Passenger rail news – Page 28
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NewsDeutsche Bahn orders 73 ICE trainsets
GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn has announced two orders for a total of 73 inter-city trainsets.
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NewsDanish IC5 Coradia Stream mock-up unveiled
DENMARK: National passenger operator DSB has unveiled a full-size mock-up of the IC5 Coradia Stream multiple-units which Alstom is to supply to replace IC3, IC4, IR4 and Øresund trainsets on inter-city and regional services. The IC5 design combines ‘innovation, sustainability and great passenger comfort in the ...
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NewsOuigo España launches Madrid – Alacant service
SPAIN: SNCF’s low-cost subsidiary Ouigo España launched two pairs of daily trains between Madrid Chamartín and Alacant on April 28, following a ceremony at Alacant Terminal the previous day. The trains call only at Albacete Los Llanos on the 486 km route from Madrid Chamartín to ...
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Rail Business UKNo silver bullet promised as TransPennine Express to transfer to Operator of Last Resort
UK: FirstGroup’s National Rail Contract to operate TransPennine Express services will not be renewed when it expires on May 28, Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper announced on May 11. Operations will instead be transferred to the government’s Operator of Last Resort. Services will run ...
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In depthAustria: A transport network for everyone
Emerging EU legislation on accessibility will put stronger regulatory requirements on public transport operators to ensure their services are open to all. Faced with a mix of modes including a large legacy tramway, Wien operator Wiener Linien is making steady progress towards meeting this challenge. Toma Bačić reports.
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Rail Business UKNetwork Rail trials mid-week engineering work to reflect post-pandemic travel demand
UK: With data from inter-city operator LNER suggesting that that Fridays and Sundays are now the most popular days for travel on the East Coast Main Line, infrastructure manager Network Rail is to undertake engineering work mid-week rather than at the weekend as a trial. Track, ...
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In depthAccessibility: Time to ‘mind the gap’, once and for all
The provision of level boarding between platforms and trains improves accessibility for all passengers, while cutting station dwell times and reducing safety risks. Gareth Dennis looks at the challenges and considers the best way to solve them.
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NewsIndian Railways reports buoyant business in post-Covid rebound
INDIA: Publishing its final results for the 2022-23 financial year, Indian Railways has reported a 27·75% increase in revenue for the 12 months to March 31. Reflecting economic buoyancy in the face of global headwinds, the national railway reported revenues of Rs2·44tr for the year. This ...
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NewsDSB cleared to order automated S-bane trains
DENMARK: State-owned operator DSB has received government authorisation to start the procurement of its next generation of trains for the København S-bane, paving the way for fully-automated operation from 2029. Due to be rolled out over the next 15 years, the trains are intended to replace ...
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Rail Business UKNo fee promise as ‘nimble and ambitious’ challenger enters rail ticketing market
UK: ‘This is the perfect time for a nimble and ambitious player to challenge the status quo’ says James Dunne, CEO of Australian company Rail Online which has announced its entry into the National Rail ticket retailing market with a platform offering no booking fees and automated aftersales functions.
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Rail Business UKCrowns, chocolates, a named train and planning ahead as rail industry prepares for the coronation
UK: Additional services, longer trains and queuing systems are planned to handle the crowds who are expected to travel to events marking the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey on May 6 and the concert to be held in Windsor the following day.
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NewsCouchette coach refurbishment contract awarded
AUSTRIA: Austrian Federal Railways has awarded Škoda Group a contract to modernise six couchette cars for Nightjet overnight services, with an option for 28 more. Škoda said the modernised coaches would feature ‘comfortable’ beds, modern lighting and updated toilets as well as an accessible compartment. The ...
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NewsEuropean Commission investigates possible anticompetitive practices in online rail ticketing
SPAIN: The European Commission has opened a formal investigation to assess whether national incumbent RENFE may have abused its dominant position in the passenger rail market by refusing to supply all ticketing information and real-time data to rival retailing platforms. RENFE sells tickets offline and online ...
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NewsRecord traffic on Saudi high speed line during Ramadan
SAUDI ARABIA: The Haramain High Speed Rail line which connects Makkah and Madinah carried a record number of passengers during the Ramadan period, when a special timetable was operated to meet the high demand. Spanish national train operator RENFE, which operates the line on behalf of ...
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NewsAnkara – Sivas high speed line inaugurated
TURKEY: The long-delayed Ankara – Sivas high speed line was formally opened on April 26, when national operator TCDD Taşımacılık ran its first public passenger services over the new route. The 405 km double-track line heading east from the capital incorporates 112 km of existing alignment as ...
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NewsGrand Est seeks return of direct trains to the south
FRANCE: Grand Est région has called on the national government to fund and launch a direct inter-city service between Lorraine and southern France.
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NewsBulgaria to realign railway to Romanian border
BULGARIA: Infrastructure manager NKZI has announced plans to replace the Medkovets – Vidin section of its Sofia – Vidin main line serving the northwest of the country with a new alignment, enabling passenger trains to run at 160 km/h and freight trains at 120 km/h. The ...
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NewsBrightline opens Orlando Airport station for services to start this summer
USA: Florida inter-city operator Brightline has formally opened its station at Orlando International Airport, ready for the extension of its Miami – West Palm Beach services to Orlando ‘in the summer’. The service expansion follows upgrading and double-tracking of the existing Florida East Coast Railway between ...
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NewsKeolis picked to run Valleilijn services
NETHERLANDS: The province of Gelderland has selected Keolis Nederland to operate Valleilijn services between Amersfoort and Ede-Wageningen via Barneveld for 13 years from the December 2023 timetable change. The line is currently operated by Transdev subsidiary Connexxion, using a fleet of five Protos EMUs supplied by ...
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NewsAutomated train wheelchair lift launched
SWITZERLAND: Högg Group company Simplify Engineering has received the first order for its latest design of automated train-mounted wheelchair lift.