Passenger rail news – Page 42
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Rail Business UKEight themes in South Western Railway’s 2022-23 Business Plan
UK: South Western Railway has agreed its 2022-23 Business Plan with the Department for Transport, setting out what it plans in the second year of its National Rail Contract and how much it will cost. Under the National Rail Contract all revenue is paid to the ...
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NewsHigh speed line to Burgos opens
SPAIN: Passenger services on a 75 km high speed line between Burgos and a junction with the Madrid – Valladolid – León line at Venta de Baños began on July 22, the day after a formal inauguration by King Felipe VI. It is planned that this will eventually form part of a high speed corridor to the French border.
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NewsNorske Tog trials reclining seats on overnight trains
NORWAY: As a pilot project for the planned renewal of the country’s long-distance passenger train fleet, rolling stock company Norske Tog has started trialling reclining seats on overnight services.
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NewsTrenord introduces ‘buy now pay later’ option
ITALY: Lombardia regional passenger operator Trenord has introduced ‘buy now pay later’ functionality for ticket purchase made online at trenord.it or through its Trenord app, thanks to a partnership with Milano-based payments company Scalapay. Passengers using regional trains or the premium Malpensa Express services who book ...
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NewsPolish operator attaches bicycle vans to trains
POLAND: Regional operator Koleje Dolnośląskie says it is the first in Poland to offer dedicated bicycle transport services, attaching bright yellow vans to its DMUs between Wrocław Główny, Sobótka Zachodnia and Świdnica Przedmieście. Each van can carry up to 38 bicycles, which ...
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NewsExtremadura high speed line inaugurated
SPAIN: Passenger services began using an upgraded 193 km mixed-traffic route between Plasencia and Badajoz in Extremadura on July 19, following the inauguration of three sections of new alignment totalling 146 km by King Felipe VI the previous day.
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NewsNorwegian operating contracts renegotiated
NORWAY: National rail authority Jernbanedirektoratet has completed the renegotiation of its tendered train operating contracts to reflect the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The three tendered contracts with Go-Ahead Norge, SJ Norge and Vy Tog all came into force before the outbreak of Covid-19 in early ...
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NewsTracklaying completed on Sotetsu – Tokyu Link
JAPAN: The completion of tracklaying on the link line connecting the Sotetsu and Tokyu railways was marked with a ceremony at Shin-Yokohama on July 8.
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In depthAfrica: SNCC restores passenger services in DR Congo
Passenger services have been reinstated on the 1 067 mm gauge line from Lubumbashi to Kananga following the arrival of modern rolling stock from China. Murray Hughes reports.
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NewsMixed response to Spanish free rail travel proposals
SPAIN: Measures to encourage regular commuters to shift from car to rail including free season tickets were outlined by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez during the government’s State of the Nation debate in mid-July, however the limitations of the offer have led to confusion among policymakers and campaign groups.
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Metro Report InternationalDolderbahn rack railcar design unveiled
SWITZERLAND: City transport operator Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich has unveiled the design of two railcars ordered for the Dolderbahn, which climbs 162 m in 1 328 m using the von Roll rack system. In June 2021 VBZ awarded Stadler Bussnang a SFr10·6m contract to supply two Bhe 1/2 ...
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Metro Report InternationalBarking Riverside extension opens
UK: The 4·5 km Barking Riverside extension of the London Overground network opened on July 18. London Overground concessionaire Arriva Rail London is now operating four trains per hour as an extension of its Gospel Oak – Barking route, offering a 7 min journey time between ...
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In depthInterview: Gautrain sees a stable path to growth
Having made a positive socio-economic impact since opening a decade ago, the 1 435 mm gauge Gautrain network serving Johannesburg and Tshwane is seeing passengers return gradually after the pandemic. Benjámin Zelki asks William Dachs, CEO of the province’s organising authority Gautrain Management Agency, how he sees the future.
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NewsTraffic boost envisaged in Belgian operating contracts
BELGIUM: Final negotiations over the next 10-year operating contracts for state-owned passenger operator SNCB and national infrastructure manager Infrabel are expected to start in the coming weeks, following the publication of draft versions for consultation. According to federal Minister of Mobility Georges Gilkinet, rail needs to ...
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NewsElectric railway opened to serve Cairo’s new cities
EGYPT: President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi has inaugurated the first phase of the 103 km Capital Train ‘light rail transit’ electric suburban railway which is being built to connect Cairo with 10th Ramadan City and the New Administrative Capital. The ceremony was held on July 3, ...
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In depthPassenger Rolling Stock: Lightweight railcar deploys composite components
The UK’s Very Light Rail demonstrator vehicle has made extensive use of composite components in the bodyshell, production of which can now be automated to reduce costs.
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In depthBenelux: Faster timings in prospect with ICNG fleet
Part of the fleet of Intercity New Generation trainsets now being tested by Netherlands Railways is destined to replace the locomotive-hauled ICRm sets currently in use on Amsterdam – Brussels services via HSL-Zuid, trimming up to 40 min off the journey. The rest of the 200 km/h fleet will be deployed on domestic routes.
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NewsSBB drops active suspension on Twindexx fleet
SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways has announced that it will no longer pursue plans to introduce active suspension on its fleet of Twindexx double-deck electric multiple-units. SBB had planned to launch the technology on inter-city versions of its Twindexx fleet in 2027 as a means of saving ...
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NewsErfurter Bahn gets direct award
GERMANY: The Land of Thüringen has directly awarded Erfurter Bahn a contract to operate a Zeulenroda – Hof passenger service from June 2022 to December 2024. The contract covers 360 000 train-km/year. A direct award was used as the service is operated as a continuation of ...
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NewsDB becomes Star Alliance’s first Intermodal Partner
GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn is to become the first Intermodal Partner of the Star Alliance on August 1, in a move which the train operator and group of airlines said sends a ‘strong signal for the environmentally-friendly evolution of the travel industry’. The Intermodal Partner model aims ...