All open access articles – Page 5
-
Rail Business UKLumo aims to be the green alternative to Edinburgh – London flights
Having unveiled Lumo as the brand name for its Edinburgh to London open access service, FirstGroup explains to Rail Business UK how it is taking a different approach to rail travel with the aim of winning passengers from air and coach.
-
NewsRENFE completes acquisition of 50% stake in Leo Express
EUROPE: Spanish national operator RENFE has gained access to the passenger markets of the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia and ‘the necessary licences and resources’ to enter the German market, following the completion of its purchase of a 50% stake in Czech open access operator Leo Express.
-
Rail Business UKGrand Union submits modified Stirling – London open access proposal
UK: Aspiring open access operator Grand Union Trains has submitted a modified Section 17 application for track access to run four trains a day between Stirling and London Euston via the West Coast Main Line. The Office of Rail & Road is seeking responses to the ...
-
NewsParis – Edinburgh route proposed under French start-up Midnight Trains’ hotel train plan
EUROPE: A Paris – Edinburgh service is among the most eye-catching proposals for a network of premium overnight sleeping car services set out by French start-up Midnight Trains on June 16.
-
NewsSNCF launches Ouigo high speed services in Spain
SPAIN: The first fare-paying passengers were due to board Ouigo services on the morning of May 10 as SNCF’s low-cost high speed rail subsidiary entered the Spanish domestic market, competing with RENFE on the Madrid – Barcelona route.
-
NewsFlixTrain prepares to launch in Sweden
SWEDEN: Open access operator FlixMobility has opened ticket bookings for its first rail service in Sweden, with services between Stockholm and Göteborg expected to start from May 6, a year later than originally anticipated.
-
NewsNight train to connect Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin and Praha
EUROPE: Plans to launch a Praha – Dresden – Berlin – Amsterdam – Brussels night train services have been unveiled by established Czech independent operator RegioJet and newly-formed Dutch overnight train co-operative European Sleeper. Applications for paths are to be submitted shortly, with the aim of ...
-
NewsBarraqueiro forms Portuguese open access operator
PORTUGAL: Bus and coach group Barraqueiro has established B-Rail as a subsidiary to run open access passenger train services along the Atlantic corridor linking cities in the north and south of the country as part of an integrated multi-modal transport strategy. B-Rail has applied to national ...
-
NewsRENFE to take stake in Leo Express in support of internationalisation strategy
EUROPE: Spanish national operator RENFE has announced its intention to acquire a 50% stake in central European open access operator Leo Express. RENFE said it sees a strategic opportunity to develop international business activities as Spain’s domestic market opens to competition. The proposed acquisition announced on ...
-
Rail Business UKGrand Union’s London – Cardiff open access plan rejected
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has rejected Grand Union Trains Ltd’s application to introduce an open access passenger service between London Paddington and Cardiff Central. Grand Union had hoped to operate seven return services a day from December 2021 using Class 91 electric locomotives, ...
-
NewsWestbahn cutbacks in prospect as public service contract ends
AUSTRIA: More than half of Westbahn’s inter-city passenger services between Wien and Salzburg may be withdrawn within the next few days, unless agreement is reached to continue the interim support provided by the government for operations during the Covid-19 pandemic. Affecting both Austrian Federal Railways and ...
-
NewsRegioJet extends Croatian summer holiday trains to Split
EUROPE: RegioJet is to add the city of Split as a destination for its summer overnight trains between Praha and Croatia, building on the success of the Praha – Rijeka service which was launched last year and carried more than 60 000 passengers on 120 trains. ...
-
NewsCall for Eurostar trains to be made available to support on-rail competition
EUROPE: The ALLRAIL association of new entrants to the rail market has said any government support which might be offered to Eurostar during the coronavirus pandemic should be accompanied by conditions designed to facilitate cross-Channel competition.
-
NewsRailcoop plans freight launch this year ahead of passenger market entry
FRANCE: Start-up open access operator Railcoop aims to launch its first freight services later this year. If the co-operative’s plans come to fruition, Railcoop would follow up in 2022 with the launch of inter-city passenger services on the Bordeaux – Lyon via Périgueux route.
-
Rail Business UKGrand Central suspends services until March 1
UK: Following the government’s announcement of a third national lockdown in England, London to West Yorkshire and Sunderland open access operator Grand Central said it would be suspending all its services from January 9 until March 1. ‘It is hugely disappointing for us to be starting 2021 ...
-
Rail Business UKHull Trains suspends services for a third time
UK: East Yorkshire to London open access operator Hull Trains is to temporarily suspend all services from 00.01 on January 9, following the government’s announcement of a third coronavirus lockdown in England. As an open access operator, FirstGroup subsidiary Hull Trains is not eligible for the financial ...
-
NewsNight train strategy should include open access operators, says RegioJet
VIEWPOINT: The vision for an expansion of night train services presented by state railways DB, SBB, ÖBB and SNCF should be expanded to include other operators, says Aleš Ondrůj, Director of Communications & Sales at open access operator RegioJet.
-
Rail Business UKGrand Central to restart services
UK: Grand Central is to restart services on December 3 as the lockdown restrictions in England change, but the open access operator warned that it would only be offering a reduced and reservation-only timetable and no onboard catering. ‘While it’s great to be back, we can’t emphasise ...
-
Rail Business UKHull Trains and Grand Central to suspend services again
UK: Open access operators Hull Trains and Grand Central are to suspend services again as England enters a second period of coronavirus lockdown running for four weeks from November 5. The open access companies operate on a purely commercial basis, and were not entitled to the government ...
-
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 ...