Passenger rail news – Page 4
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NewsBangladesh Railway orders Indian coaches
BANGLADESH: Indian Railways’ engineering consultancy RITES has been awarded a contract to supply 200 coaches to Bangladesh Railway. Signed in Dhaka on May 20, the US$111·3m contract is being funded by the European Investment Bank, and follows a global competitive tender. It provides 36 months for ...
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NewsLong-distance trainset for Malaysia unveiled
MALAYSIA: The first of 10 ETS3 long-distance trainsets for national railway KTMB’s electrified west coast corridor was rolled at CRRC Zhuzhou’s factory in China on June 7. The contract was awarded in 2020. The first two trainsets are to be manufactured in China, and the rest ...
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NewsBUND calls for DB to retain non-digital fare options
GERMANY: Environmental association BUND has called for Deutsche Bahn to ensure people can access all products including reduced fares, BahnCard discounts and seat reservations without creating an online account. This follows DB’s decision that BahnCards would only be issued digitally and not as physical plastic cards. ...
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NewsArenaways selects Fairtiq ticketing platform
ITALY: Arenaways is to use Fairtiq’s mobile pay-as-you-go ticketing system on the Cuneo – Savigliano and Ceva – Ormea routes which it is to operate from January 2025 under a 10-year PSO contract awarded by the Piemonte region. Swiss company Fairtiq said this would be its ...
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NewsBLS undertakes Lötschberger mid-life refurbishment
SWITZERLAND: BLS has returned to service the first of its RABe535 Lötschberger electric multiple-units to undergo mid-life refurbishment at its Bönigen works. The 25 four-car EMUs were supplied by Vevey Technologies and then Bombardier Transportation in 2008-12. The SFr17m refurbishment programme running to 2027 aims to ...
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NewsRhätische Bahn’s replacement Albula tunnel opens
SWITZERLAND: More than 300 guests from the rail industry, politics, business and tourism attended opening celebrations held at both ends of Rhätische Bahn’s replacement Albula tunnel on June 8, ahead of the start of regular services on June 12. The 5 860 m long Albula II ...
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NewsOntario Northlander passenger train revival contracts awarded
CANADA: The government of Ontario has awarded contracts for infrastructure works to enable the reinstatement of Ontario Northland’s Northlander passenger service between Toronto Union station and a new Timmins-Porcupine station.
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NewsSouthern section of Guangzhou – Foshan circular line opens
CHINA: The South Ring Section of the Guangzhou – Foshan circular railway opened on May 26, running from Panyu (Guangzhou Nan) to Foshan Xi. The route is shared with the Guangzhou – Foshan – Zhaoqing inter-city railway. Services run at up to 200 km/h. Construction of ...
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NewsVirginia looks to boost passenger services
USA: Virginia Passenger Rail Authority is in preliminary discussions with Norfolk Southern for the purchase of the route used by Manassas Line commuter services, and to introduce passenger services to the New River Valley in the southeast of the state. Purchasing the Manassas Line would enable ...
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NewsHigh speed train start-up Proxima announces €1bn launch plan
FRANCE: High speed rail start-up Proxima has announced a €1bn plan backed by investor Antin Infrastructure Partners to acquire 12 Alstom trainsets and launch open access services from Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes and Angers to Paris. Proxima has been established by former Voyages SNCF CEO Rachel Picard, ...
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NewsKenya Railways sets out strategic plan for 2023-27
KENYA: Kenya Railways has launched its strategic plan for 2023-27, setting out a medium-term policy, legal, institutional and regulatory framework to transform itself into the ’leading transport service provider in the region’. The plan includes developing and upgrading rail infrastructure, increasing freight and passenger capacity, expanding ...
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NewsMidnight Trains drops plans for hotel quality sleeper train network
FRANCE: Start-up Midnight Trains has abandoned its ambitious plan to develop a network of premium overnight trains offering hotel-standard accommodation on European routes of up to 1 500 km from Paris, after being unable to raise the necessary funding. Co-founder Adrien Aumont said the rail sector’s ...
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NewsItaly allocates funding for hydrogen trains
ITALY: Funding for the purchase of hydrogen and hydrogen-electric regional trainsets has been announced by the Ministry of Infrastructure & Transport. ‘We confirm our determination to modernise the country, with choices that respect the environment’, said Minister of Transport Matteo Salvini when the allocations were announced ...
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Rail Business UKHaigh confirms open access operators’ role in Labour’s rail plans
UK: ‘Open access operators like these will play a role in the future of our railways under Labour’, Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said when she officially opened Hull Trains’ Learning & Development Academy.
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NewsGovernor signs São Paulo – Campinas inter-city contract
BRAZIL: São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas and State Deputy Dirceu Dalben signed the long-awaited contract with the Brazilian-Chinese C2 Mobilidade sobre Trilhos Consortium for the Trem Intercidades Eixo Norte in Campinas on June 3. Covering the development and implementation of a São Paulo – Campinas ...
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Metro Report InternationalAlstom to support Kinshasa urban rail project
DR CONGO: Alstom has signed a memorandum of understanding to co-operate with Africa Finance Corp in the development of the 300 km MetroKin urban rail project in fast-growing Kinshasa.
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NewsConcepción area railway enhancement scheme presented
CHILE: A US$3·2bn railway investment plan for the Biobío region, centred on Greater Concepción, was presented on May 17 by Minister of Transport & Telecommunications Juan Carlos Muñoz, Minister General Secretary of Government Camila Vallejo, and President of state railways group EFE, Eric Martin. The scheme ...
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Rail Business UKHitachi Evero trains enter service with Avanti West Coast
UK: Avanti West Coast announced Evero as the brand name for the 200 km/h inter-city trainsets being supplied by Hitachi Rail when its first Class 805 electro-diesel sets entered service with the June 2 timetable change. AWC has ordered 13 five-car Class 805 electro-diesel trainsets for ...
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NewsHigh-capacity EMU to work steeply graded suburban line
CHINA: CRRC has rolled out the first suburban electric multiple-unit for the Chongqing Urban Rail Express Bishan – Tongliang Line, which is under construction for opening next year. The manufacturer said the EMU has a high-strength lightweight aluminium alloy body with a ...
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NewsLow floor coaches added to the GoldenPass Express
SWITZERLAND: Low-floor gauge-changing panoramic coaches have been added to enhance the accessibility of GoldenPass Express services between Montreux, Zweisimmen and Interlaken Ost.