Huge investments in Russian Far East rail are no break with the past
Russia is planning to invest record-breaking amounts in its Far East railway infrastructure. Unprecedented investments in the East in the coming years might be interpreted as a break with the past and a move away...Read more
‘Train drivers, sound your horns’, says German rail freight association
German rail budget 2024Tomorrow, Wednesday 17 January, will be a loud lunch in Berlin. At least 13 freight train drivers will sound their horns in protest to the cuts expected from the 2024 German federal budget. The proposal...Read more
Swiss single wagonload plan ‘won’t jeopardise rail infrastructure funds’
The Swiss Federal Council recently announced that it will transfer some money destined for the Railway Infrastructure Fund (RIF) to boost single wagonload (SWL) traffic in the country. The funds are coming from the so-called...Read more
EU sets frail foundations for intermodal transport’s future
File: Greening Freight Package The European Commission’s proposal to amend the Weights and Dimensions Directive (WDD) concerning commercial road vehicles presents some problematic points. The railway sector is concerned that the proposal will result in a modal shift from...Read more
The 2024 German federal budget could cut 252 million from rail freight
The German rail association Allianz pro-Schiene expressed its worries about the significant cuts expected in the rail freight sector from the 2024 federal budget. “All in all it is about 252 million euros less for...Read more
The Swiss Federal Council wants to pour millions into single wagonload
The Swiss Federal Council wants to make funds available to improve the country’s rail freight sector and keep single wagonload transport financially viable. If approved by the Swiss Parliament, the initiative will see hundreds of...Read more
Russian grain imports and transit should be banned, says Latvian minister
Latvian Minister of Transport Kaspars Briškens wants to ban all imports and transit of Russian grain due to the possibility that imports include grain stolen from Ukraine. A total ban could have significant economic consequences...Read more
Implementing Act for paperless freight in EU gets officially adopted
The Implementing Act to implement Electronic Freight Transport Information (eFTI) in the European Union (EU) was officially adopted on 19 December 2023. This regulation is the first step for EU Member States to develop the...Read more
EU strikes deal on TEN-T revision, here’s what it entails
The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on revising the TEN-T network. The deal was reached yesterday evening,18 December, after the two parties met to negotiate the...Read more
Canada, Lithuania and Sweden to help rebuild Ukrainian infrastructure
The governments of Canada, Lithuania, Sweden and Ukraine will cooperate to help rebuild Kyiv’s “war-ravaged transport systems and develop new international trade links”. The initiative, called Common Interest Group for Ukraine (CIG4U), will focus on...Read more
Spain unlocks 26 million euros in rail freight eco-incentives
The Spanish Ministry of Transport (MITMA) awarded 26.1 million euros to be assigned to eight rail freight operators as eco-incentives. This strategy is part of Spain’s agreement with the European Commission (EC) to unlock some...Read more
‘All modes need to be equally efficient,’ says EC’s transport officer
File: Greening Freight Package Maria Koidu, responsible for intermodal transport at the European Commission, said that no freight sector should be left behind when it comes to the Greening Freight Transport Package (GFTP). This, she added, makes it quite...Read more
‘Common vision is necessary to implement Capacity Regulation’
The Regulation on the Use of Railway Infrastructure Capacity, part of the Greening Freight Package (GFP), remains one of the hottest topics in the European rail freight sector. One of the main issues seems to...Read more
US Agency to develop key Ukrainian freight line to Poland
The United States is getting involved in integrating Ukraine into European railways. According to Ukrainian Railways (UZ), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will help develop the line connecting Lviv to Mostyska, on...Read more
MEP wants to take power from IMs with regulation amendments
The Regulation on the Use of Railway Infrastructure Capacity, part of the Greening Freight Package, is currently under revision. Tilly Metz, Member of the European Parliament, recently presented 172 amendments, most of which focus on...Read more
UK Rail Reform Bill delayed by … late running reform bills
In an announcement to everyone awaiting the arrival of the Rail Reform Bill, the UK Government apologises for the late arrival of their service. This is due to the late running of several other preceding...Read more
European Vehicle Register: upgrade or bust?
analysisThe rail industry in Europe is asking to make the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) the registration entity in the context of the European Vehicle Register (EVR), a European database where wagon keepers can...Read more
German top court ruling leaves rail budget with a multi-billion euro gap
Rail budget 2024At the end of last week, the German Constitutional Court ruled that the German government’s climate policy funding mechanisms are unconstitutional. This practically means that the federal government will not be able to use capital...Read more
Why a collective track access charging approach matters
The disparity noticed on the track access charges (TAC) applied by different EU member states is a problem when it comes to utilising them strategically in achieving modal shift goals. A collective European charging approach,...Read more