Belgian railway news
News about railway, tram and metro infrastructure, operations, policy, projects and the supply industry in Belgium.
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NewsEcoTrain launched to target very light rail opportunities in France and Belgium
FRANCE: Dynamic testing of a lightweight trainset for secondary lines is underway follwing the unveiling of the EcoTrain.
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NewsGemini Trains still hopes to exploit Channel Tunnel capacity
EUROPE: Gemini Trains still has ambitions to launch train services between the UK and continental Europe, despite the rejection of its application for depot access rights needed to enable it to launch services from London to Paris, Brussels and eventually Köln.
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NewsBranson promises ‘Virgin magic’ to shake-up cross-Channel train services ‘for good’
EUROPE: Virgin Group has set out more details of its planned Channel Tunnel high speed train services and its funding partners, with founder Sir Richard Branson saying ’it’s time to end this 30-year monopoly and bring some Virgin magic to the cross-Channel route’.
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NewsTram driver assistance system on test
BELGIUM: De Lijn has been testing a driver assistance system on Antwerpen tram Route 1.
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NewsEurostar orders Celestia double-deck high speed trains
EUROPE: Eurostar has announced a €1·4bn order for 30 Alstom Avelia Horizon double-deck high speed trainsets, with options for 20 more.
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NewsŠkoda Group sees high demand for newly certified ETCS onboard unit
INTERATIONAL: Škoda Group announced the certification of its ETCS onboard unit at the 16th Trako International Railway Fair in Gdańsk.
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NewsGemini selects high speed train supplier for planned Uber-branded Eurostar competitor
EUROPE: Aspiring Channel Tunnel high speed train operator Gemini Trains has selected Siemens Mobility Velaro Novo trainsets for its proposed services from London to Paris, Brussels and Köln.
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NewsParis to Wien and Berlin night trains to end after French government withdraws subsidy
EUROPE: The Paris – Wien and Paris – Berlin sleeper train services are to end with the December 14 2025 timetable change, following the French Ministry of Transport’s decision to withdraw funding for their operation.
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In depthBelgium: A 10-year learning journey in ETCS deployment
Infrabel is nearing the end of a complex programme to roll out ETCS train protection across its network, using a variety of modes to accelerate the deployment and learning some valuable lessons along the way.
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NewsLoco with software-defined safety system authorised for operation
BELGIUM: Operational authorisation has been granted for the first locomotive equipped with a software-defined onboard automatic train protection platform developed by Škoda Group subsidiary The Signalling Company.
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NewsVirgin sets out details of plans to launch Channel Tunnel train services in 2030
EUROPE: Virgin has set out details of its plans to launch high speed train services through the Channel Tunnel, and says it is ready to confirm an order for Alstom trainsets which would enable the start of services from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam during 2030.
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NewsSNCB confirms preferred bidder for train fleet renewal contract
BELGIUM: National passenger operator SNCB has reconfirmed its selection of CAF for the AM30 contract to supply electric and battery-electric multiple-units.
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NewsGovernment provides €61m loan to support Belgian rail freight operator
BELGIUM: The federal government has approved a €61m loan to enable part-privatised rail freight operator Lineas to continue to serve customers while engaging with investors to strengthen its capital structure and support future development.
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NewsEurostar plans direct trains from London to Frankfurt and Genève
EUROPE: Eurostar has announced plans to offer direct London – Frankfurt, London – Genève and Amsterdam – Brussels – Genève services once new trains are delivered in the early 2030s.
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NewsOptions to replace diesel traction to be studied
EUROPE: The Association of European Rail Rolling Stock Lessors has begun the second phase of work to develop a roadmap to net zero for train operators.
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NewsUber partners with Gemini for Channel Tunnel train plan
EUROPE: Ridesharing app company Uber has announced a co-branding partnership with Gemini Trains, which is developing plans to launch open access passenger services through the Channel Tunnel
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Metro Report InternationalEarly morning launch for Liège tram services
BELGIUM: The Liège tramway has opened to passengers, with the first commercial service leaving Liège-Expo at 04.22 on April 28. The 11·7 km line connects northern termini at Coronmeuse and Liège-Expo with a southern terminus at Sclessin-Standard, with 23 stops.
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NewsGemini announces cross-Channel passenger train ambitions
EUROPE: Gemini Trains becomes the latest company to set out plans to take on Eurostar on the cross-Channel route linking London with Paris and Brussels.
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NewsPreferred bidder chosen to renew SNCB’s DC fleet
BELGIUM: National passenger train operator SNCB has selected CAF as preferred bidder to supply the future AM30 electric and battery-electric multiple-units. At the end of 2022 SNCB called tenders for a 12-year framework agreement covering the supply of 160 km/h 3 k V DC units offering ...
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News‘Co-operation between historic operators’ sees Ouigo low-cost trains reach Brussels
EUROPE: In what the two incumbents term ‘a co-operation between historic operators’, SNCF and SNCB have launched a low-cost loco-hauled Ouigo service between Paris and Brussels.
