Passenger rail news – Page 105
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NewsStadler Wink regional DMU revealed
NETHERLANDS: The first Stadler Wink multiple-unit has been revealed. Following testing it is expected to arrive in the Netherlands this spring, with entry into service on Arriva’s regional routes in Groningen and Friesland planned by the end of the year. Arriva is the launch customer for Stadler’s ...
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NewsFinland negotiates next contract for loss-making passenger services
FINLAND: The Ministry of Transport & Communications and national operator VR have begun negotiations for the next contract to provide socially-desirable passenger services under a public service obligation contract. While most VR services are operated on a market basis, the ministry spends €30m/year purchasing the operation of ...
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NewsNormandie’s inter-city EMUs enter service
FRANCE: The first of 40 Bombardier-built Omneo Premium electric multiple-units procured by SNCF on behalf of the Normandie region entered revenue service on the Paris – Caen – Cherbourg route on February 17.
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NewsDelhi – Meerut Regional Rapid Transit railway works in full swing
INDIA: The government of Uttar Pradesh has allocated Rs9bn for construction of the Delhi – Ghaziabad – Meerut regional express route in the state budget presented on February 18. This follows an allocation of Rs24·9bn in the national budget.
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NewsKintetsu prepares to launch luxury Hinotori EMUs
JAPAN: Kinki Nippon Railway has started driver training with the first of 11 Series 80000 EMUs that it has ordered from sister company Kinki Sharyo to operate limited express services between Nagoya and Osaka-Namba.
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NewsDB Regio awarded next Euregiobahn contract
GERMANY: Regional transport authority NVR has awarded incumbent and sole bidder DB Regio a contract to continue to operate Euregiobahn passenger service RB20 for four years from December 12 2021. There are options for the contract to be extended or shortened by one year to align the ...
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NewsThree Swedish passenger operating contracts awarded
Source: Värmlandstrafik SWEDEN: State operator SJ has been selected for a passenger train operating contract, while the Vy Tåg subsidiary of Norwegian state operator Vy has won two others. Värmland regional transport authority Värmlandstrafik has selected Vy as preferred bidder to operate regional passenger services ...
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NewsTwo bids to operate Helsinki commuter services
FINLAND: Greater Helsinki transport authority HSL has received two bids for a contract to operator commuter train services for 10 years from June 27 2021. It did not name the bidders, although national operator VR – which currently provides the services under a directly-awarded contract – ...
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NewsIle-de-France seeks to open RER network to competition by 2030
FRANCE: Ile-de-France is seeking to accelerate the opening up of local rail services to competition, regional President Valérie Pécresse announced on February 5. In line with the provisions of the EU’s Fourth Railway Package, the French regional passenger market is being liberalised with effect from January 1 2023. Under the ...
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NewsDB unveils refurbished Kiss EMU
GERMANY: The first refurbished Stadler Kiss double-deck EMU for Deutsche Bahn was formally unveiled at Berlin Hbf by the head of DB Personenverkehr Berthold Huber on February 5.
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NewsTalgo to supply coaches for DSB’s Hamburg service
DENMARK: National operator DSB has selected Talgo to supply a fleet of locomotive-hauled coaches to operate international services to and from Hamburg.
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NewsConversion of local railway into a busway to be studied
Source: Lokaltog DENMARK: A feasibility study for converting the Østbanen local railway in eastern Sjælland into a busway is to be undertaken following an agreement between Minister of Transport Benny Engelbrecht and the regional council. The jointly-funded DKr3·5m study is to be undertaken in parallel with ...
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NewsEurostar confirms start date for Amsterdam – London through services
EUROPE: Cross-Channel high speed train operator Eurostar has announced the start dates for through services between Amsterdam, Rotterdam and London. This follows an agreement between the governments of the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands enabling the operation of juxtaposed border controls at the Dutch departure stations, ...
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NewsRail and air associations to co-operate on ticketing
INTERNATIONAL: The International Union of Railways and the International Air Transport Association have signed a memorandum of understanding covering co-operation in standard setting and interoperability, with a focus on data exchange to support intermodal travel. Areas for co-operation include: journey planning; reservations; ticketing, including irregular operations ...
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Rail Business UKMerseyrail Class 777 arrives in Liverpool
The first of the Stadler Class 777 EMUs to renew the Merseyrail suburban fleet is now on test. Tony Miles reports from Kirkdale.
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NewsNew Zealand government announces investment in commuter capacity and freight
NEW ZEALAND: Rail has been allocated a NZ$1·1bn share of a NZ$6·8bn package of transport infrastructure funding announced by the government on January 29. Transport Minister Phil Twyford said the rail investment was targeted at getting lorries off the roads and improving passenger services, particularly at busy ...
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NewsSão Paulo state studies Sorocaba passenger concession
BRAZIL: According to state minister for transport Alexandre Baldy, São Paulo suburban operator CPTM is studying options for tendering of passenger services to Sorocaba. The move is part of the state government’s proposal to introduce regional passenger services linking São Paulo with surrounding cities. The state plans ...
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Rail Business UKNo immediate changes to follow Northern nationalisation
UK: The Northern franchise which is currently held by Arriva will be nationalised on March 1, Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps confirmed in a widely-anticipated announcement on January 29. This follows severe performance problems. Last year the Secretary of State requested proposals for the franchise ...
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Metro Report InternationalCost, time, convenience and carbon emissions to be included in journey planner
NORWAY: National train operator Vy Group has appointed SkedGo to build a multimodal journey planner covering Scandinavia. Users will be able to tailor their trips according to personal preferences, emphasising cost, time, convenience or lowest carbon emissions. It will be possible to make searches based on addresses, ...
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NewsStagecoach Group joins new market entrants’ association ALLRAIL
EUROPE: Public transport operating group Stagecoach has joined the ALLRAIL association of new entrants to the European rail market. ‘As a major operator of rail services in the UK for over two decades and with significant experience of operating public transport services across Europe, we are pleased ...