Private rail freight sector now dominates the market
Last year was the year of the private sector in rail. For the first time in history, private companies or subsidiaries of large holdings that act like a private company account for a majority of...Read more
Commission unwilling to adopt all suggestions of ECA intermodal report
The EU Commission responded swiftly to the European Court of Auditors’ report on intermodal transport and the share of rail freight. The report, which provided worrisome findings, might illustrate the situation as overly dramatic according...Read more
A common language for European train drivers: additional hurdle or solution?
ANALYSISThe European rail sector remains divided: should there be a common language for cross-border train operations for staff such as train drivers, personnel and traffic controllers? The remarkable thing is that the freight association ERFA,...Read more
Single wagon traffic vs block trains: financial support should not be a vicious circle
As many states are already supporting or planning to adopt supportive measures for single wagon traffic, the European Rail Freight Association (ERFA) draws attention to the possibly distorting side effects that such practice could have...Read more
Germany steps in to help railway companies pay electricity bill
The German parliament has voted in favour of reducing electricity prices for railways to 13 cents per kWh. This is a significant reduction of what the industry pays now, according to Conor Feighan from the...Read more
Do EU transport ministers hear the railway sector’s pleas?
The informal meeting of the Eu transport ministers on Friday, 21 October, could produce some palpable energy measures for the railway sector. The energy, and specifically, electricity crisis plaguing rail freight and passenger transport currently...Read more
Rail unions raise their voices on increasing electricity prices
ERFA, UIP, and UIRR urged the EU to activate “an emergency intervention to address high energy prices that will be applied to traction electricity used by freight trains”. Electricity prices throughout the Union have increased...Read moreRailway sector fears unstable energy supply, calls Brussels to act
With the increasing energy bills and insecurity about a steady supply, the European railway sector calls for action. Sector associations Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) and the European Rail Freight Association (ERFA)...Read more
“Simpler state aid is great, but mind the internal competition”
The European Commission’s intention to simplify the state aid rules for green transport could directly benefit rail, which is very important. However, when it comes to granting subsidies and funding, the Commission and the Member...Read more
‘International capacity management now or forget about green targets’
The European Rail Freight Association sent a clear message to the EU Commission regarding the boost of cross-border rail. The association underlined that the Commission’s public consultation aiming to coordinate international rail traffic should be...Read more
How liberalised is the EU rail freight market?
The liberalisation of the rail freight market in the EU is developing well. In 2021, there is an almost equal representation of incumbents linked to a holding company and the private companies, or subsidiaries of...Read more
‘Rail freight undertakings should not have special treatment’
In light of the Commission’s revision of state aid guidelines for Railway Undertakings, the European Rail Freight Association (ERFA) emphasises that it’s critical to ensure a level playing field for everyone in the European rail...Read moreRailway associations ask for international capacity management
The Railway Undertakings associations ERFA, FTE and ALLRAIL, proposed establishing specific commercial conditions and an International Body of Compliance to harmonise and control international rail freight traffic and capacity.Read more
TEN-T revision: a good idea, but this must not be forgotten
In completing the TEN-T network, capacity for freight should not be forgotten, infrastructure works should not interrupt rail freight too much and the punctuality of freight trains should be monitored at the very least. Also,...Read more
Digital Capacity Management to free up space on congested EU railways
Europe’s major infrastructure managers and railway undertakings have laid the cornerstones of the future of Digital Capacity Management (DCM). DCM will contribute to freeing up capacity on congested lines for both passenger and freight traffic....Read more
Zero-emission truck and electric train should be charged the same
European policy makers should find a way of charging for infrastructure that incentivises the greenest possible choice of modality. This requires a multimodal approach, rather than an isolated policy for a single transport sector, say...Read more
Rail sector wants track access charging measures continued for six more months
Railway associations want to prolong the regulation allowing to waive, reduce or defer track access charges in the face of Covid-19. The regulation would last until the end of June, but they asked for it...Read more
Germany wants to almost nullify track access charges
Germany has proposed to continue the reduction of track access charges until the end of 2021. Interestingly, the charges will almost be nullified; from the current 50 per cent reduction it wants to move to...Read more