Passenger rail news – Page 47
-
In depthPoland: Making the strategic case for the CPK rail programme
The Centralny Port Komunikacyjny transport investment programme will improve connectivity in Poland and beyond, Marcin Horała, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure, tells Railway Gazette International.
-
In depthIndia: Vande Bharat fleet can take on the airlines
A high tax burden and challenging macroeconomic conditions mean that India’s domestic aviation market has not seen the boom expected a decade ago. Indian Railways‘ investment in a new generation of premium inter-city trains can help rail to seize the advantage, as Chitresh Shrivastva* explains.
-
NewsDB’s Start to replace Abellio on Sachsen-Anhalt passenger services
GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn subsidiary Regionalverkehre Start Deutschland has been named preferred bidder for a contract to operate diesel-worked local passenger services in Sachsen-Anhalt. The Dieselnetz Sachsen-Anhalt II contract covering 9·3 million train-km/year will run for eight years from the December 2024 timetable change. It was tendered ...
-
NewsÖBB orders first double-deck Railjet trains as passenger traffic booms
AUSTRIA: Austrian Federal Railways has awarded Stadler a firm order to supply the first double-deck vehicles for its Railjet long-distance fleet, along with additional electric multiple-units for Cityjet local services. The €600m firm order for 35 Kiss EMUs signed on July 6 has been placed as ...
-
Rail Business UKRail industry insiders stress importance of ticket office closure consultation
UK: Public consultation has begun over plans to close the majority of station ticket offices in England, with industry insiders stressing the importance of passengers giving feedback as part of the process.
-
NewsDriver-only EMUs unveiled in Hokkaido
JAPAN: JR Hokkaido has unveiled its first Series 737 EMUs, which are the railway’s first to be designed for driver-only operation.
-
NewsService increases planned as Pays-de-Loire awards its first tendered operating contract
FRANCE: Incumbent SNCF Voyageurs has been awarded the first passenger train operating contract to be tendered by the Pays-de-la-Loire région. The contract covers the operation of tram-train services on the Nantes – Chateaubriant and Nantes – Clisson lines, as well as the Sud Loire rail network ...
-
NewsComments sought on RENFE ticketing commitments
SPAIN: The European Commission has invited comments on commitments offered by national operator RENFE to address concerns over its alleged refusal to supply rival ticketing platforms with train information and real-time data. In April the Commission opened a formal investigation into whether RENFE may have restricted ...
-
NewsDouble-deck coaches find new home in Tanzania
TANZANIA: Tanzania Railways Corp is taking delivery of 30 double-deck passenger coaches formerly used by Deutsche Bahn in Germany. The ex-DB ‘Görlitz’ coaches have been purchased through Lückemeier Transport & Logistik, which is refurbishing then for use in Tanzania. They are suitable for 160 km/h operation, ...
-
Rail Business UKGWR trials Whoosh real-time journey dashboard
UK: Great Western Railway is undertaking a four-month trial of technology company Whoosh’s journey dashboard, which enables passengers to see real-time information for the train they are on and for any station. The system is being trialled on three trainsets and also at Patchway and Newton ...
-
NewsPKP Intercity orders more 200 km/h locomotives
POLAND: National long-distance operator PKP Intercity has exercised an option to purchase five more electric multi-system locomotives from Newag. The option announced on June 21 was included in an October 2021 contract for an initial 10 Griffin E4MSP locomotives capable of 200 km/h operation. Valued at ...
-
NewsTirol endorses Zillertalbahn hydrogen project
AUSTRIA: The Tirol provincial government has formerly endorsed proposals to convert the 760 mm gauge Zillertalbahn to hydrogen traction, whilst acknowledging that conventional overhead electrification would have been cheaper. The Land has commissioned further work on development of the concept, including a project structure and implementation ...
-
NewsFaster Chicago – St Louis passenger trains introduced as Illinois route modernisation nears completion
USA: Accelerated inter-city passenger services running at up to 177 km/h were launched on the 457 km Chicago – Springfield – St Louis route on June 26.
-
NewsCartel office orders DB to end competition restrictions
GERMANY: On June 26 the national competition authority ruled that state-owned operator Deutsche Bahn must alter its commercial practices to comply with competition laws.
-
NewsRENFE orders more Media Distancia EMUs
SPAIN: RENFE has ordered a further batch of 200 km/h electric multiple-units from CAF for use on medium distance services. The €190m order for 32 trainsets announced on June 27 has been placed as part of a October 2022 framework agreement which covered an initial 28 ...
-
NewsFirst stage of Retiro terminus modernisation completed
ARGENTINA: The first stage of a complex rebuilding of the Mitre suburban railway’s Retiro terminus in Buenos Aires has been completed with a ceremony attended by Minister of Transport, Diego Giuliano. Services on the Mitre Railway’s JL Suárez and Tigre branches resumed running into Retiro on ...
-
NewsAlstom to build Vande Bharat sleeper EMUs
INDIA: Indian Railways has named Alstom as low-bidder for a contract to supply and maintain 100 aluminium bodied Vande Bharat 4.0 trainsets with sleeping car facilities for use on longer-distance routes. Alstom’s bid is valued at Rs1·51bn per 16-coach train, compared with Rs1·69bn from a consortium ...
-
NewsNarrow gauge hydrogen trains ordered
ITALY: Sardinian transport operator ARST and Ferrovie della Calabria have placed a joint order for 12 hydrogen powered multiple-units. The €156m contract awarded to Stadler on June 19 is being funded from Italy’s National Recovery & Resilience Plan. The 950 mm gauge trainsets will be 50 ...
-
Rail Business UKArriva’s London Overground operating concession to be extended
UK: Transport for London has awarded Arriva a two-year extension to its concession to operate London Overground services. Arriva Rail London has operated London Overground inner-suburban services under a concession model since November 2016. TfL takes the revenue risk, while the operator receives a fixed payment ...
-
Rail Business UKCaledonian Sleeper moves to Scottish government ownership
UK: The first Caledonian Sleeper night train services under Scottish government ownership ran on June 25, following the end of the contract previously held by Serco. The last Serco Caledonian Sleepers Ltd trains ran on the night of Friday June 23, as there is no Saturday ...