Europe rail industry news
Latest railway industry news from Europe, including operations, infrastructure, rolling stock and policy.
Matthä to head CER as Fritzson steps down
EUROPE: Austrian Federal Railways’ CEO Andreas Matthä was elected as Acting Chair of the Community of European Railway & Infrastructure Companies at its meeting on January 20.
Kattegat road-rail fixed link to be studied
DENMARK: There are good prospects for a road and rail fixed link across the Kattegat between Sjælland and Jylland, the government has announced. Further studies are to be undertaken, building on preliminary studies initiated by the previous government.
Lying not flying, as Nightjet sleeper train reaches Brussels
EUROPE: Under the slogan ‘lying not flying’, Austrian Federal Railways launched its twice-weekly Wien – Brussels Nightjet overnight train on January 19. The ceremony at Wien Hbf was attended by Austria’s Minister of Climate Protection, Environment, Mobility, Innovation & Technology Leonore Gewessler as well as members of the European Parliament.
Farandou reshapes SNCF leadership team
FRANCE: A new management structure for the ‘unified’ SNCF group was unveiled by President & CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou on January 16, following the first board meeting of the national railway group since the 2018 reforms came into effect on January 1.
Malmö – Köln suggested as first route for a network of night trains
EUROPE: Swedish transport agency Trafikverket has suggested that Malmö – Köln could be the first route to be launched as part of a proposed network of overnight trains connecting Sweden with other European countries, and that a start data as early as 2022-23 could be possible.
Barcelona – Valencia trains accelerated as Vandellòs cut-off opens
SPAIN: Commercial services began using a 46·5 km cut-off between Camp de Tarragona and Vandellòs on January 13, when ADIF completed a further section of upgrading on the Barcelona – Valencia Mediterranean Corridor.
Czech region orders its own EMU fleet
ERTMS roll-out timetable extended
‘The wow effect is coming’ as German government signs €86bn rail programme
Czech branch line reopened
EBRD urban transport programme finances Poltava trolleybus order
Sarajevo resignalling contract
Rail infrastructure manager adopts shorter name
Narrow gauge operator orders EMUs
Vilnius – Klaipedia electrification and upgrading contracts awarded
Supercapacitor hybrid buses to reduce emissions at stops
EU grant for Hrvatski Leskovac – Karlovac modernisation
Infrabel CEO nominated to head SNCF Réseau
Shift2Rail invites 2020 research proposals
High speed rail wins market share
Auditors warn of Rail Baltica cost and timescale risks
ADIF orders three more infrastructure monitoring trains
Plzeň expands tram network
Phoenix included in Novokuznetsk tram order