Passenger rail news – Page 124
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News‘Root and branch’ reform of UK rail fares proposed
UK: The Rail Delivery Group is to undertake public consultation ahead of producing proposals for how it could work with government to implement a ‘root and branch reform’ of fare and ticket regulation. The current regulatory structure for ticketing in Great Britain was fixed at the time of privatisation ...
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NewsVirgin Trains sells tickets through Amazon Alexa
UK: Amazon Echo voice-activated devices with the Alexa virtual assistant and Amazon Pay can now be used to book advance single tickets for Virgin Trains East Coast and West Coast services. The launch on May 3 follows Virgin Trains' introduction last November of a journey planning ‘skill’ for Amazon Alexa. ...
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NewsSecond airport rail link opens in Kuala Lumpur
MALAYSIA: A rail link to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Kuala Lumpur was inaugurated on May 1. The Ministry of Transport funded the 521m ringgit project. The route branches off from the metre-gauge line that links Kuala Lumpur with Port Klang at Subang Jaya. It runs north along ...
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NewsGreat Northern Class 717 EMUs unveiled
UK: Siemens has unveiled the Class 717 Desiro City electric multiple-units which it is building for Govia Thameslink Railway. Being built at the Siemens plant at Krefeld in Germany, the 25 six-car units are scheduled to enter service from September on GTR’s Great Northern commuter services from Welwyn Garden City, ...
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NewsAlstom trainset for Senegal on test
SENEGAL: The first of 15 four-car Coradia Polyvalent electro-diesel multiple-units ordered for the Train Express Régional project in Dakar is now on test at Alstom’s plant at Reichshoffen in France. The Train Express Régional will link the centre of Dakar with the new Blaise Diagne international airport in Diass, serving ...
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NewsNo ‘ironing board’ seats, Greater Anglia promises
UK: With advice from consultancy Schoenemann Design, operator Greater Anglia has selected Italian company FISA's Lean seat design for used on its future Stadler trainsets, and has made adjustments to the shape of the base cushions, lumbar support and headrests. The Bombardier Transportation Aventra EMUs ordered for Greater Anglia's commuter ...
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NewsDB Regio selected for operating contract
GERMANY: A group of four transport and local authorities in Germany and the Czech Republic have selected DB Regio subsidiary Start Ostsachsen as the winner of the Ostsachsen II passenger operating contract. The decision was announced on April 26, with formal award subject to the regulatory standstill period. Services ...
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NewsHigh speed services from London to Bordeaux, Frankfurt and Genève under discussion
EUROPE: ‘Advanced planning’ is being undertaken to facilitate the possible launch of a direct London – Bordeaux high speed rail service, HS1 Ltd confirmed on April 30. The manager of the high speed line between London and the Channel Tunnel also confirmed it was in very early stage discussions for ...
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NewsFlixTrain plans new routes
GERMANY: FlixMobility has applied for paths to operate open access services from Berlin to Köln and München from the December timetable change, the company confirmed on April 26 when its first FlixTrain-branded service ran on the Berlin – Stuttgart route. FlixBus has been handling ticketing for the Berlin – Stuttgart ...
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NewsIP targets Algarve electrification by 2020
PORTUGAL: National infrastructure manager Infraestruturas de Portugal has proposed electrification at 25 kV 50 Hz of the railway along the country’s south coast under the auspices of the Algarve Regional Co-ordination & Development Commission. The €57·9m project would cover electrification of the 45 km between Tunes and Lagos, and the ...
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NewsAmtrak should focus on medium-distance corridors, says Anderson
USA: Amtrak should focus on its medium-distance operations and prioritise investment in a network of corridors across the country of between 200 km and 1 000 km, where the greatest ridership can be achieved, believes its new Chief Executive Richard Anderson. Outlining his vision for the future of the ...
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NewsSiemens Chargers to work Altamont commuter trains
USA: California’s San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission has ordered four SC-44 Charger diesel locomotives from Siemens, with an option for four more, to support an expansion of its Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail service. Launched in 1998 with just two trains/day, ACE currently operates four trains each way per day ...
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NewsRail boost in Auckland transport plan
NEW ZEALAND: Further investment in suburban and light rail is to be funded under the NZ$28bn Auckland Transport Alignment Programme unveiled by Transport Minister Phil Twyford and Mayor Phil Goff on April 26. Described as the country's largest ever civil construction programme, ATAP 2018 is intended to ‘create a 21st ...
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NewsUK railway news round-up
FirstGroup and joint venture partner Trenitalia have decided to withdraw from the East Midlands franchise competition, in order to focus on bidding for the West Coast Partnership franchise. ‘This is an exciting opportunity to be the first operator of High Speed 2, as well as to run conventional West Coast ...
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NewsCompetition authority reviews open access bid
SPAIN: The National Commission on Markets & Competition has decided to resume work on reviewing the application by Air Nostrum subsidiary Intermodalidad de Levante SA to launch the country’s first open access high speed services, despite a legal challenge from the Ministry of Development. ILSA is hoping to launch a ...
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NewsCompetition comes to Swiss long-distance network
SWITZERLAND: The Federal Office for Transport has decided to split the concession to operate long-distance passenger services on the national network, although Swiss Federal Railways will continue to be responsible for all but two routes. BAV announced on April 19 that it expects to award a concession to SBB to ...
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NewsPraha – Harrachov direct service launched
CZECH REPUBLIC: A weekends-only direct service between Praha and the resort of Harrachov close to the Polish border in the Krkonoše mountains was introduced by national operator ČD on April 14. There are two trains each way on Saturdays and Sundays, offering a journey time of 3 h 15 min ...
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NewsSNCB inaugurates Kinkempois workshop
BELGIUM: Celebrations were held in Liège on April 19 to mark the opening of SNCB’s new rolling stock maintenance workshops at Kinkempois. Intended to maintain locomotives, EMUs and coaches, the facility has been developed on the site of a former freight depot, incorporating a wagon repair shop dating back to ...
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NewsEuskotren planning high speed commuter services
SPAIN: Basque regional operator Euskotren is planning to launch high speed commuter trains over the 1 435 mm gauge ‘Basque Y’ high speed network linking San Sebastián, Gasteiz-Vitoría and Bilbao. Speaking on the sidelines of the World Metro & Light Rail Congress in Bilbao on April 19, Euskotren Chief Executive ...
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NewsNova 1 trainset for TransPennine Express sets off from Japan
UK: The first of 19 five-car AT300 electric-diesel trainsets which Angel Trains has ordered from Hitachi Rail Europe for use by TransPennine Express has set sail from Japan, the manufacturer confirmed on April 20. The journey to the UK is expected to take two months. The unit will then undergo ...