ERTMS to go live on final Rome–Florence high-speed section in April
Italy is set to activate ERTMS on the final unequipped section of the Rome–Florence high-speed line in April, completing the rollout of the European signalling system across one of the country’s most important rail corridors. The European Rail Traffic Management System will be switched on along the Orvieto–Settebagni section, the last remaining stretch of the […]
New private passenger operator set to enter Romania’s rail market this month
Romania is preparing to see a new private passenger rail operator enter the market, with Iași-based Ferotrafic TFI planning to begin running trains between Suceava and Bucharest by the end of March. The company, owned by investor Dumitru Anchidin, is moving into passenger operations with a daily round-trip service linking the northern city of Suceava, […]
Portugal ups Alstom fleet order to over 150 units in country’s ‘biggest ever train investment’
Portugal has expanded its largest rolling stock procurement in decades after state railway operator Comboios de Portugal (CP) signed an addendum to its existing train purchase contract with the Alstom–DST consortium, adding dozens more commuter trains to the programme. The extra order, signed yesterday by Portugal’s state operator, increases the original purchase of Alstom Adessia […]
SNCF cleared for first domestic high-speed services in Italy as RFI ordered to open routes
SNCF has been cleared to launch its first domestic high-speed services in Italy after the country’s competition authority ordered infrastructure manager RFI to open track access on key routes between Turin, Rome and Venice. The Italian state-backed rail company is not happy with the decision, but surpsinglym neither is the French operator. Subscribe to gain […]
Alstom wins signalling contract for Poland’s Łódź rail tunnel
Alstom has signed a contract with Austrian contractor PORR to design and install railway traffic control systems in the long-distance rail tunnel under construction in Łódź as part of the coming Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) high-speed network. Last year in April, the state-backed CPK company that’s steering the recently rebranded Port Polska project selected a […]
What’s new in the North Wales train timetable?
Transport for Wales, the Cardiff government’s agency, says it is about to introduce radical timetable changes for North Wales. In what they call a generational shake up, services from as far afield as Holyhead and Manchester Airport will radically change from May. West Wales will also benefit from extra trains on busy, holiday routes and […]
Czech union opposes cameras to monitor train drivers: ‘smokescreen while real problems remain unadressed’
The Czech Federation of Train Drivers (FSČR) has opposed the use of cameras to monitor train drivers’ workstations. In a letter addressed to Czech Railway Authority (DÚ) Director Jiří Kolář, the union called the proposal a ‘smokescreen’ designed to distract from unresolved systemic problems affecting train drivers’ work. The Czech Railway Authority on February 12 evaluated […]
Fintraffic and Siemens Mobility ran Finland’s first automated train drive with ETCS and ATO
Finland has conducted the Nordic region’s first automated train operation using ETCS Level 2 and Automatic Train Operation (ATO). The successful demonstration, led by Siemens Mobility on a 19-kilometre stretch between Juurikorpi and Hamina, showcased precise automated stops, smooth acceleration, and controlled braking under semi-automatic (GoA2) conditions. The test runs, performed with a modernised train […]
Should rail embrace military mobility? ‘Investments are not wasted in times of peace’
“90 to 95% of what works for military mobility works for rail freight.” Alberto Mazzola, Executive Director of CER, set the tone at RailTech Europe conference day 2. His message was clear: Europe’s railways must evolve into a dual-use network, ready for a crisis and optimised for regular operations at the same time. Because despite […]
Glasgow Central fire: reopening uncertain
Empty on a Monday morning is not how you expect to find Scotland’s busiest railway station. Yet, apart from security personnel, an acrid smell of burnt timber, and an unnatural haze in the air, reminiscent of the days of steam trains at the buffers, Glasgow Central was deserted this Monday morning, 9 March. It most […]