Passenger rail news – Page 93
-
Rail Business UKNew CrossCountry contract includes capacity, accessibility and environmental improvements
UK: The Department for Transport has directly awarded incumbent Arriva a new contract to operate CrossCountry services for a further three years. CrossCountry Managing Director Tom Joyner tells Rail Business UK about the operator’s plans, saying ’the good thing is the longevity, which CrossCountry really needs as it gives us a real chance to do some serious planning for the future.’
-
NewsSAFRA awarded first contract to refurbish TER trainsets
FRANCE: SNCF has awarded SAFRA a contract to refurbish 12 three-car multiple-units used in the Midi-Pyrénées area and seven four-car sets used in Languedoc-Roussillon. There is an option for a further 10 trains. SAFRA said the 26-month contract announced on October 15 marks its entry into a ...
-
NewsDB awarded Donau-Isar operating contract
GERMANY: Bayern railway agency BEG has awarded DB Regio the Donau-Isar contract covering the operation of a group of regional passenger services for 12 years from December 2024. The contract is split into two phases, to enable a restructuring once the second cross-city S-Bahn tunnel through München ...
-
NewsArriva and ČD win long-distance contracts
CZECH REPUBLIC: Arriva Vlaky has been awarded a seven-year contract to operate PSO-supported inter-regional services on routes R14A and R14B from Liberec to Pardubice and Ústí nad Labem with effect from December 13. The Ministry of Transport announced on October 5 that Arriva’s bid was KC302m lower ...
-
NewsEU track access rebates approved
EUROPE: A regulation permitting European Union member states to waive or defer track access charges in order to support the rail sector through the coronavirus pandemic has been formally adopted by the EU Council and European Parliament.
-
NewsSouthern Java double-tracking inaugurated
INDONESIA: The completion of double-tracking work on the majority of PT KAI’s 1 067 mm gauge southern Java main line was marked by a ‘soft launch’ ceremony at Solo Balapan on October 8, attended by Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi. Work began in 2015 on upgrading ...
-
NewsChicago – Minneapolis enhancements funded
USA: Plans to launch a second daily inter-city service between Chicago and Minneapolis-St Paul are set to move forward following the award of federal funding under the Consolidated Railroad Infrastructure & Safety Improvement grant programme.
-
NewsInterrail passes go digital
EUROPE: Eurail and Interrail Global Passes are now available on a mobile phone app which can be used in 33 countries. Users can add journeys from the app’s travel planner to their mobile pass before boarding, removing the need to record each journey in the paper travel ...
-
NewsBang Sue hub opening pushed back to 2021
THAILAND: Opening of Bangkok’s Bang Sue Grand Station has been delayed until late 2021, with State Railway of Thailand saying this is largely a result of the Covid-19 pandemic which has prevented Japanese contractors from visiting the site for several months.
-
NewsFirst TILO Flirt 3 enters service
SWITZERLAND: The first of five Stadler Flirt 3 electric multiple-units ordered by Swiss Federal Railways to work TILO cross-border services began running in Switzerland on September 29. Designated as Class RABe 524/3, the five six-car EMUs were ordered in 2017 to work local services linking the southern ...
-
NewsAuckland awards P2P electrification contract
NEW ZEALAND: KiwiRail has awarded the eTRACS joint venture of John Holland and McConnell Dowell an early contractor involvement contract to develop the southern extension of Auckland’s suburban electrification from Papakura to Pukekohe. The NZ$371m P2P Electrification Project will see the installation of 25 kV 50 Hz ...
-
NewsCall for booking platforms to be given access to train operators’ data
EUROPE: The ALLRAIL association of independent passenger train operators and retailers has called on EU member states to ensure that market-dominant incumbent operators share their data with third party journey planning and ticket selling platforms. Commenting on calls by EU stakeholders for the creation of a rail ...
-
Rail Business UKDecontamination to support a safe return to rail
UK: Recognising ‘a clear anxiety and resistance of the public to step out of the comfort of their homes following five months in lockdown’, REACT Specialist Cleaning has put forward a series of recommendations for enhanced cleaning routines that it hopes will help rail operators to restore ...
-
Metro Report InternationalTicket gates to lock when train social distancing capacity reached
SPAIN: Metrovalencia is working with Indra to deploy a system which will automatically lock its ticket gates to prevent more passengers entering its stations once the maximum number of people compatible with on-train social distancing requirements is reached. The gates will count people entering the system and ...
-
NewsTejas Express top-and-tail locomotives rolled out
INDIA: Chittaranjan Locomotive Works has rolled out the first pair of WAP-5 electric locomotives designed for top-and-tail operation on Tejas Express privately-operated passenger services. CLW said its existing 6 000 hp WAP-5 design was well-suited for hauling fast passenger trains running at up to 160 km/h, ...
-
NewsRail Runner Express wi-fi upgrade
USA: Wabtec and its networking technology partner Rajant Corp have been awarded a contract to upgrade the wireless networks onboard New Mexico’s Rail Runner Express commuter train fleet. This is the suppliers’ first contract since they formed a partnership to provide wireless technology for the rail sector. ...
-
NewsPassenger groups raise concerns about EU passenger rights recast
EUROPE: Following three years of negotiations the European Parliament and EU Council reached a provisional agreement on October 1 for changes to EU rail passenger rights legislation. However, customer groups immediately raised concerns about limitations in the scope of the recast. Announcing the agreement, European Commissioner for ...
-
NewsThello to withdraw Milano – Marseille inter-city trains
EUROPE: Thello’s open access EuroCity service between Milano, Nice and Marseille is to be withdrawn next year, according to local reports. Launched in 2014, the locomotive-hauled service consisted of up to three return workings a day. First and second class seating was available, and a small bar ...
-
NewsKoleje Dolnośląskie orders EMUs to support regional transport strategy
POLAND: A contract for Pesa Bydgoszcz to supply five five-car Elf2 electric multiple-units for use in the Wrocław area was signed by regionally-owned operator Koleje Dolnośląskie on September 29. The 145m złoty order is being financed from the operator’s own resources and EU ...
-
NewsZSSK and ÖBB to take over Bratislava – Komárno services
SLOVAKIA: The Ministry of Transport & Construction has selected a partnership of state passenger operator ZSSK and Austrian Federal Railways to operate PSO supported services on the 95 km Bratislava – Dunajská Streda – Komárno line for two years from December 13. They will replace Czech company ...