French railway news – Page 4
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NewsFerry company launches rail motorway
FRANCE: Brittany Ferries has launched its ‘rail motorway’ service carrying unaccompanied lorry trailers 970 km between the port of Cherbourg and the European Freight Centre at Bayonne-Mouguerre near the Spanish border. The ferry company has acquired 47 Modalohr double-pocket wagons at a cost of €17m, initially ...
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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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NewsTransdev prepares to launch Marseille – Nice services
FRANCE: Transdev has unveiled the first of 16 Alstom Omneo Premium electric multiple-units it has ordered for use on Marseille – Nice services which it will operate from June 29 under a contract awarded by the Sud-Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur région.
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In depthFreight: Satellite technology seeks to add value in telematics
French private freight operator Europorte has joined forces with IoT and satellite technology specialists to launch a comprehensive telematics platform to monitor freight train operations. Chairman Raphaël Doutrebente explains Track Value to Nick Kingsley.
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News‘More and better trains’ to be provided under first Bourgogne-Franche-Comté operating contract
FRANCE: National operator SNCF Voyageurs has been awarded the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté région’s first tendered contract to operate regional passenger train services. The région began developing a strategy for tendering the Mobigo branded regional services in 2021. The first package covers Bourgogne Ouest Nivernais services, including Dijon – ...
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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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NewsInter-city train for the 21st century unveiled
FRANCE: The Oxygène inter-city trainset is ‘probably one of the most beautiful trains built by CAF’, CEO for France, Alain Picard, said when the first trainset was officially unveiled by the manufacturer, operator SNCF Voyageurs and the French government.
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In depthFrance: Regions refine their rolling stock strategies
As the competitive tendering of French regional passenger services becomes established, the various régions are pursuing different rolling stock strategies. Jérémie Anne investigates.
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Metro Report InternationalLight rail: France's modern role models
No fewer than 28 cities in France have built modern light rail networks in the 40 years since Nantes turned the tide on post-war car-centricity. With 115 km of new line now under construction and 276 vehicles on order, the outlook remains bright, even if political headwinds are starting to be felt. Michael Dreyer reports.
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In depthFrance: SERM promises a suburban rail revolution
Recent legislation has paved the way for the development of high-performing multimodal transport networks in 24 French conurbations, centred around rail as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Reinhard Christeller explains.
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NewsOuigo to get refurbished trains and new destinations
FRANCE: SNCF Voyageurs has unveiled the first refurbished Tango high speed trainset and announced new destinations as part of its plans to increase the Ouigo low-cost brand’s share of the domestic high speed rail market from 20% to 30% by 2030.
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NewsFranco-Swiss narrow gauge EMU deliveries begin
EUROPE: Stadler has delivered the first of seven dual-system electric multiple-units custom-designed for Mont Blanc Express services between France and Switzerland. The 55 km metre-gauge route is operated by Transports de Martigny et Régions, which is responsible for the Swiss section from Martigny to Le Châtelard, ...
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NewsFirst Argos digital interlocking commissioned
FRANCE: Infrastructure manager SNCF Réseau has commissioned the first digital interlocking to be developed under the Argos programme. This aims to achieve a 30% reduction in deployment times and a 15% reduction in total cost of ownership, along with improvements in performance. SNCF Réseau launched Argos ...
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In depthFrance: SNCF Voyageurs goes on the attack
National passenger operator SNCF Voyageurs has seen ridership and revenue surge in the post-pandemic period. Its next big challenge will be to respond to the opening up of the French passenger market to competition, as the leadership team explains to Jérémie Anne.
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NewsNarrow gauge hybrid train order confirmed
FRANCE: Stadler has signed a contract to supply eight customised diesel-battery hybrid multiple-units for the narrow gauge Nice – Digne line operated by Chemins de Fer de Provence.
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NewsFS Group announces plans to launch London – Paris train service by 2029
EUROPE: Italian national railway FS Group has announced plans to launch a high speed train service connecting Paris and London through the Channel Tunnel by 2029.
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NewsExpanding Italy’s high speed rail model in Europe
EUROPE: ‘Italian high speed is a successful model, and our goal is to extend it at the European level’, according to Trenitalia CEO Gianpiero Strisciuglio.
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NewsAlstom to invest €150m to increase high speed train production capacity
FRANCE: Alstom has announced an ‘unprecedented’ plan to invest more than €150m to increase production capacity to meet the French and international demand for its Avelia very high speed trainsets and deliver on its ongoing commitments. The plan announced on April 4 includes: €30m to ...
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NewsParis – Milano trains restart as landslide-damaged line reopens
EUROPE: Through services between Paris and Milano restarted on March 31, after 19 months of work to repair the damage caused by a major landslide near Maurienne in August 2023.
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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.