Proposals to build a 700 km rail link from Pakwach in northwestern Uganda to Waw in Sudan are under discussion. Despite the gauge difference, Uganda sees the route as an alternative to the line through Kenya. Companies involved in the scheme include Thormaehlen Technik of Germany.

The latest announcement from Pyongyang about the restoration of rail services between North and South Korea suggests that freight trains will start running across the demilitarised zone in October on a trial basis.

After meeting with his Greek counterpart Mihalis Liepis last month, Turkish Transport Minister Binali Yildirim said that through trains between Thessaloniki and Istanbul would start later this year.

Watch for proposals to build a rail network linking the Gulf Co-Operation Council states following approval of the concept by the cabinet in Bahrain.

Planning to transfer some Corail services from the Main Line business unit to that responsible for regional and Paris commuter services, SNCF is seeking regional support for loss-making routes such as Bordeaux - Lyon and Lyon - Nantes.

Despite reports of delays, Guangzhou Metro General Manager Lu Guanglin said on May 26 that work on a test section of Line 5 would begin immediately ’in preparation for full construction.’

Thailand’s Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said on May 27 that he expected to place before the cabinet last month plans for a 31 km rail link from a new terminus at Makkasan to Bangkok’s international airport.

Irish Transport Minister Séamus Brennan announced on May 30 that he would be presenting plans shortly for a €2·4bn metro between Dublin airport and the city centre. Expected to open in 2009, it would be 75% underground, and would connect with DART suburban trains at Tara Street.

Toronto Transport Commission has asked the city council to protect corridors for the construction of more light lines along the waterfront, where development is planned on sites vacated by industrial, warehousing and port facilities.

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