: Pakistan Railways has inaugurated a service transporting containers from Hutchison Ports’ South Asia Pakistan Terminal in Karachi to inland destinations including Lahore. Speaking at the launch ceremony on January 24, Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati said the port is expected to handle 3·1 million containers/year, ...
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NewsPolitics and geography impede Central Asian rail freight corridors
INTERNATIONAL: The development of a southern rail corridor between China and Europe via Central Asia, Iran and Turkey as an alternative to the established routes through Russia is facing substantial difficulties, a breakout session of the European Silk Road Summit heard. Andreas Schwilling, Senior Advisor at ...
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Metro Report InternationalMTR Corp increases Octopus stake
CHINA: MTR Corp has increased its stake in Octopus Holdings Ltd, the company jointly owned by a number of Hong Kong transport operators which provides the Octopus contactless smart card payment system and associated services. MTR Corp has acquired 2·78 million shares from Bravo Transport to ...
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In depthTicketing: Expanding the use of Japan's IC cards
Originally developed as a form of smart travel ticket, IC cards are now in widespread use across Japan. They can be used for many types of transaction, and further applications are being added as rail operators strive to make travel more convenient.
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Metro Report InternationalChongqing metro passes 400 km as Line 9 opens
CHINA: The first phase of Chongqing metro Line 9 opened on January 25. The route runs 32·3 km northeast from Gaotanyan to Xingkedadao serving 23 stations, of which nine provide interchange to other metro lines. Two infill stations are under construction, along ...
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NewsBusan – Ulsan suburban services launched
SOUTH KOREA: Commuter services on the Donghae Line between Bujeon station in Busan and Taehwagang station in Ulsan were inaugurated on December 28, providing a 76 min journey time to create what the Busan city government called a ‘1 h megalopolis’ in the region. Construction of ...
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NewsEurope and China should co-ordinate to develop the New Silk Road
INTERNATIONAL: The European freight sector needs to take a stronger role in the development of rail links with China in order to ensure that Eurasian rail connections can achieve their full potential, the European Silk Road Summit heard. David Aloia, Head of Shuttle Net North-East Europe ...
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NewsRebuilt Konya – Karaman route opens
TURKEY: The transport ministry has announced the opening of the 106 km Konya – Karaman line, which has been extensively upgraded and realigned by lead contractor Gülermak. The double-tracked route mostly follows the alignment of the existing railway, but several cut-offs and ...
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NewsChinese awarded PNR Bicol construction contract
PHILIPPINES: A consortium of Chinese companies has been awarded a 142bn pesos contract to build the first 380 km of the so-called PNR Bicol line, replacing Philippines National Railway’s moribund Main Line South.
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In depthMarket trends: Cautious builders eye slow recovery
While existing contracts have sustained the global rolling stock industry through the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, future prospects will be determined by the pace of recovery in rail travel over the next few years.
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Metro Report InternationalAutomated metro to serve Izmir university campus
TURKEY: Gülermak Heavy Industries has been awarded a contract to build a 13·5 km driverless underground metro line in Izmir, with construction scheduled to begin on February 14. To be known as the Buca Line, it will serve 11 stations, linking the existing Üçyol metro station ...
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NewsBukhara – Khiva electrification funding agreed
UZBEKISTAN: A US$162m, 20-year loan to finance electrification of the 465 km Bukhara – Miskin – Urgench – Khiva railway was signed by the government and the Asian Development Bank at the end of December. Electrification will enable national railway UTY to operate Talgo 250 Afrosiyob ...
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In depthInterview: ‘We have the tools – it is in our hands to deliver’
The next decade will be crucial for the global fight against irreversible climate change, and rail is the only mode that is well placed to deliver significant decarbonisation in the transport sector, UIC Director-General François Davenne explains to Chris Jackson.
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In depthComment: The politics of infrastructure
Rising geopolitical complexity around the world raises a challenge that policymakers and railway planners will have to overcome if ambitions for modal shift to rail are to be realised in the years ahead, argues our Managing Editor Nick Kingsley.
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NewsWork starts on Korean east coast connection
ASIA: Work has started to complete the a coastal railway corridor along the east coast of the Korean peninsula, linking the rail networks of South and North Korea.