File: Greening Freight Package
France’s rail freight sector voices strong opposition to ‘mega’ trucks
England: Hope Valley Project in final push
Work has started on the final engineering project to upgrade the Hope Valley line in the north of England. The line, which crosses the Pennines (north-south ridge chain), and connects Sheffield with Manchester, will be...Read more
DB vs GDL: strikes end, agreement in sight
There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the German Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL) said that a deal for a new collective bargaining agreement should be expected in...Read more
SBB’s black results cannot hide single wagonload financial bleed-out
The Swiss SBB Group brought its finances back to the black in 2023 for the first time since 2019. Strong passenger transport performance led the Group’s recovery. Cargo performance was still in the red for...Read more
Nurminen Logistics opens rail link connecting Finland with port of Gothenburg
Finnish logistics company Nurminen Logistics will open a new rail route connecting northern Finland to the port of Gothenburg. The service will commence in April. According to the company, the new route helps Finland’s international...Read more
Only one month until the RailFreight Summit in Poland
eventThe Rail Freight Summit Poland ‘24, which will take place in Warsaw between 15 and 17 April 2024 is only one month away. The event will be a great opportunity to discuss the current situation...Read more
Uzbekistan wants a joint venture with China and Kyrgyzstan for CKU line
Uzbekistan has proposed a joint venture with China and Kyrgyzstan for the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) line. The joint venture, which can also count on the support of China and Kyrgyzstan, would also become...Read more
Boxes and biomass shore up latest UK freight figures
The latest quarterly freight figures have some pleasing headlines. However, beyond the standfirst of growth in domestic intermodal and an upturn in biomass movements, there’s a less rosy picture in the big ticket items of...Read more
Strike in Finland halts rail freight services and exports
A number of Finnish trade unions started a political strike Monday 11 March which will continue until 25 March. The initiative has a significant impact on the Finnish transport industry, including rail freight. According to...Read more
Italy might cancel an incentive for rail freight rolling stock
An incentive regarding the acquisition of rail rolling stock in Italy is on the verge of being cancelled, despite the funds being already allocated and having generated huge investments. “We lack certainty about the rules”,...Read more
Vestas break US record with longest blade transport by rail
Vestas marked a couple of milestones in the United States by moving the first high-capacity factor V163-4.5 MW wind turbine blades manufactured at the Windsor Blades factory in Colorado by rail. Making the transport even...Read more
LTG Cargo launches first cross-Baltic service
Lithuanian state-owned rail freight operator, LTG Cargo, recently started transporting petroleum products between Bugeniai, in Luthiania, and Valga, in Estonia. The initiative is another reflection of how operators in the Baltics are looking to diversify...Read more
Dutch rail freight volumes fell by 10% in 2023
Rail freight volumes in the Netherlands fell by ten per cent in 2023. In its annual rail freight report, Dutch infrastructure manager ProRail explains that it was mostly external factors that contributed to the drop....Read more
Poland to build its longest rail tunnel: 4 kilometres through the mountains
Polish national railway infrastructure manager PKP PLK has announced the construction of a new rail tunnel. The tunnel, Poland’s longest tunnel yet at approximately 3,8 kilometres, will significantly reduce travel times and boost connectivity in...Read more
A shorthaul intermodal connection in Scotland might soon be reality
A trial has been held of a sub-fifty mile (80km) intermodal haul in Central Scotland. The revival could connect an intermodal terminal in Paisley, to the west of Glasgow, with the rail freight terminal at...Read more
Maersk still in the race for DB Schenker’s acquisition, says CEO
After DHL withdrew from the race of DB Schenker’s acquisition last week, Danish shipping company DSV appeared to be the sole remaining candidate to proceed with the purchase. However, another player claims it’s still here...Read more
Madrid gets new intermodal terminal connecting to Spain’s large ports
A new rail terminal has been inaugurated in Fuenlabrada, just south of Madrid. The facility offers an intermodal road-rail connection to Spain’s large ports. It specialises in semi-manufactured and temperature-controlled goods and food. Read more