‘ERTMS is not a product, it’s a mindset’: experts on how it should evolve
Thilde Restofte Pedersen of Nordic Signals, Karel van Gils of Europe’s Rail, and Jarlath Lally of The Signalling Company all agree on one thing: that ERTMS should evolve. They discussed the bottlenecks at RailTech Europe 2026: with the added urgency of military mobility, the challenge is getting Europe’s digital rail signalling system from slow deployment […]
Renfe procures up to 40 high-speed trains, Siemens and Hitachi emerge as favourites
Renfe launched the tender for its fastest-ever high-speed trains. The Spanish state-owned train operator intends to acquire up to 40 units at a maximum speed of 350 km/h. Replacing the first-generation AVE trains and boosting the current fleet are the main goals of this procurement, approved this week by the rail operator board. Subscribe to […]
Norway reveals plans for commercial DAC tests next year
Large-scale commercial tests for Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) will begin next year all across Europe. For Norway, trains operated by Onrail will be equipped with the couplers and run intermodal services between Oslo and Bergen until 2028. The tests announced for Norway by the county’s railway agency Jernbanedirektoratet are part of the wider project known […]
The Paris-Berlin night train is back: European Sleeper launches first service following ÖBB exit
A night train connection is back between Paris and Berlin as of tonight (26 March) with the launch of European Sleeper’s new service. The operator jumped into the gap left by ÖBB following its exit from the route in December, which ÖBB said was due to withdrawal from SNCF after the French government stopped its […]
Spain supports Ukraine with €5,5 million for variable-gauge bogies
Spain and Ukraine are taking the next steps in their partnership to develop variable-gauge bogies. With a grant of €5,48 million, Madrid will help Kyiv in developing “a new innovative bogie for freight wagons with an automatic change of gauge from 1520mm to 1435mm”, Ukrainian Railways said. Subscribe to gain access to all news Already […]
Akiem orders 80 Vectron locomotives from Siemens, including first battery-electric models
Siemens Mobility and locomotive leasing and maintenance provider Akiem have signed a framework agreement for the purchase of 80 Vectron locomotives, including a firm order of 50 units. The deal includes the first battery-ellectric Vectron Dual Mode locomotives, with first deliveries to Akiem scheduled in 2029 or 2030. Subscribe to gain access to all news […]
Renfe invests €25 million in local and metric gauge stations
Spain’s state-owned train operator Renfe is investing €24.8 million to improve the train stations of suburban and metric-gauge railways. The nationwide investment will begin in May and last a year and a half. More than 100 minor works should provide major benefits to passengers of the Cercanías and Ancho Métrico services, the operator announced. Renfe […]
Storms damage trains across NW England
Severe winds have brought parts of the rail network in North West England and the English Midlands to a standstill, with multiple passenger trains stranded and infrastructure damaged by fallen trees. Operators and infrastructure teams are working to restore services, but disruption is expected to continue as safety inspections and repairs take place across key […]
Open access Lumo cracks the West Coast Main Line
The First Group-backed Lumo is just weeks away from achieving a milestone for open access operations in the UK. The bright-blue painted trains are set to run services on the crowded West Coast Main Line – already Europe’s busiest mixed-traffic route. The operator revealed this week its fleet of refurbished trains that will take a […]
UK government confirms it’s looking at slower trains for HS2
The UK government has officially confirmed it is considering buying slower trains for HS2, stating it would “explore other high-speed options for the railway, which could save taxpayers billions.” Mark Wild, the person charged with leading the beleaguered project’s latest reset, stressed that speed had “never been the primary objective.” Subscribe to gain access to […]