Local elections prompt flurry of Istanbul metro openings
TURKEY: Four extensions to existing metro lines have been opened in Istanbul to coincide with the municipal elections which took place at the end of March.
Paris tram network expands again
FRANCE: Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete joined Paris Transport Authority CEO Jean Castex, President of Île-de-France région Valérie Pécresse and Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo at a ceremony on April 5 marking the opening of an extension of tram Line T3b across the northwest of the capital.
First section of Seoul’s GTX Line A opens
SOUTH KOREA: The initial 28 km section of the Great Train Express commuter rail network in the Seoul conurbation, linking Suseo with Dongtan has opened.
Lyon operating contract aims to provide ‘exemplary’ metro and tram services
FRANCE: Lyon transport authority Sytral Mobilités has awarded the Paris transport operator’s RATP Dev subsidiary the next contract to operate and maintain the city’s metro, tram and funicular services for 10 years from January 1 2025, as well as a future river shuttle service which is to launch in June 2025.
Service increase in new Köln S-Bahn operating contract
GERMANY: Following a European tender, transport authorities go.Rheinland and VRR have selected incumbent DB Regio for a contract to operate Köln S-Bahn services until December 2032.
Seoul Metro to operate GTX-A when it opens on March 30
SOUTH KOREA: Seoul Metro has been selected as operator for Line A of the capital’s Great Train Express commuter rail network, ahead of the opening of the first section on March 30.
Izmit plans first metro line as tram network grows
TURKEY: Plans to build a 26·8 km metro line in Kocaeli were announced by Turkey’s Minister of Transport & Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu on March 20, ahead of local elections scheduled for March 31.
Modi inaugurates three sections of metro in Kolkata
INDIA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated one new metro line and two extensions in Kolkata on March 6, totalling 11·5 km.
New fleet and expansion proposed as Sheffield’s Supertram comes under public control
UK: Fleet renewal and network expansion are included in the ambitions South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority set out when it took over management of Sheffield Supertram following the end of Stagecoach’s operating contract.
Metro to the Taj Mahal opens
INDIA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first section of the Agra metro by teleconference on March 6, with passenger services starting at 06.00 the following day.
Istanbul’s Sirkeci – Kazlıçeşme ‘light rail’ line opens
TURKEY: A ‘light rail’ line on the alignment of the former railway to the historic Sirkeci station on the European side of Istanbul was opened by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan February 26.
Izmir metro extension opens
TURKEY: Passenger-carrying pre-operation started on the 6·5 km western extension of Izmir metro Line 1 from Fahrettin Altay to Sehitlik on February 24 with a ceremony attended by Izmir Mayor Tunç Soyer.
İzmir opens third tram line
TURKEY: A 12 km long tram extension opened in İzmir’s Çiğli district on January 27 with a ceremony attended by Mayor Tunç Soyer.
Toronto passenger train Operations & Maintenance contract finalised
CANADA: Transport agency Metrolinx has finalised the Operations & Maintenance contract for GO Transit passenger rail services in the Greater Toronto & Hamilton Area.
Extension takes Phoenix light rail over the freeway
USA: ‘We have made the leap over one of our busiest and most vital freeways with a bridge that opens the door to the West Valley’, said CEO of Phoenix’s Valley Metro Jessica Mefford-Miller when celebrations marked the opening of the Northwest Phase II light rail extension on January 27.
Second busiest Paris metro line goes fully automatic
FRANCE: Paris metro Line 4 has been fully converted to Grade of Automation 4 unattended operation
Connecting Stockholm wins metro operating contract
SWEDEN: Local authority Region Stockholm has selected the Connecting Stockholm joint venture of The Go-Ahead Group (55%) and ComfortDelGro (45%) to operate and maintain the Tunnelbana metro network.
Olsztyn tramway extension opens
POLAND: Revenue services have started on a 6 km tramway extension in Olsztyn, taking the city’s network to 17 km.
Manchester Metrolink operating contract extended
UK: The contract for KeolisAmey Metrolink Ltd to operate and maintain Greater Manchester’s Metrolink light rail network has been extended until July 2027.