Passenger rail news – Page 133
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NewsSNCF relaunches web distribution portal as oui.sncf
FRANCE: Described as ‘a new shop window’, the voyages-sncf.com website was rebranded as ‘oui.sncf’ on December 6. The rebranding marks the third and final pillar in SNCF’s revamp of its passenger operations, which has also seen its TGV business marketed under the premium Inoui brand and the low-cost offering Ouigo. ...
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NewsICE4 enters regular service
GERMANY: After nearly 12 months of trials in commercial service on the Hamburg – München route, Deutsche Bahn has put the first of its fleet of ICE4 trainsets into regular operation. From the timetable change on December 10 five Class 412 trainsets were introduced on services from Hamburg to München ...
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NewsMerkel inaugurates München - Berlin Unity Project 8
GERMANY: Special trains from München and Nürnberg, celebrations in multiple cities and a spectacular arrival in Berlin Hauptbahnhof marked the inauguration on December 8 of the railway known as German Unity Project VDE8. Commemorative events had been staged in Nürnberg, Erfurt, Leipzig and Wittenberg to mark the formal opening of ...
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NewsXi’an – Chengdu high speed railway opened throughout
CHINA: Revenue services on the 511 km Xi’an – Jiangyou section of the 663 km Xi’an – Chengdu Passenger-Dedicated Line began on December 6, with the first train leaving Xi’an at 08:22. The maximum operating speed on the line is 250 km/h. The 153 km first phase between Chengdu and ...
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NewsNGR EMUs ready to enter service in Brisbane
AUSTRALIA: The first of 75 New Generation Rollingstock trainsets being built by Bombardier for the Brisbane suburban network are expected to begin carrying passengers on December 11, Queensland Rail Chief Executive Officer Nick Easy confirmed on December 6. With 70% of Queensland’s population growth expected in the South-East region, the ...
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NewsNew South Wales fleet replacement advances
AUSTRALIA: Three consortia have been shortlisted for the contract to replace the NSW TrainLink regional rail fleet of XPT, Endeavour and Xplorer trains, the New South Wales state government has announced. The bidders are: Regional Futures, led by Downer; Bombardier Consortium; Momentum Trains, led by CAF. Transport for NSW ...
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NewsKoleje Śląskie operating contract extended
POLAND: Śląskie voivodship has awarded in-house train operator Koleje Śląskie a five-year extension to its contract to provide local passenger services. In 2015 the voivodship awarded KŚ a contract running for 10 years from January 1 2016, with the five-year extension to December 2030 being subject to investment in new ...
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NewsFerrovia Circumetnea orders more Vulcano DMUs
ITALY: Ferrovia Circumetnea has ordered an additional two-car Vulcano diesel multiple-unit from Newag, and expects to place a firm order for three more once financing is secured. The four 950 mm gauge DMUs would cost a total of €14·9m. In Decemer 2013 FCE and Newag finalised a €14·8m contract for ...
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NewsIran orders Hyundai Rotem diesel multiple-units
IRAN: A €720m contract for Hyundai Rotem and Iran Rail Industries Development Co to supply 150 three-car diesel multiple-units to national railway RAI was signed on December 2. Hyundai Rotem will produce 150 cars at its plant at Changwon in South Korea, with the remaining 300 to be assembled locally ...
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NewsNTV confirms Italo Evo debut
ITALY: High speed open access operator Nuovo Transporto Viaggiatori announced on November 29 that the first four of its fleet of 17 italo Evo trainsets will officially enter service on December 7, just before the start of the winter timetable three days later. The announcement was made at a presentation ...
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NewsBorder link to open in January
EUROPE: The much-delayed cross-border link between Stabio in Switzerland and Varese in Italy forming part of the Ferrovia Mendrisio – Varese project will open for public services on January 7. In an initial step on December 10 cross-border operator for Ticino and Lombardia TILO will extend Route S40 between ...
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NewsFirst Flirt3 for GySEV presented
HUNGARY: On November 30 Stadler presented the first of 10 Flirt3 electric multiple-units that it is supplying to GySEV under a contact awarded in September 2016. Two EMUs are currently undergoing acceptance trials in Hungary. Built by Stadler factories in Switzerland and Poland, the first Flirt3 EMUs are due to ...
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NewsRoute numbers to identify SBB’s long-distance services
SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways will introduce route numbers for its long-distance services from the start of the winter timetable on December 10. Intended to offer passengers ‘simple and reliable’ identification of their services, the numbering is based on that used for the national road network. The main east-west route ...
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NewsTwindexx fleet to enter service in 2018
SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways confirmed on November 30 that it will launch the first Twindexx double-deck electric multiple-units in commercial service during 2018. The decision follows an interim ruling by the Federal Office for Transport authorising the trains to carry passengers after supplier Bombardier Transportation provided all the necessary safety ...
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NewsStrategic vision to bring infrastructure and operations closer
UK: On November 29 Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling published the government’s ‘strategic vision’ for rail, containing what it says are ‘sweeping proposals’ to bring infrastructure and train operations closer together. In what is described as ‘an evolution’ of the franchising system, single management teams are to be ...
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NewsSNCF to assist PRASA with renewal programme
SOUTH AFRICA: Under a tripartite agreement signed on November 27, SNCF and French government development agency AFD have agreed to provide technical and financial assistance worth R6·2m to suburban passenger operator Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa. Commencing from the start of December, the 12-month partnership will provide technical expertise, ...
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NewsToshkent plant produces coaches for export
UZBEKISTAN: Toshkent Plant for the Construction & Repair of Passenger Cars is to deliver the first batch of coaches built to its own design for export. National railway UTY said the plant was improving its capabilities every year, and its ‘Made in Uzbekistan’ Type 61-911 open and Type 61-907 ...
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NewsPPF Group buys Škoda Transportation
CZECH REPUBLIC: Investment company PPF Group has acquired rolling stock manufacturer Škoda Transportation under an agreement finalised overnight on November 24-25. Although the purchase price has not been formally announced, it is understood to be in excess of KC10bn. In 2016 Škoda Transportation reported consolidated sales of KC15·7bn, down by ...
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NewsHigh Capacity Metro Train mock-up supports design process
AUSTRALIA: The Evolution Rail consortium of Downer, CRRC and Plenary has produced a full-scale mock up of the 65 electric multiple-units for Melbourne suburban services which it is to supply and maintain under the Victorian government’s High Capacity Metro Trains PPP contract. As part of the design process, the 39 ...
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NewsThameslink Programme completion deferred by a year
UK: The Department for Transport has agreed to a proposal from Network Rail and train operator Govia Thameslink Railway which would see introduction of the full 24 trains/h timetable on the Thameslink route through central London deferred by a year to December 2019. With a total value of £7bn, of ...