Rail policy & legislation news
Latest news about railway industry policy, reform, restructuring, planning, law, legislation and regulation worldwide.
Trans-European Transport Network core completion date cannot be met
EUROPE: The 2030 target date for completing the core Trans-European Transport Network is now clearly out of reach, the European Court of Auditors says in a report into eight megaprojects including six rail schemes.
USA: Learning lessons from the California high speed rail programme
Having served as Northern California Regional Director for the California High Speed Rail Authority, Boris Lipkin offers a personal reflection on the lessons that planners of future rail megaprojects could learn from the scheme.
Germany: Deutschlandtakt vision shapes capacity planning
Development of a medium-term capacity utilisation strategy is a key building block that meets European requirements whilst supporting the roll-out of Germany’s planned national regular-interval timetable over the coming decades.
ERA report proposes enhanced wheel inspection regime to resolve post-Gotthard accident impasse
EUROPE: The Joint Network Secretariat managed by the EU Agency for Railways has proposed revised safety measures as its response to steps taken by Swiss national safety regulator BAV to tighten rules in the second half of 2025.
Cypriot railway ambitions revived
CYPRUS: The Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026 has drawn new attention to long-standing hopes of developing a railway network on the island.
European rail supply industry sets out hopes for new EU Council presidency
EUROPE: UNIFE has set out its wish-list for the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union, calling for key policy changes to keep Europe’s transport networks secure including prioritising public procurement and military mobility reforms.
Japan: Shinkansen extensions under scrutiny amid cost and population pressures
Japan: Shinkansen alternatives sought to enhance connectivity along the Honshu coast
Telecoms: Australia needs to address GSM-R obsolescence
Japan: Hokuriku Shinkansen extension to Osaka comes at a cost
Alstom to supply suburban and long-distance EMUs to Hellenic Train
Japan: Delays and demographic dilemmas hinder Hokkaido Shinkansen ambition
Comment: Demography is destiny
Swiss regulator seeks dialogue with ERA as court blocks wagon safety changes
Air and rail policymakers seek action on travel multimodality
Singapore public transport sector upskilling initiative launched
Freight sector calls for the same political attention as high speed rail
RSSB updates cross-industry Train Protection Strategy
Comment: Tensions around Swiss tunnel regulation reflect SERA challenge
European Commission sets out ambitions to develop an EU high speed rail network
Railways Bill to create Great British Railways and ‘open the door to reform’ laid before parliament
Rail sector stakeholders respond to the government’s Railways Bill
Swiss safety authority accused of ‘regulatory zigzag’ as it adjusts wagon rules further
Castex predicts ‘the mother of all battles’ to fund French rail infrastructure as he takes over at SNCF