All Belgium articles – Page 2
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NewsNetherlands – Belgium – France open access train service planned
EUROPE: Arriva Nederland has applied for permission to launch an open access passenger service from the north of the Netherlands to Belgium and Paris.
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NewsEuropean Sleeper begins operations with Berlin – Brussels night train
EUROPE: Night train start-up European Sleeper has begun passenger operations, providing an overnight rail connection between Brussels and Berlin for the first time since 2008. The inaugural service left Berlin Gesundbrunnen on May 25, engineering works having prevented the use of Hauptbahnhof. The train comprised 11 ...
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NewsInfrabel takes a greener track
BELGIUM: Infrabel has started a transition to using more environmentally friendly rails, produced using recycled material rather than fresh steel.
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Metro Report InternationalNew generation Flexity tram enters service in Brussels
BELGIUM: Brussels transport operator STIB has put the first of its ‘new generation’ Flexity trams into service on Route 51 between Midi and Stade with effect from April 26. The 100% low-floor Series 3200 vehicles are being supplied by Alstom under a €480m framework contract which ...
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In depthBelgium: SNCB refines its rolling stock strategy
Procurement of a new fleet of single-voltage EMUs including a BEMU variant will enable the Belgian national operator to consolidate its rolling stock fleet into three main types by 2030. Dr Harry Hondius explains.
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NewsDrieland train to link Aachen, Maastricht and Liège from December
EUROPE: Cross-border regional trains connecting Aachen, Maastricht and Liège are on course to begin with the December 2023 timetable change, following the signing of a letter of intent between the Netherlands and Belgium on March 13. The agreement was signed by the Dutch State Secretary for ...
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NewsŠkoda Group acquires ETCS software specialist The Signalling Company
BELGIUM: Škoda Group has bought a majority stake in train control technology specialist The Signalling Company. The Czech company announced on February 21 that it had acquired a 93·9% stake, leaving TSC executives Stanislas Pinte and Frédéric Du Jardin holding the remaining 6·1%. Škoda said TSC ...
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NewsAmsterdam – Barcelona night train plan
EUROPE: Night train start-up European Sleeper has announced details of its proposed Amsterdam – Barcelona service, which has won the backing of the European Commission. The night train is one of 10 proposals selected for a pilot programme which aims to break down practical barriers to ...
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NewsMerged Eurostar and Thalys branding revealed
EUROPE: The branding for the merged Eurostar and Thalys high speed rail businesses was unveiled in Brussels on January 24.
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Metro Report InternationalConstruction of Brussels tramway extension begins
BELGIUM: Construction of a tramway extension to improve access to the Neder-Over-Heembeek district of northern Brussels was launched with a groundbreaking ceremony on January 18. The future 9·6 km tram Route 10 will use existing track from Rogier to Van Praet and 5·5 km of new alignment ...
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NewsBelgian start-up to test freight train ATO on Betuwe Route
NETHERLANDS: Gent-based automation start-up OTIV has announced plans to test an autonomous train on the Betuwe Route freight corridor within the next two years.
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NewsSupport scheme aims to make Belgium an international night train hub
BELGIUM: The Council of Ministers has approved a draft law which aims to encourage the operation of attractively priced international night trains by offering reductions in infrastructure access charges and energy costs. The high loadings on the thrice-weekly Nightjet service between Brussels and Wien show the ...
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In depthBelgium: Double-deck power cars enter service
SNCB has put into operation the first of 90 double-deck power cars ordered to operate with its M7 push-pull coaches. Dr Harry Hondius reports.
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NewsEurostar cannot grow amid pandemic, Brexit and cost crises, CEO warns
EUROPE: Problems faced by Eurostar as a result of the pandemic, Brexit and rising costs have been set out in detail in a letter from outgoing CEO Jacques Damas to the Chair of the UK’s House of Commons Transport Select Committee. Chair Huw Merriman MP had ...
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NewsAlstom awarded 60-loco maintenance contract
EUROPE: Alstom has signed a contract to provide full-service maintenance for 60 MaK DE6400 diesel locomotives operated by DB Cargo Belgium and DB Cargo Netherlands. Alstom sites in Rotterdam and Brugge will be responsible for preventive and corrective maintenance for an initial term of three years, ...
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NewsBeacons deployed to provide better train location data than GPS
BELGIUM: National passenger operator SNCB has completed an initial deployment of HID Global’s real-time location services platform and BEEKs Bluetooth Low-Energy beacons to provide more precise data than is possible with GPS. This approach replaces the use of an app on an onboard attendant’s smartphone which ...
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NewsEurostar Group names next CEO and targets 30 million passengers within 10 years
EUROPE: Gwendoline Cazenave has been appointed as CEO of Eurostar Group with effect from October 1. She will succeed Jacques Damas, who has been CEO of Eurostar since October 2020 and CEO of Eurostar Group since it was formed as the holding company for Eurostar and ...
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In depthInfrastructure: Belgium learns to live with extreme weather
Infrabel CEO Benoit Gilson reflects on the devastating floods which paralysed the Belgian network in mid-2021, and explains how the infrastructure manager has started to adapt its operations and harden its assets to cope with the impact of extreme weather.
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NewsTraffic boost envisaged in Belgian operating contracts
BELGIUM: Final negotiations over the next 10-year operating contracts for state-owned passenger operator SNCB and national infrastructure manager Infrabel are expected to start in the coming weeks, following the publication of draft versions for consultation. According to federal Minister of Mobility Georges Gilkinet, rail needs to ...
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In depthBenelux: Faster timings in prospect with ICNG fleet
Part of the fleet of Intercity New Generation trainsets now being tested by Netherlands Railways is destined to replace the locomotive-hauled ICRm sets currently in use on Amsterdam – Brussels services via HSL-Zuid, trimming up to 40 min off the journey. The rest of the 200 km/h fleet will be deployed on domestic routes.