Trams return to Reșița after 13 years
ROMANIA: Tram services restarted in Reșița on December 20 after a hiatus of more than 13-years. The city’s sole route links Kaufland in the north to Reșița-Montana in the southeast, a distance of 9 km.
MRT Jakarta introduces WhatsApp ticketing
INDONESIA: MRT Jakarta and Route Mobile Ltd have launched WhatsApp-based metro ticketing.
Refurbished Stuttgart S-Bahn trains ready to return to service
GERMANY: The first three Stuttgart S-Bahn electric multiple-units to be refurbished have been unveiled by operator DB Regio and transport authority VRS ahead of their return to passenger service in February.
Dedicated suburban services planned in three Moroccan cities
MOROCCO: ONCF is working on the development of RER-branded suburban rail networks around Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech for launch by the end of the decade.
Daegu’s urban rail network grows
SOUTH KOREA: The urban rail network in Daegu has expanded following the opening of a cross-city suburban rail corridor and the extension of its metro.
Lille orders more metro trains
FRANCE: Métropole Européenne de Lille has awarded Alstom a €210m firm order to supply 15 more rubber-tyre automated light metro trainsets, following on from 27 ordered previously.
Urban transport industry news round-up
This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector.
Resignalling programme to create Madrid’s first driverless metro line
SPAIN: Metro de Madrid has awarded Alstom a contract to upgrade the signalling on Line 6 to make it the city’s first driverless metro line.
Titagarh Firema unveils EMUs for the Lazio region
ITALY: The first of 38 electric multiple-units ordered by the Lazio region have been unveiled at Titagarh Firema’s Caserta factory.
Funding finalised for first phase of Côte d’Azur railway enhancement programme
FRANCE: Funding has been finalised for the first phase of the Ligne Nouvelle Provence d’Azur project to upgrade the busy Marseille - Nice corridor to support a 66% increase in the number of daily services.
Helsinki takes light rail northeast
FINLAND: Sweco has won a framework contract to provide design and engineering services for expansion of Helsinki’s light rail network.
First Montréal Charger loco delivered to Exo
CANADA: Montréal regional transport authority Exo has taken delivery of the first of 10 Charger locomotives being supplied by Siemens Mobility.
Ottawa’s O-Train starts phased reopening
CANADA: Ottawa’s O-Train reopened its extended north-south Trillium Line on January 6, with services to be ramped up over the next month.
Campina Grande light rail plan agreed
BRAZIL: The Ministry of Transport has signed an agreement for the transfer of 15·5 km of moribund railway to the municipality of Campina Grande for the development of a light rail service.
GO Transit coach refurbishment contract awarded
CANADA: Greater Toronto area transport agency Metrolinx has awarded Alstom a C$500m framework agreement for the mid-life overhaul and modernisation of 181 BiLevel Series VIII coaches used on GO Transit services.
Gatineau – Ottawa tramway studies to begin
CANADA: Technical and environmental studies are to begin this spring for the TramGO project to develop a 24 km tramway connecting western and central Gatineau in Québec with Ottawa in neighbouring Ontario.
MRT Xizhi – Donghu Line construction contract signed
TAIWAN: Main construction works for the MRT Xizhi – Donghu metro line in New Taipei are set to get underway in March, after the turnkey design and build contract was signed on December 19.
Relief for Southeastern passengers as train toilets to be installed
UK: Southeastern has announced that a toilet is to be retrofitted to the Class 707 City Beam electric multiple-units used on London suburban services.
Turquoise tram route added to Lusail network
QATAR: Revenue-earning Turquoise Line tram services in Lusail north of Doha began on January 6.
Urban transport industry news round-up
This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector.