Urban transport news
-
Metro Report InternationalHamburg to study second S-Bahn tunnel
GERMANY: After years of discussions, Deutsche Bahn, the federal government and the Hamburg municipality signed an agreement on January 21 to conduct a €1·5m feasibility study into building a second cross-city S-Bahn tunnel linking Hamburg Hbf, Dammtor and Altona. The stations are currently linked by the ...
-
In depth
Ticketing: Expanding the use of Japan's IC cards
Originally developed as a form of smart travel ticket, IC cards are now in widespread use across Japan. They can be used for many types of transaction, and further applications are being added as rail operators strive to make travel more convenient.
-
News
CAF to supply more EMUs to Auckland
NEW ZEALAND: CAF has been awarded a firm order to supply a further 23 electric multiple-units to Auckland. The contract announced on January 25 is worth in excess of €130m including maintenance until the end of 2025. There is an option for up to five more ...
-
Metro Report International
Urban transport industry news round-up
This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector
-
Metro Report International
Late-stage design changes increase cost of London Underground fleet renewal
UK: Late design changes have brought a £34m increase in the cost of the trains which Siemens Mobility is to supply for London Underground’s Piccadilly Line, after the operator discovered that it would not be able to accept the fleet into service as originally specified. ...
-
News
Buenos Aires suburban railway modernisation MoUs signed
ARGENTINA: Three memoranda of understanding for co-operation to modernise the Belgrano Norte, Sarmiento and Urquiza suburban railways in Buenos Aires have been signed by the Ministry of Transport & Infrastructure and representatives of Chinese companies CRRC Qingdao Sifang and China Railway International Group. It is envisaged ...
-
Metro Report International
Chongqing metro passes 400 km as Line 9 opens
CHINA: The first phase of Chongqing metro Line 9 opened on January 25. The route runs 32·3 km northeast from Gaotanyan to Xingkedadao serving 23 stations, of which nine provide interchange to other metro lines. Two infill stations are under construction, along ...
-
News
Busan – Ulsan suburban services launched
SOUTH KOREA: Commuter services on the Donghae Line between Bujeon station in Busan and Taehwagang station in Ulsan were inaugurated on December 28, providing a 76 min journey time to create what the Busan city government called a ‘1 h megalopolis’ in the region. Construction of ...
-
Metro Report International
Hitachi and RATP extend Paris metro and tram maintenance partnership
FRANCE: RATP has awarded Hitachi Rail a further maintenance contract covering signalling and train control systems on nine Paris metro lines and seven tram routes. The four-year, renewable €33m contract builds on ‘more than a century of partnership between Hitachi Rail’s French entity and the Paris ...
-
Metro Report International
Metro Flow work begins to eliminate South Tyneside bottlenecks
UK: Preliminary work on the £103m Metro Flow double-tracking project in South Tyneside has begun. Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd, which last year won a £55m contract for the construction stage of the scheme, will now begin upgrading and electrifying at 1∙5 kV DC an infrequently used ...
-
Metro Report International
São Paulo orders 19 monorail trainsets
BRAZIL: São Paulo’s Metrô has approved an order for 19 Innovia 300 monorail trains to be supplied by CRRC Puzhen Alstom Transportation Systems. This will expand the Line 15 fleet to 46 sets to enable a reduction in headways and handle the increase in ridership which ...
-
Metro Report International
TfL executive management team slimmed down
UK: London’s Transport Commissioner Andy Byford has announced a restructuring and reduction in size of Transport for London’s executive team with effect from February 1. TfL said this would be ‘ensure that TfL is in the best possible shape to become an even more efficient organisation ...
-
Metro Report International
Bilbao tramway extension agreement
SPAIN: Bilbao municipality and the Basque region’s transport department have signed an agreement to extend the city’s tram network by 2.4 km and five stops through Olabeaga to Zorrozaurre, northwest of the centre. The estimated cost of construction, not including new trams, is €40m, and the ...
-
Metro Report International
Women’s university awards Hitachi Rail new operating contract
SAUDI ARABIA: Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University has awarded Hitachi Rail a €72·5m contract to continue to operate and maintain the driverless light metro on its Riyadh campus for a further three years. The four-line network serving the women’s university campus totals 11·5 km with 14 ...
-
News
TMH to supply 70 EMUs to Buenos Aires
ARGENTINA: The Ministry of Transport has awarded Transmashholding a US$864m contract to supply and maintain 70 eight-car electric multiple-units for use in Buenos Aires. The stainless steel bodied EMUs will be a 1 676 mm gauge variant of the 1 520 mm gauge Ivolga family which ...
-
Rail Business UK
West Midlands transport investment priorities agreed
UK: The West Midlands Combined Authority board agreed a ‘wide-ranging’ list of more than 50 preferred schemes to improve rail, tram, bus, road, cycling and walking routes on January 14. The list includes the proposed Very Light Rail line in Coventry city centre, Aldridge station, developing ...
-
In depth
Brazil: Private participation keeps metro momentum building
Led by São Paulo, Brazilian cities are making use of private sector funding and operating models to accelerate urban rail development across the country. Benjámin Zelki reports.
-
Metro Report International
Urban transport industry news round-up
This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector
-
News
Auckland One Rail takes over from Transdev under integrated operating contract
NEW ZEALAND: The Auckland One Rail joint venture took over from Transdev Auckland on January 17 as operator of suburban passenger services around the country’s largest city. Transport authority Auckland Transport had selected the 50-50 joint venture of Singapore’s ComfortDelGro and Australia’s UGL Rail Services to ...
-
Metro Report International
Comfort, technology and sleek minimalism selected for Atlanta metro trains
USA: Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority has unveiled the designs for the CQ400 metro trains to be supplied by Stadler from 2023. This follows a public outreach programme which MARTA said led to its users choosing ‘comfort and technology for the interior and sleek minimalism for ...
