All open access articles – Page 2
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Rail Business UKRegulator approves additional East Coast Main Line open access services but Hull Trains to Sheffield is rejected
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has approved the launch of additional and extended services by open access operators Lumo, Grand Central and Hull Trains, but it has rejected Hull Trains’ plans to launch a service to Sheffield.
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NewsRegulator rejects West Coast Main Line open access train service plans
UK: Would-be operators have responded with disappointment to the rail regulator’s decision that there is insufficient capacity to launch three open access passenger train services on the West Coast Main Line.
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NewsHigh speed train operator Velvet aims to offer simplicity, delight and innovation
FRANCE: New entrant Proxima has unveiled Velvet as the brand name for its future open access high speed train services in France.
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Rail Business UKOpen access must genuinely add value, says DfT
UK: The Department for Transport has written to the Office of Rail & Road to stress the ‘critical importance’ of considering the cumulative financial and performance impact when deciding whether to approve applications to run open access passenger services.
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Rail Business UKOpen access start-up signs track access contract but funding challenges remain
UK: Open access start-up co-operative Go-op has signed a track access contract and is now seeking investors to finance the launch of services between Swindon, Taunton and Weston-Super-Mare in December 2026.
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Rail Business UKFirstGroup applies to run Hereford – London open access service
UK: FirstGroup has submitted the first phase of an application to launch an open access passenger service between Hereford, Bristol Parkway and London under its Lumo brand.
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Rail Business UKAlstom to refresh and maintain Lumo Class 222 fleet
UK: Alstom is to refresh and maintain the five Class 222 inter-city diesel multiple-units which FirstGroup is to lease from Eversholt Rail for use Lumo open access services between Stirling and London.
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Rail Business UKTrain lease agreed as FirstGroup prepares to launch Stirling open access service
UK: FirstGroup has secured the rolling stock it needs to launch Lumo-branded open access passenger services between London Euston and Stirling in mid-2026.
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NewsEuropean Commission issues guidelines on railway infrastructure access charges
EUROPE: The European Commission has adopted guidelines on the setting of track access charges, aiming to prevent mark-ups being a barrier to market entry.
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NewsFlix orders Talgo 230 trains to support European expansion ambitions
GERMANY: Rail and coach group Flix has ordered up to 65 Talgo 230 push-pull trainsets.
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In depthUSA: Private sector can lead a passenger revival
Californian start-up Dreamstar Lines is seeking to launch a network of privately funded night trains across the USA. Co-founder & CEO Joshua Dominic issues a rallying call for private investment to fill the gaps in transport provision across North America.
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Rail Business UKArriva plans Newcastle – Birmingham – Brighton open access train service
UK: Arriva Group has announced plans to launch an open access passenger service between Newcastle and Brighton via Birmingham and London Gatwick Airport.
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In depthComment: The devil is in the detail of reform
In May the first passenger services are set to transfer from the private to the public sector as part of the UK government’s rail reform plans. But as our Head of News Andrew Grantham explains, operators that are not to be nationalised are worried that without a stronger regulatory structure than is proposed, the private players will not have the confidence needed to invest and grow.
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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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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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NewsSNCF Voyageurs CEO sets out Italian strategy
ITALY: The launch of domestic high speed rail services within Italy will support plans for French national passenger operator SNCF Voyageurs to grow foreign activities from 22% of its business in 2024 to 30% in 2030, CEO Christophe Fanichet said at the restart of Paris – ...
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Rail Business UKArriva plans Cleethorpes to London open access service
UK: Arriva has announced plans to launch an open access passenger service between Cleethorpes, Grimsby, Doncaster and London. On March 21 Arriva formally notified Network Rail that it was submitting an application to the Office of Rail & Road which a view to launching the service ...
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NewsWestbahn orders 250 km/h Smile trains
AUSTRIA: Open access operator Westbahn has awarded Stadler a contract to supply three Smile high speed trainsets to enable it to introduce Wien – Graz – Klagenfurt – Villach services from March 2026.
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NewsTrenitalia France sets sights on Marseille in year of expansion
FRANCE: This will be one of the most important years for the Italian national train operator’s French open access business, according to Trenitalia France CEO Marco Caposciutti. From February 14, it will be able to double capacity on its busiest services by operating its Frecciarossa trainsets ...